Storm are two wins away from rewriting history
Wouldn't this send the ultimate two-finger salute to the NSWNRL!! I would so love this to come about !!!!!!
Points to prove as Storm are two wins away from rewriting history
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1j6su.html
MELBOURNE'S remarkable journey from last to first might get even better: they are just two wins away from laying claim to a rise from last to the best of all time.
The Storm can achieve the most minor premiership points ever should they win their final two matches. That the achievement would come having been stripped of two titles, three minor premierships and all points from last season would surely enhance it.
The Storm face Manly at Brookvale Oval on Friday - admittedly a significant obstacle. But if they win against the Sea Eagles, then beat the Sydney Roosters in round 26, they will finish the regular season on 46 points. No side has ever achieved those heights in NRL history or the competition's previous forms.
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Melbourne and Manly, ironically, have come the closest to that figure. The Storm took out the minor premierships of 2006 and 2007 with 44 points, although both titles were taken from them following the salary cap scandal of last year. The Sea Eagles won the 1983 minor premiership with 44 points, in a 26-round competition with no byes.
If the Storm are successful in their remaining games, they will have won 21 matches, which would equal their 2007 effort, in a 25-round competition with one bye.
''It would be an amazing achievement,'' former Melbourne skipper Robbie Kearns said.
The Storm have already broken one significant record, winning their 12th consecutive match last Friday against St George Illawarra. Should they win their remaining matches, the Storm will have lost just three matches in the regular season - to North Queensland, the Warriors and Canberra.
''To be sitting where they are at this stage of the season, with two games to go, having only lost three games, is an amazing comeback after last year's debacle,'' Kearns said.
He lauded coach Craig Bellamy for his effort to reshape the club following the loss of key players including Greg Inglis, Ryan Hoffman, Brett Finch and Jeff Lima.
''It would be a tremendous effort, for the players, Craig and the coaching staff as well,'' he said. ''It's been one of the talking points all year, how Craig gets the best out of his players, the young blokes on the rise or the older blokes. I can't speak highly enough of Craig. He's the No.1 coach in the game.''
Melbourne are four points ahead of Manly. Even if the Storm drop their final two games, there would need to be a significant turnaround for Manly to claim the minor premiership, given Melbourne's superior for-and-against totals. Despite the tight win over the Dragons, Storm football manager Frank Ponissi said the Sea Eagles clash would be the club's ''greatest challenge'' of the season, given Manly's form and unbeaten record at Brookvale Oval this year.
''St George are still a benchmark in terms of what they're capable of doing but they've been out of form,'' said Ponissi. ''Manly have been in winning form, a team very similar to ourselves.''
The two clubs faced off in the 2007 and 2008 grand finals, and many are predicting they will face each other again this year, adding to the appeal of Friday night's game.
Not that most of Melbourne will see it. Melbourne's wider public will be largely kept in the dark on Friday night. Instead of showing the match live in Melbourne, Channel Nine has opted to show re-runs of Two And A Half Men, The Mentalist and CSI before an 11.30pm viewing of the game on the night in the Victorian capital.
Points to prove as Storm are two wins away from rewriting history
http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/leag ... 1j6su.html
MELBOURNE'S remarkable journey from last to first might get even better: they are just two wins away from laying claim to a rise from last to the best of all time.
The Storm can achieve the most minor premiership points ever should they win their final two matches. That the achievement would come having been stripped of two titles, three minor premierships and all points from last season would surely enhance it.
The Storm face Manly at Brookvale Oval on Friday - admittedly a significant obstacle. But if they win against the Sea Eagles, then beat the Sydney Roosters in round 26, they will finish the regular season on 46 points. No side has ever achieved those heights in NRL history or the competition's previous forms.
Advertisement: Story continues below
Melbourne and Manly, ironically, have come the closest to that figure. The Storm took out the minor premierships of 2006 and 2007 with 44 points, although both titles were taken from them following the salary cap scandal of last year. The Sea Eagles won the 1983 minor premiership with 44 points, in a 26-round competition with no byes.
If the Storm are successful in their remaining games, they will have won 21 matches, which would equal their 2007 effort, in a 25-round competition with one bye.
''It would be an amazing achievement,'' former Melbourne skipper Robbie Kearns said.
The Storm have already broken one significant record, winning their 12th consecutive match last Friday against St George Illawarra. Should they win their remaining matches, the Storm will have lost just three matches in the regular season - to North Queensland, the Warriors and Canberra.
''To be sitting where they are at this stage of the season, with two games to go, having only lost three games, is an amazing comeback after last year's debacle,'' Kearns said.
He lauded coach Craig Bellamy for his effort to reshape the club following the loss of key players including Greg Inglis, Ryan Hoffman, Brett Finch and Jeff Lima.
''It would be a tremendous effort, for the players, Craig and the coaching staff as well,'' he said. ''It's been one of the talking points all year, how Craig gets the best out of his players, the young blokes on the rise or the older blokes. I can't speak highly enough of Craig. He's the No.1 coach in the game.''
Melbourne are four points ahead of Manly. Even if the Storm drop their final two games, there would need to be a significant turnaround for Manly to claim the minor premiership, given Melbourne's superior for-and-against totals. Despite the tight win over the Dragons, Storm football manager Frank Ponissi said the Sea Eagles clash would be the club's ''greatest challenge'' of the season, given Manly's form and unbeaten record at Brookvale Oval this year.
''St George are still a benchmark in terms of what they're capable of doing but they've been out of form,'' said Ponissi. ''Manly have been in winning form, a team very similar to ourselves.''
The two clubs faced off in the 2007 and 2008 grand finals, and many are predicting they will face each other again this year, adding to the appeal of Friday night's game.
Not that most of Melbourne will see it. Melbourne's wider public will be largely kept in the dark on Friday night. Instead of showing the match live in Melbourne, Channel Nine has opted to show re-runs of Two And A Half Men, The Mentalist and CSI before an 11.30pm viewing of the game on the night in the Victorian capital.
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"Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak" Anon
"Since light travels faster than sound, people appear bright until you hear them speak" Anon
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CooperCronk
- Monsoon
- Posts: 1610
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:34 am
- Location: Storm Land
On Sports Tonight (3aw) Gerard Healy & Dwayne Russell did an interview with Bellyache. After they interview Gerard suggested they try and get Geoff Browne (Ch.9) on the show tomorrow night and ask him why the Storm game wasn't going to be shown live on Friday night.
Gerard also suggested that Browne was a big Collingwood man and he and Eddie McGuire wouldn't allow the Storm to be shown live against a Collingwood game
As if we didn't already know that Browne hates rugby league.
Gerard also suggested that Browne was a big Collingwood man and he and Eddie McGuire wouldn't allow the Storm to be shown live against a Collingwood game
As if we didn't already know that Browne hates rugby league.
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CooperCronk
- Monsoon
- Posts: 1610
- Joined: Mon Dec 22, 2008 3:34 am
- Location: Storm Land
On Sports Tonight (3aw) Gerard Healy & Dwayne Russell did an interview with Bellyache. After they interview Gerard suggested they try and get Geoff Browne (Ch.9) on the show tomorrow night and ask him why the Storm game wasn't going to be shown live on Friday night.
Gerard also suggested that Browne was a big Collingwood man and he and Eddie McGuire wouldn't allow the Storm to be shown live against a Collingwood game
As if we didn't already know that Browne hates rugby league.
Gerard also suggested that Browne was a big Collingwood man and he and Eddie McGuire wouldn't allow the Storm to be shown live against a Collingwood game
As if we didn't already know that Browne hates rugby league.
Cam Smith was on Triple M's The Rush Hour yesterday. Brownless & Brayshaw made a HUGE mention of Gallop's lack of prescence at Storm games, they were mortified by his contempt and incompetence.
But they love our Smithy (who said he watches AFL on weekends to escape from the rigors of training, etc) on that show and have invited him to appear as a panellist on the AFL footy show
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But they love our Smithy (who said he watches AFL on weekends to escape from the rigors of training, etc) on that show and have invited him to appear as a panellist on the AFL footy show
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stormsally
- Hail Storm
- Posts: 432
- Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2003 1:05 am
Listened to SEN Storm Hour and apparently Smith is leading the AFL tipping this year and won last year in the celebrity tips in the herald sun (I think). I thought - gee what can't this man do!
I feel there is no way in the world we will be overtaken for the minor premiership.
Mattpoet, we have to loose the next two games by 58 points or more and Manly have to win the next two games by more than 58 points.
Manly are playing us and Broncos in Brisbane for Lockyer last home game. I do not think they are going to both games by huge amounts. Even if we loose both games again I do not belive it will be by 58 points.
I know there is still a chance of us not winning the MP, but it not two CLOSE losses. It is two huge losses.
Manly are playing us and Broncos in Brisbane for Lockyer last home game. I do not think they are going to both games by huge amounts. Even if we loose both games again I do not belive it will be by 58 points.
I know there is still a chance of us not winning the MP, but it not two CLOSE losses. It is two huge losses.
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Insomniac
- Tropical Cyclone
- Posts: 2772
- Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2004 4:43 pm
- Location: Sunshine Coast, QLD
- Contact:
Incorrect. As we have to play the team chasing us in 2nd spot on the ladder (who are our only threat to losing the MP), any margin that they beat us by actually doubles the deficit that they have clawed back on us. For example, if they beat us by 10 points, they have actually gained 20 on us (+10 for them, -10 for us). As unlikely as it would be, given our defensive record this year, a big win for them could wipe off a decent chunk of that deficit.glennb wrote:Mattpoet, we have to loose the next two games by 58 points or more and Manly have to win the next two games by more than 58 points.
Manly are playing us and Broncos in Brisbane for Lockyer last home game. I do not think they are going to both games by huge amounts. Even if we loose both games again I do not belive it will be by 58 points.
I know there is still a chance of us not winning the MP, but it not two CLOSE losses. It is two huge losses.
correct, but as much as i hate the big suck off, i mean send off to lockyer. i feel it might almost be the GF for broncos in 2011, broncos could smash any team that night, and lucky for us its manlyInsomniac wrote:Incorrect. As we have to play the team chasing us in 2nd spot on the ladder (who are our only threat to losing the MP), any margin that they beat us by actually doubles the deficit that they have clawed back on us. For example, if they beat us by 10 points, they have actually gained 20 on us (+10 for them, -10 for us). As unlikely as it would be, given our defensive record this year, a big win for them could wipe off a decent chunk of that deficit.glennb wrote:Mattpoet, we have to loose the next two games by 58 points or more and Manly have to win the next two games by more than 58 points.
Manly are playing us and Broncos in Brisbane for Lockyer last home game. I do not think they are going to both games by huge amounts. Even if we loose both games again I do not belive it will be by 58 points.
I know there is still a chance of us not winning the MP, but it not two CLOSE losses. It is two huge losses.
They'll use the 'last game' card for as long as they can. Last game in Sydney, last game in Melbourne, last game in Newcastle, last game at Brooky, last game at Suncorp, last QF, last Semi, last GF, last time rorting the salary cap (I doubt they'll mention that)
I hope the Broncos don't make the GF. It could end up a repeat of 2006 if the referees are blinded by all the hype and hysteria the club and the media will stir up.
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I hope the Broncos don't make the GF. It could end up a repeat of 2006 if the referees are blinded by all the hype and hysteria the club and the media will stir up.
[ Post made via iPhone ]