R9 - Penrith vs Melbourne Sun 12/05 6:30pm Centrebet Stadium
Faider wrote:Did anyone else notice that Slater didn't look 100%? that interception that happened in the first half Slater was close to Simmons
(who didn't look quick at all) and Slater gave up like a few meters into the chase.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/b ... 6641312667
MELBOURNE Storm fullback Billy Slater is battling "niggles'' but club officials have denied his troublesome knee is affecting his performance.
Plenty of NRL watchers raised their eyebrows on Sunday night when the star custodian cut short a chase of runaway Penrith winger Dave Simmons after about 20 metres.
Simmons, having intercepted a Slater pass in the 11th minute , rushed 80m to score and had his run towards the posts cut-off by Storm halfback Cooper Cronk who chased, at speed, all the way.
For all his efforts, Slater had a quiet night against Penrith after being constantly shut down by defenders who refused him a linebreak for only the second time this year.
Slater has gone on record saying his knee, which he injured in last year's State of Origin, would need management for the rest of his career but he hoped it wouldn't hinder him.
He also has spent time in a moonboot this year to alleviate problems with his foot, which he carried through much of last season.
Melbourne football manager Frank Ponissi conceded Slater wasn't at 100 per cent, but said neither were plenty of players and it couldn't be used as an excuse for the loss to the Panthers, Storm's second in a row.
"Bill, like any other player, like a lot of players, are always carrying little niggly things. But it's no different to anything he carried last year or any other year or different to what other players do,'' Ponissi said.
"We are always going to have players not 100 per cent, but they'd never take the field if they couldn't perform at a high level. I wouldn't be too concerned about Bill.''
The flu also made it into the Storm camp last week but again Ponissi said that wasn't a factor in the loss.
"There was a little bit of that. Every club from now until early August are going to have periods where they are not all well,'' he said.
Among the few positives from the loss was that Storm got through without suffering any more injuries.
And after completing 30 minutes in the NSW Cup on Saturday, prop Siosaia Vave will come in to calculations for next Monday night's showdown with Manly.
Just in regards to this comment, for those that haven't been in there, the Penrith dressing sheds are very very small and open. There is zero privacy and my understanding is had he gotten animated and loud etc, the Penrith team and everyone in that very small space down there would have heard every single word about what he wanted them to do. As the daughter of an old coach, I can't tell you how many times I stood near the opposition sheds listening to everything echoing out of there and running straight back to tell my Dad every single thing that was discussed word for word...even at Penrith Park so I'm thinking perhaps he was quite because he was being smart.mattstormy wrote:
Another strange thing is that the cameras showed Bellyache at half time not very animated. Seriously, after that inept first half display I would have been disgusted at the team.
Slater has dogged two chases in recent weeks. To be honest I think it is less to do with injury and more to do with realizing he wasn't going to catch the breakaway player.Faider wrote:Did anyone else notice that Slater didn't look 100%? that interception that happened in the first half Slater was close to Simmons
(who didn't look quick at all) and Slater gave up like a few meters into the chase.
Cronk was never going to catch Simmons either but he ran his ass off to keep him out wide and ultimately saved us from another 2 points.
It was laziness, pure and simple. And it hurts me to say that because he is my favourite player and someone that has spent an entire career ALWAYS trying, busting his ass to get into position (see his tackle then grubber clean up work in goal last night).
Maybe it's an energy saving ploy as I'm sure he covers many more metres than any other player but it still looks lazy when you see him give up after a 10 metre chase attempt... Especially when he threw the intercept.
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KingHoweofIsrael
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I lol'd, so, maybe don't turn up to home games till the 2nd half?Bourbon Rat wrote:The reward for....................
A slow start & not being excited enough
Will be a slide to 3rd on the ladder,(after the Manly/Chooks game)
I guess it's time for fans to be 'slow to start & not excited' until the team & coach pull their collective fingers out of the arses
He also lets in like 2 try's a game...as much as I love Somi he isn't ready for first grade yetMichael :P wrote:Kirisome has been killing it at second-row in NSW cup
Last edited by sallymay on Tue May 14, 2013 12:11 am, edited 1 time in total.
i don't want to be "that guy" but is age finally catching up to Slater?yourhero wrote:Slater has dogged two chases in recent weeks. To be honest I think it is less to do with injury and more to do with realizing he wasn't going to catch the breakaway player.Faider wrote:Did anyone else notice that Slater didn't look 100%? that interception that happened in the first half Slater was close to Simmons
(who didn't look quick at all) and Slater gave up like a few meters into the chase.
Cronk was never going to catch Simmons either but he ran his ass off to keep him out wide and ultimately saved us from another 2 points.
It was laziness, pure and simple. And it hurts me to say that because he is my favourite player and someone that has spent an entire career ALWAYS trying, busting his ass to get into position (see his tackle then grubber clean up work in goal last night).
Maybe it's an energy saving ploy as I'm sure he covers many more metres than any other player but it still looks lazy when you see him give up after a 10 metre chase attempt... Especially when he threw the intercept.
Also to add Cronk just shows how determined to stop the chance of the extra 2 in which he did successfully
Slater has been ummm....not putting much effort into chasing players for years. He did it in origin a few years back when Hayne intercepted his pass. I'd like him to chase him down because anything can happen but I guess its all about conserving energy for him. He's probably the fittest bloke in the comp.
I'd be more inclined to believe that Billy is carrying a couple of injuries which may make it impossible for him to chase the unchasable.
Anybody who ever watched the Rexona World's Greatest Athlete contests a few years ago would know there is no man more competitive to win than Billy Slater.
The man would cut his foot off and throw it at somebody before he gave up on trying to stop a try.
His age, but more so his fitness/injuries, could be a factor. But his greatest attribute has always been his explosiveness and step over a shorter distance. That's why he most often breaks through defensive lines and chases short kicks into the in-goal from within the oppositions' 20.
Something's going on ATM. I reckon CB's got them working hard on some new plays, but he doesn't want to reveal them in games until they're perfected. Otherwise they'll be countered before being mastered.
Everyone's seemed flat lately. Even Coops has seemed a bit off his game. In the WCC and earlier rounds his kicks were pin-point accurate, and he'd kick a 40/20 almost every game. Lately this is not happening.
And all those silly offloads that had us going backwards, they are very unStormlike. I don't know the stats but I reckon we'd be the lowest offloading team for the past 15yrs.
Anyway, if I'm right, I hope they pull out the new trick bag on Monday night against the filth.
Anybody who ever watched the Rexona World's Greatest Athlete contests a few years ago would know there is no man more competitive to win than Billy Slater.
The man would cut his foot off and throw it at somebody before he gave up on trying to stop a try.
His age, but more so his fitness/injuries, could be a factor. But his greatest attribute has always been his explosiveness and step over a shorter distance. That's why he most often breaks through defensive lines and chases short kicks into the in-goal from within the oppositions' 20.
Something's going on ATM. I reckon CB's got them working hard on some new plays, but he doesn't want to reveal them in games until they're perfected. Otherwise they'll be countered before being mastered.
Everyone's seemed flat lately. Even Coops has seemed a bit off his game. In the WCC and earlier rounds his kicks were pin-point accurate, and he'd kick a 40/20 almost every game. Lately this is not happening.
And all those silly offloads that had us going backwards, they are very unStormlike. I don't know the stats but I reckon we'd be the lowest offloading team for the past 15yrs.
Anyway, if I'm right, I hope they pull out the new trick bag on Monday night against the filth.
i think another factor to add is that our plays were so predictable, that every team basically knows us inside out. We need to create some new stuff and maybe giving Billy a rest at some point even though were up against Manly and Roosters. If we dont give him a rest at some point he may burn out a lot earlier than needed, that also goes for a few of the players.
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steaming stormer
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Billy's passing game is not even close to up to scratch to transfer to 5/8 imoGo Storm wrote:Maybe it's time to develop Billy into a 5/8. It wouldn't take much.
How's our depth of fullbacks?
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Michael :P
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That some feat Sally, Sharks only average 2 tries a game against them.sallymay wrote:He also lets in like 2 try's a game...as much as I love Somi he isn't ready for first grade yetMichael :P wrote:Kirisome has been killing it at second-row in NSW cup
And Avuaa is responsible for every one of them....apparently.