The Annual "Wrestling" Media Attack on the Storm

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yourhero
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https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/ ... for-smith/

Critics 'never played the game': Bellamy goes into bat for Smith
melbournestorm.com.au
18/06/2020

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has launched an impassioned defence of captain Cameron Smith, admit fresh critcism about his side's ruck defence.
Itzbek the Purple
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Mr Peanutbutter
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Happens every year only this year it's early in the season and not a few weeks before finals.
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Itzbek the Purple wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 2:13 pm You might get a smile from this

https://thenrlroast.com/2019/05/14/paul ... y-is-good/
:lol:
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yourhero
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Itzbek the Purple wrote: Fri Jun 19, 2020 2:13 pm You might get a smile from this

https://thenrlroast.com/2019/05/14/paul ... y-is-good/
That is amazing :lol:

How insecure must he be.
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yourhero
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I obviously haven't kept on top of this thread as the numerous articles have come out in recent days... The campaign is alive and well in Sydney, once again championed by the trio of f*ckwits - James Hooper, Paul Kent and Paul Crawley.

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https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/delus ... c74959d5d9

‘Delusional’ Smith slammed over future, claims of media’s anti-Storm conspiracy
George Clarke
Fox Sports
30 Sep 2020

Melbourne has been handed a reality check after Cameron Smith’s claims of a conspiracy designed to derail the Storm’s finals campaign.

NRL 360 co-host Paul Kent has given the Melbourne Storm a reality check over comments made by their skipper Cameron Smith.

The veteran hooker claimed in an interview with Nine papers that “outside noise” from the Sydney media got to the Storm in their bid to claim last year’s grand final.

The Storm’s defensive tactics were brought into focus by a dossier produced by now departed Souths boss Shane Richardson.

It came on the back of a spiteful Storm-Rabbitohs clash at the Central Coast Stadium, where Melbourne escaped sanctions for some questionable wrestling manoeuvres.

Smith claimed that it was the same old story this time around, with the veteran suggesting that the furore over Max King’s hip drop tackle and the future of both himself and coach Craig Bellamy being published in an attempt to destabilise the Storm.

He suggested that was the reason the Storm fell just short, losing the preliminary final to the Roosters who went on to win the competition last time out.

But that was rebuffed by Kent on NRL 360, who suggested that Melbourne needed to toughen up.

“I don’t think they live in the real world, Melbourne,” Kent said.

“I think they’ve been fortunate that they live in Melbourne, which is an AFL town and they don’t get the rugby league coverage the Brisbane Broncos get, or the Wests Tigers get, or the Canterbury Bulldogs get.

“When they do get a little bit of media attention – and legitimate, warranted media attention last year – that they can’t handle, then it’s on them.

“Cameron said in the interview today, for example, was that there was no time frame set (about making a decision on his playing future), that he hoped to speak to Craig Bellamy at some point in the year about what would happen about his future but they never got around to it. Well we know for a fact that Craig Bellamy did ask him and Cameron laughed it off and said, ‘I haven’t made a decision yet’.

“Craig Bellamy went to him and tried to get an idea of what he was thinking and he put it this way, to not insult him, ‘We need to know what you’re doing because if this is going to be your last year, we want to celebrate it properly’. Cameron laughed it off and walked away. So I would call that a fib.

“The other thing that they complained about was the campaign they say get brought up every year by Sydney media. Is it the chicken or the egg? Do tackles pick up at certain times of the year? Or does the media campaign? You can argue it both ways.”

Smith also addressed his own playing future in interview. The 37-year-old hooker is yet to make a decision on whether he plays on in 2021.

Off contract, Smith has been linked with moves to the Titans and Broncos.

He could also retire from the game or stay with the Storm.

It’s a difficult situation for Melbourne to navigate given they have rising hooker Harry Grant and Kiwi Test hooker Brandon Smith itching to take over the veteran rake’s role on a permanent basis.

Kent said Smith was being dishonest about his future and said there was no way that the younger hookers dared hurry the former Australian captain for a decision.

“The other thing he brought up too, and said that it wasn’t a distraction, was that Harry Grant and Brandon Smith, neither of them have come up to him and asked him what he is doing next year so therefore it’s not been a distraction for them,” Kent added.

“In what world would Harry Grant with all 15 games (in first grade) behind him walk up and say, ‘For heaven’s sake Cameron, tell me what you’re doing so I can sort my future out!’

“Please, it’s delusional. Even Brandon Smith – Brandon Smith has not got the gumption to walk up to Cameron and say, ‘Mate can you hurry up and make a decision so I can figure out what I’m doing?’ His manager has come out and said if Cameron plays on they might seek a release, Harry Grant has got a clause in his contract saying he can seek a release.

“So, if you’re going to do an interview, be honest.”
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yourhero wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:08 am“So, if you’re going to do an interview, be honest.”
The angry little midget actually said that with a straight face. Hypocrite to the extreme.
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https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... be5a7d684d

Hooper: Drop off the grubby tactics – the best way for Storm to shut down critics
September 28, 2020 3:56pm
JAMES (FLOG) HOOPER
FOX SPORTS

The Melbourne Storm can deny it all they like but the vision doesn’t lie about this latest hip drop tackle.
Fox League analyst Greg Alexander was bang on with his assessment of the Max King play which is going to dominate rugby league headlines this week.

This is one of the most challenging finals series in recent memory for the Storm for a variety of reasons.

The reason is simple – there’s so much outside noise throwing up different distractions.

Coach Craig Bellamy has been linked to a move to the Brisbane Broncos for 2022 as a coaching director, CEO Dave Donaghy is also in advanced talks to make the move to Red Hill and there’s been constant speculation about whether captain Cameron Smith will play on or retire.

The Max King hip drop tackle has only added another layer of complexity to the Storm’s Sunshine Coast base.

The Storm will no doubt get on the front foot to try and douse the latest jiu-jitsu inspired tackle which the NRL has vowed to wipe out of the game.

Bellamy was furious at some of the commentary around the tackle.

In fairness to Melbourne they’re not the only club who has begun using the controversial tackling technique.

Players from Newcastle, South Sydney, Brisbane, the Warriors and Parramatta have also been hit with dangerous contact charges over the last two months.

But that doesn’t make it tack any less dangerous. Good on the NRL for trying to rub it out. No good can come of it.

Storm chairman Matt Tripp was quick to come out swinging on Monday morning claiming all the various storylines are a conspiracy theory to halt Melbourne’s momentum in the finals.

Last year it was South Sydney’s then general manager of football Shane Richardson who took a swipe at the Storm about some of their tactics “not being in the spirit of the game”.

Richo made the comments after the Bunnies had been beaten by the Storm and it kicked off a month-long furore.

The Storm had a similar response this time last year as well. They claimed it was the same song, just a different singer.

There’s a reason it’s the same song. Because with some of their defensive techniques they push the parameters.

The only way to stop the annual outcry is to drop off with the grubby tactics.
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Absolute flogs the lot of them, they have nothing better to write. Its NSW vs Storm this finals series lads... I think this may just be a taste of things to some from these Sydney wankers.
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Hooper's articles are all the same these days. Says something outlandish with a headline that will draw in clicks and response. Then halfway through the piece say "in fairness Storm aren't the only team yada yada yada".

These guys know what they're doing. The cycle will only continue.
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yourhero
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yourhero wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 8:53 amThe Storm will no doubt get on the front foot to try and douse the latest jiu-jitsu inspired tackle which the NRL has vowed to wipe out of the game.
1. How idiotic of him to insinuate that we invented this tackle.
2. As someone who has done it for years, this tackle has no basis in jiu-jitsu. Hooper continues to make claims about jiu-jitsu when he clearly has no idea what he is talking about.
3. Someone in a press conference should mention Hooper's drunken rampage / criminal history and question his moral superiority he proclaims.
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yourhero
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It would probably be impractical to police, but I would like the Storm to adopt as a cultural thing that they don't read Rugby League journalism as a principle. Like include it as a key talking point in every pre-season. Shut down chatter at training/social settings of any reference to these flogs and their campaign. "We don't read those and we certainly don't talk about it here".

I would also like them to properly blacklist these journalists - not just half baked as is the case now. Firmly decline to answer questions from the known few, even in post game pressers. Give the access to those that are fair and balanced in their reporting.
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yourhero wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 9:53 am It would probably be impractical to police, but I would like the Storm to adopt as a cultural thing that they don't read Rugby League journalism as a principle. Like include it as a key talking point in every pre-season. Shut down chatter at training/social settings of any reference to these flogs and their campaign. "We don't read those and we certainly don't talk about it here".

I would also like them to properly blacklist these journalists - not just half baked as is the case now. Firmly decline to answer questions from the known few, even in post game pressers. Give the access to those that are fair and balanced in their reporting.
I think that time is coming for Melbourne Storm yourhero...
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
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You can seriously set your watch to this nonsense.
Seems like the steam is running out on the 'wrestling' so now they're using Cam Smith, Craig Bellamy and Munster's future as their bait. It's incredible.
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moffla wrote: Wed Sep 30, 2020 11:10 am You can seriously set your watch to this nonsense.
Seems like the steam is running out on the 'wrestling' so now they're using Cam Smith, Craig Bellamy and Munster's future as their bait. It's incredible.
They're actually late this year, wasn't the GF originally for this weekend? (I'll be leaving now...)
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