StormFans.club

Friday 31st August
7:55pm
AAMI Park

1st vs 5th. We have been pretty average in recent weeks (all season?) and the Panthers have really come off the boil now that Anthony Griffin has been shafted.

Our final chance to establish some form ahead of finals, even though we will still be without a few usual front line players.

Panthers form line heading into this game - 3 Wins/2 Losses (-14 Points Differential).
(Round / Result / Opponent / Margin)

R24 - Loss (Away) - Warriors - 20 Points
R23 - Loss (Home) - Knights - 8 Points
R22 - Win (Away) - Titans - 1 Point
R21 - Win (Home) - Raiders - 9 Points
R20 - Win (Away) - Mongly - 4 Points

—————

Storm form line heading into this game - 3 Wins/2 Losses (39+ Points Differential).
(Round / Result / Opponent / Margin)

R24 - Win (Away) - Titans - 2 Points
R23 - Win (Home) - Eels - 16 Points
R22 - Loss (Home) - Sharps - 3 Points
R21 - Loss (Away) - Rabbitohs - 10 Points
R20 - Win (Home) - Raiders - 34 Points

Previous 3 meetings;

Round 5 2017 (Storm Home) - Storm 28 def Panthers 6
Round 13 2016 (Storm Home) - Storm 24 def Panthers 6
Round 19 2015 (Storm Home) - Storm 52 def Panthers 10

Melbourne Storm to go into camp on NSW northern beaches to recharge before assault on finals

Gilbert Gardiner, Herald Sun

MELBOURNE Storm will spend three days on the NSW northern beaches after Saturday’s game in Gold Coast as preparations ramp up for its assault on the finals.

The Kingscliff getaway is designed to recharge the batteries and help the club drill down on any problem areas.

Storm football director Frank Ponissi said the club has had great success with previous pre-planned trips to hot spots including Kingscliff, Kiama, Nelson Bay and the Central Coast.

“It’s something we do most years if we have an away game in the north,” Ponissi said.

“We stay on after the game just to change the scenery before finals, get a bit of warmer weather and just to freshen the boys up.”

The entire squad and football department will set up shop in Kingscliff until Tuesday.

The in-season sabbatical is timely with the Storm’s premiership defence taking a hit last week after a series of injuries and suspension.

The right edge bore the brunt of it, with Will Chambers (suspended) and Suliasi Vunivalu (hamstring) sidelined, while halfback Brodie Croft has played only a handful of games.

Tui Kamikamica, Ryley Jacks, Jahrome Hughes and Sam Kasiano remain in contention to replace injured pair Nelson Asofa-Solomona (ankle) and Brandon Smith (knee).

The record-breaker Smith copped a heavy knock last weekend, which forced him to sit out the second half of the bruising 16-point win over Parramatta Eels.

Apart from helping to nurture new combinations and familiarity, the weekend away also allows the Storm to recovery properly after a run of short breaks between games.

“You got the beach to recover and the warmer weather it certainly helps,” Ponissi said.

“It’s certainly not a holiday camp, what we would have done here Monday and Tuesday we’ll do up there.”

A win over the Titans will put the Storm within touching distance of another minor premiership, but a loss could dramatically alters the finals picture.

The top six clubs could all finish the round locked on 32 points, depending on results.

Do you think the Storm planned this like Chambers did by getting himself suspended so he could go to Hawaii !?!?!

Is Munster wearing Jamaica speedos?

Yes...

Word from Buzz and the Sydney media is that Munster a done deal to Jamaica in 2020.

Simple equation;

We win, we get the Minor Premiership.
We lose, we rely on the result of the Roosters game.

Top 2 is now all but certain (unless Roosters win + we get flogged by 40 + Souths flog the Tigers by 40).

We have a 32 point buffer in points differential, so even if we did suffer a close loss to Penrith, the Roosters would need to put a big score on the Eels to close the gap and claim the MP. With the Eels, who the f*ck knows what you will get... They were pumped by the bottom of the table Cowboys last week by 38 points but beat the Dragons by 36 only 2 weeks ago - so nothing is out of the question.

The point needs to be rammed home every week, if any team switches off in 2018, literally any other team can pull their pants down, such is the closeness of the competition.

We are looking likely to face the Sharks in week 1 of the finals (outside chance of facing Souths), both teams that we have been comprehensively beaten by in recent weeks.

For some reason I am not too worried though. We have the players to beat them and if we show up come Finals ready to play tough through the middle, I think we will beat any team... Team selections and tactics would be my main concerns.

Is there a case for resting Cam for this one?

Danger D wrote:Is there a case for resting Cam for this one?

Definitely. I sincerely doubt Cam will allow that to happen though. More than likely he just gets an early mark, regardless of how the game is unfolding. Same with Slater.

Pending how bad Munster's elbow and knee are, he may very well be rested.

Unless the bunnies win by 30+ I reckon rest Munster

yourhero wrote:

Danger D wrote:Is there a case for resting Cam for this one?

Definitely. I sincerely doubt Cam will allow that to happen though. More than likely he just gets an early mark, regardless of how the game is unfolding. Same with Slater.

Pending how bad Munster's elbow and knee are, he may very well be rested.

Either way I feel we will need to have some coverage for Smith in this game. Given our other injuries, are we thinking Jacks may come in at hooker? Or I suppose Kenny is another option.

Probably a good idea. Brandon would be frigging handy right about now!

Wishful thinking perhaps, but I would love to see us put 50+ on the Panthers and really heap Panthers Board pressure on Gould's fat, egotistical, hypocritical head.