Round 2 - Storm vs Penrith

Inglis#3 · Tue Mar 11, 2014 5:19 pm

Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers
Saturday 15 March, 5:30pm at AAMI Park

1. Billy Slater
2. Sisa Waqa
3. Will Chambers
4. Mahe Fonua
5. Young Tonumaipea
6. Ben Hampton
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith ©
10. Bryan Norrie
11. Kevin Proctor
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Ryan Hinchcliffe

14. Kenny Bromwich
15. Tohu Harris
16. Jordan McLean
17. George Rose
18. Ben Roberts

First game at the magnificent AAMI Park this season and it's going to be one to celebrate. Billy Slater notches up his 250th first grade game while Cameron Smith, after re-signing earlier today, will surpass Matt Geyer's 262 games for the Storm to become the most-capped Melbourne Storm servant in our history. Well done boys. Could not be prouder.

blazza18 · Tue Mar 11, 2014 5:41 pm

Decent test this week. Panthers have some strength out wide and they like to go there a lot, so I'll be look forward to seeing if our edge defence shows any improvement.

yourhero · Tue Mar 11, 2014 5:59 pm

This week our legendary captain, future Immortal and dead-set top bloke Cameron Smith will pass Matt Geyer's club record for most games for the Storm - 263.

In the same game, the best fullback of the last decade, the man destined to finish his career within reach of the great Ken Irvine's untouchable try scoring record, Billy Slater will play his 250th game for the club.

I doubt Storm fans will see a milestone game as important as this one, with two of it's favourite sons, playing very important milestone games on the same day.

The club is known for placing importance on milestone games and for such a big occassion, expect a very fired up Storm outfit. They will want to win this game more than most other games this year... and I will be very surprised if they get done.

Can't wait.

yourhero · Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:01 pm

Also, pumped with our bench (assuming we run out as named).

Interchange
14 Kenny Bromwich
15 Tohu Harris
16 Jordan McLean
17 George Rose

I love our bench. We play much better with 4 big guys coming off the pine. Keep Griffin, Romelo, Roberts, etc away from a bench spot and I have faith that these guys will do a solid job.

Although in an ideal world, I would start Tohu at lock and have Hinchcliffe come off the bench. Can't win them all, so I will settle with this very good, big-man bench.

Scooter · Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:04 pm

Yourhero two huge milestones. Quite funny that they are both celebrating milestones on the same day when they have the same birth date.

Scooter · Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:06 pm

Injury list
Matt Duffie knee season
Justin O'Neill knee round 6
Hymel Hunt ankle round 7
Travis Robinson knee round 5
Felise Kaufusi chest round 6
Mitch Garbutt ribs round 3

Mattpoet · Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:13 pm

Scooter wrote: Mitch Garbutt ribs round 3

Most bummed about this one, I want him in the side ahead of Norrie

blazza18 · Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:13 pm

Well said Yourhero.

Sigh at that injury list. Hunt, Garbutt and Kaufusi would all be pushing for FG spots too.

Michael :P · Tue Mar 11, 2014 6:53 pm

Probably stating the obvious after last week but I reckon we'll start fast then it will be a case of hold off the come-back.

LESStar58 · Tue Mar 11, 2014 9:54 pm

Panthers won't be a push over.

also I'd switch Young and Waqa.

Storm Spirit · Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:14 pm

Michael :P wrote:Probably stating the obvious after last week but I reckon we'll start fast then it will be a case of hold off the come-back.

Yes Michael...Hunt is intriguing.

Great size....great speed...good skills...wonderful pedigree.

He could be silk...

with a small amount of luck and lot of hard work

stormy · Wed Mar 12, 2014 9:24 am

How much promotion of this game is being done in Melbourne? It is a big game for Storm this week with a couple of big milestones for Cammy and Billy. For me I am especially excited about this game.
Paul Kent has an interesting article in Daily Telecrap today but also if the media are negative about the game then I can understand the clubs not wanting to talk to them. The afl media aren`t as negative as nrl media.
To me it seems like there has been no promotion by the NRL for the beginning of the season all the stories before the first ball was kicked was about the poor crowds.I think it was poor planning by the nrl with the first blockbuster of the season played out at Homebush on a Thursday night with a later kickoff, it would`ve made more sense to play the chooks vs rabbits game at SFS.
I can`t wait to go to Storm`s first home game and I am taking 9 others with me. I am glad that Storm players make time for their fans and seem happy to do it.

LESStar58 · Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:31 pm

stormy wrote:How much promotion of this game is being done in Melbourne? It is a big game for Storm this week with a couple of big milestones for Cammy and Billy. For me I am especially excited about this game.
Paul Kent has an interesting article in Daily Telecrap today but also if the media are negative about the game then I can understand the clubs not wanting to talk to them. The afl media aren`t as negative as nrl media.
To me it seems like there has been no promotion by the NRL for the beginning of the season all the stories before the first ball was kicked was about the poor crowds.I think it was poor planning by the nrl with the first blockbuster of the season played out at Homebush on a Thursday night with a later kickoff, it would`ve made more sense to play the chooks vs rabbits game at SFS.
I can`t wait to go to Storm`s first home game and I am taking 9 others with me. I am glad that Storm players make time for their fans and seem happy to do it.

The AFL media are not negative for two reasons;

The large part of the media in the Southern states live in eternal fear of reprisals from AFL house for any negatives (look at the female journo who was accosted by Fevola in the toilets at the Brownlow a few years back. Wouldn't take it further because she was afraid if how she'd be viewed by the AFL community and how it would affect her career.

and in NSW and QLD the AFL does deals with the major news agencies to legislate positive articles only. This came to light a few years back at the C7 bankruptcy hearing. Rugby league would never enjoya similar ararrangement

As for Kent, he's just like Slothfield and Bourbon Beccy; a news ltd hack who is throwing his toys out of the cot because he works for an organisation who has riden the rugby league gravy train since the mid 90s and now they have no involvement in the governanve of the game. Consequently they can no longer do things like short change the game on things like television rights. It's for these reasons only that the journos are negative... mainly a News trait but you'll finf Fairfax journos who are also critical... mainly of the current administration.

LESStar58 · Wed Mar 12, 2014 12:33 pm

[quote="Inglis#3"]Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers
Saturday 15 March, 5:30pm at AAMI Park

1. Billy Slater
2. Sisa Waqa
3. Will Chambers
4. Mahe Fonua
5. Young Tonumaipea
6. Ben Hampton
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cameron Smith ©
10. Bryan Norrie
11. Kevin Proctor
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Ryan Hinchcliffe

14. Kenny Bromwich
15. Tohu Harris
16. Jordan McLean
17. George Rose
18. Ben Roberts

First game at the magnificent AAMI Park this season and it's going to be one to celebrate. Billy Slater notches up his 250th first grade game while Cameron Smith, after re-signing earlier today, will surpass Matt Geyer's 262 games for the Storm to become the most-capped Melbourne Storm servant in our history. Well done boys. Could not be prouder.[/quote

dat bench tho]

Turtle188 · Sat Mar 15, 2014 10:09 am

Home game at last. Can't wait to join the rush for Aisle # 37!

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Round 2 - Storm vs Penrith