NYC 2010

[noa nandruku]

Not suprsing, he really wasnt cutting it at this level. Be interesting to see if they'll persist with Jerome at 6, bring Chisholm back for the rest of the year or maybe call Matt Currie back from Brisbane.

[Fizer]

Mike Chee Kam is 18 man for the raiders vs us this weekend.

[BIG JIM]

  32-30
Ex Altona player Drury Low scores at the end for Canberra 


Melbourne 
32 Time:
80.00 30
TRIES Tohu Harris 16m
Robert Kurth 27m
Michael Johnson 35m
Rulon Nutira 43m
Kenny Bromwich 59m
CONVERSIONS Josh Jerome 5/5 (100%)


Haydon Hodge 8m
Michael Thomas 10m
Mitch Day 39m
Drury Low 52m
Chris Medcalf 68m
Drury Low 79m

Chris Medcalf 4/6 (66%)

[noa nandruku]

1. Maipele Morseu
2. Eddie Faamausili
3. Kirisome Avuaa
4. Slade Griffin
5. Brayden Wiliame
6. Josh Jerome
7. Ben Hampton
8. Mitchell Johson
9. Jake Hawkins
10. Jorden Mclean
11. Sam Martin
12. Tohu Harris
13. Blake Leary

Lucan Grech
Rulon Nutira
Mahe Fonua 
Kenny Bromwich

[noa nandruku]

Dont forget this game is on TV today.

[Michael :P]

Same old, same old, too many errors and atrocious defence around the ruck, why the hell isnt Kenny Bromwich starting.. Maybe time to put Leary in the back-row (he'll kill it on the edge) as Marint is not effective enough, move Griffen to lock, Pita Maile to the centers and solve the 6 and 9 positions, Hawkins service is just to slow and I thought the Vic boy Grech offered better service. On the postive I thought Morseu, Avuaa and Hamtpon were good.

[noa nandruku]

Id would like to see this team go round....with a different coach

1. Maipele Morseu
2. Josh Jerome
3. Mahe Fonua
4. Pita Maile
5. Brayden Wiliame
6.  Kirisome Avuaa - has lovely hands and was an inside center in Union
7. Ben Hampton
8. Mitchell Johson
9. Luke Grech/ Jake Hawkins
10. Kenny Bromwich
11. Blake Leary
12. Tohu Harris
13. Slade Griffen

14.  Lucas Greach/Jake Hwakins
15. Jorden McLean
16. Theo Stuart
17. Sam Martin


Hopefully Bellyache took a keen interest in the game yesterday so he can "impart" some wisdom to Pay.


BTW does anybody know whay we let Matt currie return to Brisbane, who "only" guided the SG Ball team and Sunbury Tigers to the grand finals last year, as we could do with another genuine half.

[Michael :P]

OK time to stop following me around

[Michael :P]

Team v Eeels

1. Maipele Morseu
2. Eddie Faamausili
3. Kirisome Avuaa
4. Slade Griffin
5. Brayden Wiliame
6. Josh Jerome
7. Ben Hampton
8. Mitchell Johson
9. Jake Hawkins
10. Jorden Mclean
11. Sam Martin
12. Tohu Harris
13. Blake Leary

Lucas Grech
Rulon Nutira
Mahe Fonua 
Kenny Bromwich

Be interesting to see what they do with Leary, youd think though he would play here with Proctor or Lowrie playing on Sunday.

[Freshy]

Just spent some time with Brayden Williame and Mitch Johnson in our work break. Mitch said hes been looking forward to this parra game all year  Expect big things from him tomorrow night

[Michael :P]

Congrats to Brayden for making the NSW u/18 SOO side.

[Scooter]

www.melbournestorm.com.au


Thunderbolts break drought


The Melbourne Thunderbolts have finally put an end to their lengthy winless streak, overcoming the Parramatta Eels 29-22 in an entertaining NYC clash in driving rain at Parramatta Stadium on Friday night.

After more than two months without a victory, the reigning premiers finally got to belt out the team song again with a gritty five tries to four victory.

Despite the deplorable conditions in Sydney, which has already led to the postponement of two NYC matches this weekend, the Thunderbolts produced some enterprising footy against the lowly Eels.

And making the victory even more significant is that they did it without influential halfback Ben Hampton for more than an hour of the match after he hobbled from the field with a leg injury early in the first half.

But the Thunderbolts didn't seem to miss a beat with lock Blake Leary and five-eighth Josh Jerome guiding the team to the valuable two competition points to keep them in touch with the NYC top eight.

It was the home side that got off to the perfect start crossing for the opening try in just the sixth minute to winger Daniel Tupou.

Deep on the attack inside the Thunderbolts 20m zone, Eels half Dan Cross put in an inch-perfect cross-field kick which landed safely in the hands of Tupou who only had to catch the ball to score.

Jaydin Tavita's brilliant sideline conversion had the young Parramatta side 6-0 in front.

But their lead lasted barely three minutes as the defending premiers responded through their skipper Leary.

The 19-year-old got himself into dummy half just a metre out from the try line and burrowed his way over for his 12th try of the season.

Leary's four-pointer has him second on the NYC try-scoring charts behind the Broncos Dale Copley. Jerome's conversion levelled the scores.

The Thunderbolts then took the lead six minutes later through a lovely backline move.

Hampton noticed an overlap on the right-hand side and the Melbourne youngster's worked the ball through the hands with Eddie Faamausili finishing it off in the corner.

Jerome made no mistake again to make the score 12-6.

It wasn't all good news for Dean Pay's side as Hampton was helped off the field soon after with his leg injury but it still didn't stop the Thunderbolts from extending their lead.

Leary was again involved, running the ball close to the line and despite the attention of three Eels defenders, somehow offloaded to prop Mitchel Johnson to dive over from close range.

It was a particularly sweet try for Johnson, who started the season with the Eels NYC squad before moving to Melbourne.

When Jerome converted again the Thunderbolts had a comfortable 18-6 lead.

But a lapse in concentration either side of the break allowed the home side to cross for two tries to David Thomas (34th minute) and Ken Sio (43rd) to bring the scores level.

It took a superb try to Kenny Bromwich in the 49th minute for the Thunderbolts to regain the lead before Tohu Harris found a hole close to the line to score beside the posts to have the visitors 28-18 ahead with 20 minutes left.

Melbourne had a couple of good scoring opportunities on the Eels line but failed to take them and those misses were compounded when Sio crossed for his second 11 minutes from the end to narrow the gap to 28-22.

But the Thunderbolts weren't about to throw this one away as Leary potted a late field goal to ensure the drought-breaking win.

Melbourne Storm 29
Tries: Leary, Faamausili, Johnson, Bromwich, Harris
Goals: Jerome 4
Field goals: Leary 1

Parramatta Eels 22
Tries: Sio 2, Tupou, Thomas
Goals: Tavita 3

How good is Leary? A tireless lock, who has scored 12 tries for the year and he even slotted a field goal. We have to add him to our full time squad next year.

[Michael :P]

Lucas Grech looks like he had a really good game, I thought we looked better when he is at d/h due to his better service and speed and the stats seem to bare that out.

[Michael :P]

NYC
1 Robbie Kurth
2 Eddie Faamausili
3 Mahe Fonua
4 Slade Griffin
5 Bennett Leslie
6 Jake Hawkins
7 Josh Jerome
8 Rulon Nutira
9 Lucas Grech
10 Mitchel Johnson
11 Sam Martin
12 Tohu Harris
13 Blake Leary [c]

14 Ryan Marlin
15 Kenny Bromwich
16 Jordan McLean
17 Jarome Wilson

Coach: Dean Pay

Maiepele, Ben Hampton and Kirsome in Brisbane for the SOO curtain raiser.

[Freshy]

NYC
1 Robbie Kurth
2 Eddie Faamausili
3 Mahe Fonua
4 Slade Griffin
5 Bennett Leslie
6 Jake Hawkins
7 Josh Jerome
8 Rulon Nutira
9 Lucas Grech
10 Mitchel Johnson
11 Sam Martin
12 Tohu Harris
13 Blake Leary [c]

14 Ryan Marlin
15 Kenny Bromwich
16 Jordan McLean
17 Jarome Wilson

Coach: Dean Pay

Maiepele, Ben Hampton and Kirsome in Brisbane for the SOO curtain raiser.

Robbie Kurth! Awesome player, grew up playing state team and Waverley with him