Players That Should Have Left But Stayed
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mattstormy
- Thunderstorm
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The opposite to my other thread, here is a Top 5 list of players that overstayed their welcome at the Melbourne Storm:
5. Antonio Kafusi (78 Games – 2003-08) – He was a good prop, but he wasn’t a star. I can’t believe he stayed at the club for as long as he did (six seasons).
4. Rodney Howe (106 Games – 1998-2004) – How in the world did Rodney Howe last seven seasons and win 2 Player of the Year Awards in 2000 and 2002 (a year he only played 14 games). He was regarded as one of the best props in the comp before he was suspended for drugs in 1998 and the start of 1999. Won a premiership in ’99 but slowly turned out to be a liability. Had poor discipline (I remember he got sent off in a match in 2000), he only averaged 15 games in his seven seasons at the club, Muppet Murray made him captain in mid-2002 after Robbie Kearns was sacked and he only played 2 games in 2003 due to getting a season ending injury. Finally retired at the end of 2004.
3. Robbie Ross (89 Games – 1998-2003) – I reckon Robbie Ross was the best fullback in the game in 1999-first half of 2000. After that it all went horribly wrong. He was a walking injury after that and I can’t believe the Storm re-signed him at the end of 2000 to a four year deal ending in 2004, which he didn’t even see the end of. Only played 43 games between 2000-03. Unfortunately he is now the forgotten man of the club (Billy Slater has completely overshadowed him, like Cam Smith did to Richard Swain).
2. Fifita Moala (39 Games – 2000-04) – How did he manage to play five seasons at the club? His last ever game against Newcastle in Round 2, 2004 summed up his career – very average. Could score a few tries but his defence was nothing short of pathetic.
1. Ian Donnelly (30 Games – 2005-07) – One of the worst recruits from another club, I’m surprised he lasted three seasons. Completely ill-disciplined and error prone, I was happy when he left the Storm mid-2007, where he went to the Gold Coast and then Cronulla before disappearing from the NRL.
5. Antonio Kafusi (78 Games – 2003-08) – He was a good prop, but he wasn’t a star. I can’t believe he stayed at the club for as long as he did (six seasons).
4. Rodney Howe (106 Games – 1998-2004) – How in the world did Rodney Howe last seven seasons and win 2 Player of the Year Awards in 2000 and 2002 (a year he only played 14 games). He was regarded as one of the best props in the comp before he was suspended for drugs in 1998 and the start of 1999. Won a premiership in ’99 but slowly turned out to be a liability. Had poor discipline (I remember he got sent off in a match in 2000), he only averaged 15 games in his seven seasons at the club, Muppet Murray made him captain in mid-2002 after Robbie Kearns was sacked and he only played 2 games in 2003 due to getting a season ending injury. Finally retired at the end of 2004.
3. Robbie Ross (89 Games – 1998-2003) – I reckon Robbie Ross was the best fullback in the game in 1999-first half of 2000. After that it all went horribly wrong. He was a walking injury after that and I can’t believe the Storm re-signed him at the end of 2000 to a four year deal ending in 2004, which he didn’t even see the end of. Only played 43 games between 2000-03. Unfortunately he is now the forgotten man of the club (Billy Slater has completely overshadowed him, like Cam Smith did to Richard Swain).
2. Fifita Moala (39 Games – 2000-04) – How did he manage to play five seasons at the club? His last ever game against Newcastle in Round 2, 2004 summed up his career – very average. Could score a few tries but his defence was nothing short of pathetic.
1. Ian Donnelly (30 Games – 2005-07) – One of the worst recruits from another club, I’m surprised he lasted three seasons. Completely ill-disciplined and error prone, I was happy when he left the Storm mid-2007, where he went to the Gold Coast and then Cronulla before disappearing from the NRL.
Robbie Ross was my all time favorite Storm player until another number 1 came along. It's sad that injury cut his career much shorter than it should've but he's certainly not forgotten by me and doubt he's forgotten by the majority of the Storm faithful who saw him in full flight back then. Was an absolute joy to watch.
Even though Bill has taken over the top mantle as my favorite Storm player of all time, Robbie Ross still remains in my top 3.
Even though Bill has taken over the top mantle as my favorite Storm player of all time, Robbie Ross still remains in my top 3.
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Storm4Life
- Weather Forecaster
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So if a player gets injured we should just sack them? Howe made the team of the decade and Ross would have except for a bloke named Billy Slater.
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mattstormy
- Thunderstorm
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No a player who gets injured shouldn't get sacked, but signing them to a four year deal after they get ruled out for the season with injury (like Robbie Ross in 2000) is strange. Also, Rodney Howe just wasn't the same player after his 20+ week suspension.Storm4Life wrote:So if a player gets injured we should just sack them? Howe made the team of the decade and Ross would have except for a bloke named Billy Slater.
How is that strange? It happens a fair bit around the league. It's a great time for clubs to lock up players because their market value is down as a result of their injury. We held onto a rep player for a fraction of the cost compared to if he was fit and remotely in form, meanwhile it allowed us to progressively bring on Billy and minimise the potential impact of stunting his growth had we have canned Robbie and handed Billy the fullback role. Furthermore the club created competition amongst the 2 and also other backs within the squad and it was only beneficial as it forced players to earn their spot in the side. Strategically the club knew very well what it was doing at the time.mattstormy wrote:No a player who gets injured shouldn't get sacked, but signing them to a four year deal after they get ruled out for the season with injury (like Robbie Ross in 2000) is strange. Also, Rodney Howe just wasn't the same player after his 20+ week suspension.Storm4Life wrote:So if a player gets injured we should just sack them? Howe made the team of the decade and Ross would have except for a bloke named Billy Slater.
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stormsally
- Hail Storm
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Antonio Kafusi - I really liked as a player but I had no idea he was with us for six seasons - so probably stayed on well past his impact years.
Howe - I agree that he didn't get his mojo back after the long suspension, but continued to be an impact player. Remember when Storm had a BIG pack!!
Ross - I can see your point, but he was such a champion player that I don't begrudge Storm resigning him for four years. He could have come back from the injuries and return to form. He was such a tough player which was his downfall because he put his body on the line.
Moala - pretty much sums up the 2000-2004 period - He played less games that I remember, but never lived up to any potential.
Howe - I agree that he didn't get his mojo back after the long suspension, but continued to be an impact player. Remember when Storm had a BIG pack!!
Ross - I can see your point, but he was such a champion player that I don't begrudge Storm resigning him for four years. He could have come back from the injuries and return to form. He was such a tough player which was his downfall because he put his body on the line.
Moala - pretty much sums up the 2000-2004 period - He played less games that I remember, but never lived up to any potential.
I loved Robbie Ross but (and it is a harsh thing to say), his retirement was for the better of the club long term because Billy Slater has become an all time great (my 2nd best all time Storm player behind Cam Smith). That realisation is sad because, Ross was a champion in his hey day. One of my favourites to watch.
Gotta remember during that time that Ross was out injured he was coaching billy on how to play fullback.. you ask billy about him and he'll tell you he was a huge influence. Billies early years were modeled on Robbie's game and Billy's support play is still reminiscent to Ross to this day.
Best hit at the time was Robbie Ross's on Adrian lamb.Hit him when lamb was returning the ball with bugger all in front of him, across came Ross knocked Lamb out picked up the ball and scored.
Storm vs Roosters on a sunny Sunday afternoon at what was to become the graveyard. loved It
I'm Sure my mate TC could fill in the blanks as when and what season it was.
Storm vs Roosters on a sunny Sunday afternoon at what was to become the graveyard. loved It
I'm Sure my mate TC could fill in the blanks as when and what season it was.
Sure can.Brian wrote:Best hit at the time was Robbie Ross's on Adrian lamb.Hit him when lamb was returning the ball with bugger all in front of him, across came Ross knocked Lamb out picked up the ball and scored.
Storm vs Roosters on a sunny Sunday afternoon at what was to become the graveyard. loved It
I'm Sure my mate TC could fill in the blanks as when and what season it was.
Round 6, 2000. As Brian says, a beautiful sunny afternoon.
Lam had nothing but the tryline in front of him and Robbie came out of nowhere and smashed him, picked up the ball and ran 60 to score.
League's Greatest Hits
About 22 seconds in.
If anything he was an under-rated player whose career was cut short by knee and lower back problems. But if you ever doubt his value to Melbourne Storm watch some video of his games. Even now, there is so much of Robbie in Billy's support play.
We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately