Age: Orford urged to stay with Storm

[Surandy]

Orford urged to stay with Storm
By Stathi Paxinos
May 14, 2005

Australian great Laurie Daley yesterday said Storm half-back Matt Orford would be best served staying in Melbourne and improving his consistency if he wanted to play representative rugby league.

Orford is in the middle of protracted contract negotiations with the Storm and has been linked with several Sydney clubs, including the Storm's opponent tonight, South Sydney.

The Storm's key playmaker has declared his desire to play representative league but has been caught in the queue behind incumbent Brett Kimmorley and Penrith's Craig Gower, who plays half-back and hooker.

Orford pulled out of last week's NSW City versus Country trial because of injury and Daley, a Blues selector, said the 27-year-old had yet to prove his consistency to overtake other challengers for the No. 7 jersey, such as the Bulldogs' Brent Sherwin and Rooster Brett Finch.

"His form just hasn't been (as) consistent as some (of) the others but he's certainly a talent and someone we've looked at in the past," Daley said.

He said Orford could cripple his ambitions by going to a side that could not provide the competitive structure the Storm has since he arrived four years ago.

"As had been proven, you can always replace players," Daley said.

"Matt Orford was not a star before he came to Melbourne; nobody had heard a lot about (him)."

Meanwhile, Storm veteran Matt Geyer said yesterday Melbourne had changed its training regime for South Sydney tonight in an attempt to regain form after losing three of its past four games and plunging from premiership favouritism to a 4-4 record.

"Our training sessions at times were based a bit too much on where we thought we could exploit the other team or where their strengths were rather than worrying about our own," Geyer said. "We're probably the furthest team from the competition to being consistent. We can be brilliant one week and then terrible the week after."

Storm v Rabbitohs
At Aussie Stadium, Sydney, 7.30pm tonight

TV: Fox Sports One, 9.20pm (delayed)

ODDS: Melbourne $1.20 Rabbitohs $4.10 (TAB Sportsbet)

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Storm 5, Rabbitohs 2; At Aussie Stadium: Storm 1, Rabbitohs 2

LAST TIME: South Sydney 28-26, Aussie Stadium, round 14, 2004

REFEREE: Jason Robinson

MELBOURNE STORM (6th)
2005 record: 4 wins, 4 losses
Coach: Craig Bellamy
Team: Greg Inglis, Matt Geyer, Steve Bell, Matt King, Jake Webster, Scott Hill, Matt Orford, Robbie Kearns (c), Cameron Smith, Alex Chan, David Kidwell, Ryan Hoffman, Dallas Johnson. Interchange: Dennis Scott, Glen Turner, Cooper Cronk, Brett White, Josh Graham (one to be omitted).

It's not often that I agree with Laurie Daley or that he makes sense but the quote I hilighted is absolutely spot on. I'm sure Kirk would agree when it comes to improving your rep chances.

[Thunderstruck]

Kirk? he needs to be back on deck first before thinking about rep chances!

[lotti]

the Manly fans don't want him, who cares we do.

[Christabella]

What he says and what he means are two different things.
We all know there are only two clubs that playing for guarantees rep selections: St George and the Roosters. Daley is employed both as a selector and by the St George club while the links the Roosters have to NRL hierarcy are endless.

Here is an important line :

his form just hasn't been (as) consistent as some (of) the others

Consistant like: Ryles, Creagh, Hornby, Gasnier ect.
There are plenty of others players that could be labelled inconsistant throughout 2005 (Andrew Ryan comes to mind) but were named in the rep sides.

[Super Cronk]

http://www.nrl.com/news.cfm?ID=11538

thats an article that says that Monaghan is unlikely to re-sign....further evidence that orford may sign with manly....agian

[Lord Reynoldson]

And 3 days ago he was a certainty to be re-signed by Manly.

[KimmorleyKiller]

yes, well we knew kirk would get injured if he played for any other club...but he didnt listen, hopefully kingy wont make the same mistake, frankly i dont give a magic hat about orford

[steaming stormer]

Orford is more important to the success of this team than King... get used to it. Halfback>Centre

[Thunderstruck]

but halfback != $700,000. $400K max.

[Super Cronk]

inconsistent halfback

[Thunderstruck]

even worse! BK is worth much more than Matt O at the moment and Ox has got no right asking for more money.

[Super Cronk]

i remember last year when a member on this forum..might have been AAS said that the storm should show orford a tape of this years games..and ask him if he thinks he is still worth that much ..lol