News -Melbourne to Storm Region

[TC]

View full article

MELBOURNE Storm development boss Greg Brentnall has revealed the NRL powerhouse is committed to stamping its "brand" on the Riverina and border regions this year.[br /][br][br] Speaking from the club's headquarters in Melbourne yesterday, the former Wagga league prodigy said the Storm was determined to lift its profile in the area.[br /][br][br] "We are putting a lot of resources into the region," Brentnall said. [br /][br][br] "It is an important growth area for us and we'll be pushing hard to . . .

As good and admirable as this is, I continue to feel that it is of at least as great importance to lift the Storm's profile in Victoria.  While it would be nice to pinch some young players from under the noses of the Raiders, first and foremost the eventual future of the Storm must lie south of the Murray.

[Surandy]

View full article

MELBOURNE Storm development boss Greg Brentnall has revealed the NRL powerhouse is committed to stamping its "brand" on the Riverina and border regions this year.[br /][br][br] Speaking from the club's headquarters in Melbourne yesterday, the former Wagga league prodigy said the Storm was determined to lift its profile in the area.[br /][br][br] "We are putting a lot of resources into the region," Brentnall said. [br /][br][br] "It is an important growth area for us and we'll be pushing hard to . . .

As good and admirable as this is, I continue to feel that it is of at least as great importance to lift the Storm's profile in Victoria. While it would be nice to pinch some young players from under the noses of the Raiders, first and foremost the eventual future of the Storm must lie south of the Murray.

Maybe plans are afoot to relocate Melbourne Storm, maybe we'll become the South New South Wales Storm?

They seem to be more interested in promoting Storm in areas that are 3 or more hours drive away than the large population centres of regional Victoria, ie Geelong, Ballarat & Bendigo.

[lotti]

uh we pinched Ben Cross from the Raiders.  The NRL should really focus on developing the VRL in partnership with the Victorian government, the reason why Origin 3 is in Melbourne is to promote the game(it would be very handy if the selectors of both NSW and QLD do what they have been and select Storm players for that game) in Victoria but it's good to see that the Storm are promoting the game in the off-season they also do clinics sometimes at schools something I know the Broncos do.

[Looney]

the reason why Origin 3 is in Melbourne is to promote the game(it would be very handy if the selectors of both NSW and QLD do what they have been and select Storm players for that game) in Victoria

You must be joking

We can see your age or you are not a rugby supporter, i cant believe you would speak such dribble about SOO. Your saying they should select storm players because the game is in vic? It would make an absolute mockery of rugby league in this country.

[lotti]

No not just because the game is in Victoria, the selectors do that anyway because of the talent we can attract Slater, Smith and King are all Origin players and if their form is excellent I see no reason for them not to be selected unless like with game 3 the selectors want another player to have more of a role in the game.  What I meant was that if there are Storm players in the teams it will boost Melbourne's profile which is one of the reasons why the NRL is having game 3 in Melbourne, Victoria is AFL mad(hence the amount of coverage NRL gets) and game 3 will hopefully show Victorians how great League is and maybe get a few extra people at Olympic Park to see Melbourne play.

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

I thought you meant like a home town spurr like when they picked Bowen over Slater last year.

[yakstorm]

Come on guys, lets be a bit realistic.  There is 23 million which is being poured into Melbourne, Central Highlands and Gippsland regions over the next 3 - 5 year.  The number of development officers in Victoria has been more than trippled for 2006, and there is a guarenteed Origin in 2006 and 2009 as well as one Test in 2006, and a handful with the 2008 World Cup.

Money is being put in, this is all in conjunction with the Storm, sure some of it is a bit late, but work is being put in.  The thing is though the Storm need a region, an area they can develop players to bring up through the grades, a player base which Victoria currently can't offer, and being realistic wont be able to offer for around 10 years.  5 if we are really lucky.

Honestly I think its a reasonably smart move by Storm.  They have picked the outposts of Griffith and Wagga to base themselves and are heading South.  These areas know what Rugby League is, and your going to have a greater chance of converting areas to Rugby League which at least know what the sport is.  Trust me, the Storm want to see teams in Victoria play RL. 

Why do you think they are pushing areas like the Goulburn Murray RL, they want areas like Wangaratta, Bennella, Shepparton and so on playing the code, cause at least they can grow but at the same time are near league infanstructure, so aren't left completely on their own.

[Looney]

will be interesting to see as i live in the gippsland area and there is, from what i know of, absolutly no junior rugby here at all or nothing i can find out about.

[lotti]

I thought you meant like a home town spurr like when they picked Bowen over Slater last year.

I was even mad about that, ok bowen is a cowboy and there for should get my support BUT THERE IS NO WAY HE'S GETTING IT AHEAD OF BILLY SLATER.