Billy

[TC]

Bad news is concussion and fractured cheekbone.

Good news - according to Peter Sterling on Sunday FS - is that Mary Toomey has said "If you can have a good break, this is it. Billy may only miss two weeks.

[clock off]

I hope Sterlo's right, we're starting to get some injury concerns.
Crocker, Kaufusi, & now Billy.
Not the run that we were looking for.
Let's hope we can show the heart & depth we have shown in previous years.
We need to. 
I thought we had a great season last year.
Everything went right, but we still didnt win it in the end.

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

That'll rule him out of SOO II

[lotti]

but he'll be able to be selected for SOO 3 baring(bite my tongue) injury or suspension.

[Bourbon Rat]

It's six (6) weeks 
http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/defaul ... c=1&ssec=1

[Storm19]

Last year it was a double suspension and this year he misses out on Origin 1 and now a broken cheekbone. Gee, Billy is having shocker at the moment. Crocker, Kaufusi and now Slater with long term injuries. Now Bellamy will have to come up with a master stroke to combat the loss of these players and the team will now have to focus on getting back top spot.

[lotti]

ok no one mention Origin around Billy next year we don't want something to happen to him.

[Bourbon Rat]

Now Bellamy will have to come up with a master stroke to combat the loss of these players and the team will now have to focus on getting back top spot.

DaS B
Depth and Self Belief

Chambers to fullback & continuance of Bellyaches rotation of positions 

[bula]

Good time to give Chambers a run although we dont need him

[lotti]

aww poor Billy.  May 28, 2007 - 5:59PM

In-form Melbourne NRL fullback Billy Slater will be sidelined for six weeks after undergoing surgery to insert two plates in his face after the injury was revealed to be worse than first thought.

Melbourne officials thought a worst-case scenario would have their star custodian on the sidelines for a month, and had their fingers crossed he could return in a fortnight for their round 13 clash with Auckland.

However Storm physio Mary Toomey said further investigation revealed two cheekbone fractures from his collision with teammate Sam Tagatese during the Storm's one-point loss to Manly in their top-of-the-table clash on Saturday.

"He has a fractured Zygomatic arch (cheekbone) and a fractured Maxilla (the bone below the cheekbone)," she said.

"He's had to have a plate inserted on both fractures and will be out for six weeks."

The injury has put another dent in competition favourite Melbourne's campaign and means Slater's hopes of breaking into the Queensland line-up in this year's Origin series are over.

In the past week the Storm have also lost Queensland prop Antonio Kaufusi for the season with a knee injury in Origin I, while second-rower Michael Crocker finally succumbed to his shoulder injury and also underwent surgery, ruling him out for three months.

Match-winner Slater had been in the best form of his career, with coach Craig Bellamy rating him as a more "complete" player than in previous years.

Upping his defensive workload, Slater has shown his versatility, filling in at hooker and centre as well as fullback.

"Losing Billy for six weeks is a huge blow because he had been playing so well," Bellamy said.

"He is a major reason why we're sitting in second place."

Bellamy said he was considering Steve Turner, Will Chambers and Israel Folau to play fullback against Souths in Melbourne on Saturday night.

Storm centre Anthony Quinn said Slater's injury was a big loss.

"Billy has been playing in outstanding form for us," Quinn said.

"It's going to be hard to replace him, particularly in the coming weeks with Origin coming up again.

"But we've got good depth and we've got confidence that the players who come into the side will be able to step up."

Quinn also showed his versatility, playing second row for the first time in his career, against Manly.

"It was different and I had to learn pretty quick but it wasn't too bad," he said.

"With Billy out I'll probably go back to the centres but if Craig asks me to do the job again I'm not going to say no."

Quinn said the players were far from downcast about the loss, and after reviewing the game had taken positives from it.

"There were a lot of good things that came from the game, just the work ethic of all the players out there was the main thing that we got out of it.

"None of us wanted to give up, it was just a good arm-wrestle and it was just unfortunate we went down by that one point."

© 2007 AAP

[OzHEDude]

I thought i read or heard today that Smith wants to move to #6, The Bus to #9 and Inglis to #1.

[Mini Chick]

Posted by: OzHEDude
Insert Quote
I thought i read or heard today that Smith wants to move to #6, The Bus to #9 and Inglis to #1.

I heard that too, hmmm interesting.

Poor Poor Billy - really hoped he'd be right sooner. What a horrible injury.

[MENACING*STORM]

What's happening with Ryan Shortland?
Has he lost form or currently injured because I have yet to see his name come up during Norths or for the Storm during Origin time. 

If Ryan Shortland is available, he can be another Centre option that could free up the likes of Chambers, Quinn, Geyer and Turner during the Origin carousel.

EDIT: I've just checked on the Storm site.  He is currently listed as injured.  Cross out Ryan's name at this point of time

[steaming stormer]

I don't see Chambers as a fullback.  Steve Turner definitely is.  If GI stays at 6, then I would expect Zap to go to fullback.
Falou worries me a little under the highball in defence.  He's awesome under it in attack, but he's shown a few times this year that he is not as good without the runup IMO

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

Are you simply saying that he just isn't perfect?