2018 Playing Roster

[sallymay]

Also signed Billy Walters


And Easts Tigers signed Dave Tyrell from Souths ...wonder if that comes with a storm pre season or if Bellamy or Frank have their eye on him

[Danger D]

Croft is supposedly good at it

Yes Croft is very good at it based on what I've seen of him so far. My concern is that if he goes down then we don't have a similar style playmaker as backup.

[Danger D]

The coaching staff play a huge role in that. Doesn't matter how good the halfback is at organising, if the team are bunched around the ruck there is not a lot of time to tell everyone where to be. The players need to know their formations and the kinds of situations they need to be in formation. The coaches need to (and must) drill that in to them every week.

Totally agree with that but someone needs to be on the field to call which attacking plays and defensive formations to follow in a given situation. This lets the team adapt on the fly.

I've got total confidence in the coaching staff in being able to support the halves to get there. It will be interesting to see who steps up to the mark and how well they do if our first string organisers are missing for whatever reason.

[Mattpoet]

I'm curious as to the plan for Drinkwater

[Scooter]

So there have been reports in the media that we have signed Billy Walters and Lachlan Timm. Although not officially announced by the Storm. So based on that and the number of players leaving there are 3 or 4 spots left. Although with the Under 20s going there are changes to squad numbers.

Anyone heard of anyone else (including 2017 Under 20s players) who may have been signed / are likely to be signed to our first grade squad.

[Mattpoet]

I'd suggest Geraghty, Finau and Grant will all be there.

[RobbieRoss]

I'm curious as to the plan for Drinkwater

My guess is they were thinking potentially at 6 , with Munster at 1 when Bill retires. He played mainly at 6 in Qcup. However Hughes did so well at FB this season, that they may leave Munster at 6. Not sure where that leaves Scott Drinkwater.

[ALX22]

Soper-Lawler included?

[TC]

The coaching staff play a huge role in that. Doesn't matter how good the halfback is at organising, if the team are bunched around the ruck there is not a lot of time to tell everyone where to be. The players need to know their formations and the kinds of situations they need to be in formation. The coaches need to (and must) drill that in to them every week.

Totally agree with that but someone needs to be on the field to call which attacking plays and defensive formations to follow in a given situation. This lets the team adapt on the fly.

I've got total confidence in the coaching staff in being able to support the halves to get there. It will be interesting to see who steps up to the mark and how well they do if our first string organisers are missing for whatever reason.

This is one of the most under-rated aspects of Billy's game. He directs from the back better than anyone I have ever seen

[Danger D]

Most definitely. I hope that's a part of his game he really works to develop among our younger players.

[sallymay]

GROAT & PUNA TO TRAIN UP A STORM--- from the Easts Tigers FB page

Suzuki Easts Tigers forwards John Puna and Matt Groat will join the Melbourne Storm for pre-season commencing on Monday 20 November.

Groat recently joined the Tigers from the CQ Capras, whilst Puna has been with the Club for a number of seasons now.

The pair are looking forward to the 5-week pre-Christmas training experience.

[Cameron]

You mean Bellyache's traditional torture training

[RobbieRoss]

GROAT & PUNA TO TRAIN UP A STORM--- from the Easts Tigers FB page

Suzuki Easts Tigers forwards John Puna and Matt Groat will join the Melbourne Storm for pre-season commencing on Monday 20 November.

Groat recently joined the Tigers from the CQ Capras, whilst Puna has been with the Club for a number of seasons now.

The pair are looking forward to the 5-week pre-Christmas training experience.

Very pleasing re Groat. Would be a very handy backup.

[Cameron]

Do you reckon Groat can make it?

[yourhero]

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/s ... a23bae32b3

Storm recruit Sam Kasiano digs in to regain status as NRL’s best prop

Gilbert Gardiner, Herald Sun
November 19, 2017 9:05pm

MELBOURNE Storm recruit Sam Kasiano wants to get back to being the best prop in the game, and if means digging holes and repairing divots along the way, then so be it.

The former Canterbury enforcer opted out of the final year of a lucrative contract at the Bulldogs for a fresh start in Melbourne after 139 NRL games.

The 2012 Dally M Prop of the Year and former New Zealand and Samoa international has taken the first steps towards redemption, completing a two-week work placement at Werribee Racecourse.

Storm premiership coach Craig Bellamy introduced the compulsory work program for all recruits — regardless of experience and reputation — more than a decade ago to remind players about life outside the football bubble.

Make no mistake, had Cooper Cronk moved to Storm from Sydney Roosters, he too would be paired up with an employer. Players do weights from 5.30am, go to work from 7am-3pm, and then return to the club for team meetings and skills sessions.

Kasiano was based at Werribee Racecourse for two weeks with the track workers.

Sandor Earl, who signed with Storm last month after completing a four-year peptide trafficking ban, worked with a landscaper in Seymour, about 90 minutes north of Melbourne, between sessions at AAMI Park. Others laboured at building sites with concreters, plumbers and painters.

Bellamy keeps the rules of engagement simple.

The jobs must be hard, outdoors and labour intensive.

Kasiano repaired divots for days, walked laps of the course, dug holes and helped with moving the running rail.

“I’ve never walked that far, ever,” Kasiano told the Herald Sun.

“Holding that rake all day and just punching the holes in is pretty tough.

“It does (take it out of you) but you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do.

“It’s a privilege for us to play rugby league as a job, not to take things for granted.”

Bellamy has tinkered with his infamous pre-season regimen over the years but there are some non-negotiables. The work placement is one of those.

Twelve-hour trackside days paid dividends for Kasiano and Storm prospect Kayleb Milne, who were tipped “a couple” of Flemington winners during the spring carnival, including Redzel and Fastnet Tempest.

“If we went earlier we would have got the tip for (Melbourne Cup winner) Rekindling,” Kasiano said, laughing.

The 196cm giant took the competition by storm in 2012 at the Bulldogs but has since battled fitness and injury woes.

He slipped out of the starting line-up this season and faced the prospect of losing more minutes with NSW Origin and Kangaroos enforcer Aaron Woods moving to the club next season.

He attracted interest from NRL rivals St George Illawarra, Parramatta and Warriors but a coffee date with Bellamy sealed the deal for Kasiano, who took a pay cut on the three-year transfer.

“He (Bellamy) took me to his favourite cafe,” Kasiano said.

“He said that he really wanted me and he could get me back playing like how I was playing back in 2012.”