Round 3 - Storm vs Raiders

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
User avatar
Insomniac
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2772
Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 4:43 pm
Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD
Contact:

The game was lost in the 1st half when the ref had a different interpretation of the 6-again rule for ruck infringements for both sides, the offside rule didn't exist for the Raiders, our defense was rusty, and we had a try taken off the board that should've been on there.

The 2nd half saw the Storm find every possible way of blowing every chance that we had for a comeback.

The end.
SunshineCoastStormer
Squall
Squall
Posts: 217
Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 5:27 pm

Pretty much agree with Insomniac.

Very frustrated that you cannot see what the 6 again penalties are given for. The game has lost a bit of its integrity for me there...

Bellamy angry inside at interview so expect some form of response next week

He gets stick at times but Munster had a decent dig and along with Papi looked most likely to make something g happen. The worrying “Cam not using the 7” was evident a few times. Maybe Hughes has to demand the ball more too.
blazza18
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 4654
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 1:03 pm
Location: Brisbane

Through our own fault or some great last ditch defence we just don't look like scoring. We finished the season like that and not a lot has changed 3 games in. A lot of give it to Munster/Paps and hope. Cam is doing too much, we're getting nothing from our starting backrow or outside backs.

The defence turning George Williams into Shaun Johnson for two plays was just as frustrating.
TC
Site Manager
Site Manager
Posts: 3494
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:59 pm
Location: Shipwrecked and comatose

Edge defence close to the line continues to be crap. Needs to be fixed or we will struggle all year.

There were two big calls that went against us; the no penalty when JH was taken out and the no try to Paps, but all up Storm were well off the pace and need to get up to speed quickly.
We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately
User avatar
sallymay
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 6310
Joined: Mon Feb 26, 2007 5:09 pm

They say that it would be the game of the round and I guess they were right...we just came out looking bad
I just hope Bellamy can get it together and get the boys open the same page
User avatar
yourhero
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 5779
Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2010 7:27 pm
Location: Brisbane, QLD

I hate virtually the full week after a pus performance like that... I agree with the above, our edges offered nothing all game, particularly our backrowers.
Storm Spirit
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 2308
Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2008 11:49 am
Location: Under the Black Dot

Scooter wrote: Sat May 30, 2020 9:32 pm Canberra were good. Horrible from the Storm. Tui walks straight back into the team. Not 100% sold on Tino, lots of errors. Too many early kicks in tackle count, NAS what were you thinking?

Jahrome Hughes is a good player but is he a half back?

Rant over.
Hate to bring up old ground...but Drinkwater should have been our 7.

Hurts watching him play for the Cows.
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
glennb
Monsoon
Monsoon
Posts: 1731
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:35 am

Anyone of the play makers we have let go in the last 12-18 months should be our 7.
blazza18
Tropical Cyclone
Tropical Cyclone
Posts: 4654
Joined: Thu May 17, 2012 1:03 pm
Location: Brisbane

I love Drinkwater and still think he should be on the team but he has is own issues adapting to playing a different position. People in here would've killed him for his poor passing and average defence the other night.

Hughes hasn't done a lot wrong. We do miss having a natural ball player/leader in the halves though.
riders of the storm
Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
Posts: 565
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:08 pm

blazza18 wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 4:14 pm I love Drinkwater and still think he should be on the team but he has is own issues adapting to playing a different position. People in here would've killed him for his poor passing and average defence the other night.

Hughes hasn't done a lot wrong. We do miss having a natural ball player/leader in the halves though.
Not sure Drinkwater's a halfback either. A lot of the issue is if we ran Hughes with someone like Maloney or Soward (a dominant five-eighth who plays like a halfback) we'd probably be okay.

But instead we're effectively running two ball-playing fullbacks in our halves. Don't get me wrong - Munster's an excellent five-eighth and Hughes is a great player - but engineering two halves is a bit risky.

I honestly think we need to either bring Johns up or look at other options at 7. The other option is if we're going to proceed with Hughes and Munster is we bring in someone to ball-play at 13 to open up the middle a bit more and give ball off to Kaufusi and Bromwich.
TC
Site Manager
Site Manager
Posts: 3494
Joined: Wed Dec 03, 2003 12:59 pm
Location: Shipwrecked and comatose

blazza18 wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 4:14 pm
Hughes hasn't done a lot wrong.
True, but that's damning with faint praise.
The problem here is that we have two fullbacks in the halves. Munster's a superstar and would excel anywhere from 1 to 6, but I think he's out of position. Hughes is good, but again out of his comfort zone.
We must all hang together or, most assuredly, we shall all hang separately
glennb
Monsoon
Monsoon
Posts: 1731
Joined: Tue Feb 01, 2005 9:35 am

If you do that, where to you put Dale? He is one of our best players most weeks and on Saturday night was one of the only players who played with any pride for the jersey.

Hughes hasn't done anything much right or wrong since he was put into the halves last year. It is not working, move on.
riders of the storm
Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
Posts: 565
Joined: Sat Jan 15, 2005 8:08 pm

glennb wrote: Mon Jun 01, 2020 5:44 pm If you do that, where to you put Dale? He is one of our best players most weeks and on Saturday night was one of the only players who played with any pride for the jersey.

Hughes hasn't done anything much right or wrong since he was put into the halves last year. It is not working, move on.
You move Finucane to prop and start him or you move him to the edge and run Brandon Smith at lock.
Lucas
Player Sponsor
Player Sponsor
Posts: 1275
Joined: Wed Nov 19, 2003 10:08 pm
Location: Melbourne

Brandon to 9, Cam to 7. Hughes to bench or centre.
Bullucked
Thunderstorm
Thunderstorm
Posts: 930
Joined: Sat Jun 09, 2012 9:23 pm

Maybe we should change the heading to the "Burning half back question".

Unfortunately our biggest problem is we have the best player to have ever played the game in the position where he handles the ball in every play of every set and deciding who gets the ball. Previously, seemingly to me, he had a player whom he trusted intimately and would give the ball without question. In fact, it's hard to remember the ball being passed to the 5/8 in times past whilst Cronk was running the show.

As those that may remember what I've said in the past will know I didn't mind Croft, will know I'm not so keen on Hughes and I had no idea about Drinkwater. Maybe Johns is the answer, don't know. What was glaringly obvious, to me anyway, was last year was the "Cam show" (Smith and Munster) with a sprinkling of Paps - only because he doesn't play in the frontline position.

(I might need to wash my mouth out with soap) but only once C Smith retires will we truly see the abilities of our halves, so long as C Munster doesn't try to do it all himself.
Post Reply