Melbourne Storm vs woManly Sea Eagles - Round 5 Fri Apr 11th

[MENACING*STORM]

And I will be there!!
STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORM! :

You can definitely hear a "STOOOOOORM" around the 68th minute! 

[Insomniac]

...hoffman had a quiet one by his standards but madde up for it with his try that was just too easy...

Are you serious???  He was in everything - he played 80 minutes, 1 try, 19 runs for 155m, 3 offloads, 36 tackles!!  Holy crap, I'd like to see him have a blinder if that was a quiet one!

[coupy73]

...hoffman had a quiet one by his standards but madde up for it with his try that was just too easy...

Are you serious???  He was in everything - he played 80 minutes, 1 try, 19 runs for 155m, 3 offloads, 36 tackles!!  Holy crap, I'd like to see him have a blinder if that was a quiet one!

I thought Hoffman had his best game of the season for us, he seems to be taking some pressure of the props and doing more of the hard yards up the middle this year rather then just waiting to get on the end of cronks flat passes.
slater is not only the best fullback going around but must be the best player in the comp at the momment.
I think quinn  has been going really well since the GF last year.
Ingliss look as though he was coming back to his best especially in the first half. which is taking some pressure off cronk who is coming into form. Cronk alongside dallas were my MOM last night. Johnson did what Johnson does, exceptional every week.
I think its been said in another post but are we setting our expectations too high for chambers. It seems he gets cought out in defence when we are on or near our own line. anywhere else on the pitch he seems OK snd comes in with some huge hits!! With the success of Inglis and Folau i think we expect every young player to be an instant super star.
Think our forwards are working well as a group and we don't seem to lose much when one goes off and another comes on. Antonio is getting better every game and Sika is doing great things.
all in all the last two weeks have been a continuation of the last two years, just a shame we had a "blip" early on this season.

[Silkin Storm]

I dont know what was more fun to watch for me 

The palm off by Greggy or the one on one tackle with Steve stopping their #5 (Lyon?) in  his tracks who looked to have 15 + kg on Steve in weight.
I was even yelling he hits hard for a little bloke don't he LOL I think he has been playing with Dalas a bit

[samo]

sika manu has great leg drive, and i reckon he will be a really good long term prospect for the strom, i really hope tagatese gets a crack again in nrl, i noticed he was playing for central coast on the weekend.

also anthony quinn could be a nsw state of origin bolter, his defence has imroved 100% and he can find the line, the only thig against him is that nsw love tall heavy outside backs, e.g. cooper gaz king etc

samo

p.s. came dwon from the gold coast for the game, great weather, and really friendly supporters around me in the western stand

[nacho]

And I will be there!!
STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORM! :

You can definitely hear a "STOOOOOORM" around the 68th minute! 

also at the jim beam after party haha

[Diehard_Storm]

I think we would be a stronger outfit with Inglis at centre, Chambers at Geyer & Aitken at 5/8th.

Outrageous!  We need to deal with this people:  Inglis is our 5/8th!  We won a premiership with him there.  He's a clive churchill medallist at 5/8th.  He was close to best on ground again last night, and we've had great wins over Broncs and Manly (two terrific defensive outfits) since he's been back in the line-up.

To be honest - Geyer is past his best and I thnk we can all agree on this - but he's still got plenty to add.  But he's NOT A STARTING 5/8th!  He's role is utility and to fill in during the rep season now.  And Aitken is a long long way away from becoming a starting 5/8th.  What we've seen in the rounds where Aitken has filled in is not enough to suggest we should even contemplate thinking about moving Greg from his position.

I have to admit - about 5-7 weeks into last season - I was calling for Greg to go back to Centre - along with everyone else.  As he just looked so uncomfortable.  But that was then, and a whole lot has happened since then.  And we can't aruge with the facts, and the facts are the results.  And the results are what counts.

[Mike_The_Undertaker]

So true Diehard.

[tugga]

Thought it was our best performance since the GF.
Slater is easily the best player in the comp at the moment. For everyone's (including me) talk on the prospect of losing Inglis, Smith etc, we should be rejoicing in the fact that this bloke is as loyal as they come.
After watching the game last night and then the replay at 11.30pm, I have no doubt that given a good run with injuries, we will be a premiership threat. We will lose more games that last year (not hard seeing as we've lost two already) but already we look better than any other team when we are on song. The bottom line is that our best is better anyone's else's best. In other words, if we play to our potential on any given week, we are at least a 12-point better side than the 2nd-best team in the NRL even when they are playing at their best.
I have no doubt also, that the coaching and fitness staff have the sole aim of having the squad firing at the right end of the season. Don't be surprised if we have one or two down patches this season. Don't panic if this happens. Bellamy and the rest of crew will be so intent of having the boys primed about three weeks out from finals. it's about peaking at the right time.
Also, credit where it's due. I thought Folau may have just gone through the motions this season. Clearly not. Thought last night was his best game for the club. His defensive work was 1st class. He got involved and wanted to be part of the action instead if sitting back waiting for the ball to come to him. They way he dragged the Many player over the line and just dumped him was the highlight of the night for me.
Isn't it great winning on Friday night? You have the whole weekend to enjoy and relax and let the other sides fight it out.
As for my post last week saying Quinn was underrated...well, I don't think he'll stay underrated for long. Joey Johns was touting him as a possible rep player last night.
i think chambers may well be the opposite. Overrated. although he's still young and could be a late bloomer. haven't seen enoguh of him yet to make a big judgement call.
10-day break for us will do us good.

[Andy]

They way he dragged the Many player over the line and just dumped him was the highlight of the night for me.

Mine too.  Oh, and just a couple of things that Billy did. 

[grey sub]

In relation to Chambers I have seen him play for Norths and the kick and chase is only a small touch of what is to come from him as I believe he is still finding his feet in this comp....  I must say though it was the best game I have seen from Orford for us Quinny with that tackle in the ten metre zone that was one on one and it was magnificant, IMO he has stepped up in the 6 months and I think he has more to offer us yet... All in all a great win and I just hope that Dallas isn't cited for that lifting tackle as soft as it was with his carry over points I think we could miss him for a week or two even with a guilty plea, at least Channel 9 did not show it over and over as they do when we have a penalty against us.  I just need to ask did any one else hear the league saying it was going to stop players using heads as leverage to get up off the ground cause I am sure I saw quite a few occassions last night where forearms were accross the Jaws of our players or hands in the face as they were getting up but no penalties for that.  Maybe Archer didn't get that email yet.

[Bourbon Rat]

I just hope that Dallas isn't cited for that lifting tackle

THAT would open an interesting legal can of worms

I just need to ask did any one else hear the league saying it was going to stop players using heads as leverage to get up off the ground cause I am sure I saw quite a few occasions last night where forearms were across the Jaws of our players or hands in the face as they were getting up but no penalties for that.

[AAS]

And I will be there!!
STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORM! :

You can definitely hear a "STOOOOOORM" around the 68th minute! 

also at the jim beam after party haha

Good to see bunnies and Christabella, Thinga and TEDUS!!!!

[Surandy]

I just need to ask did any one else hear the league saying it was going to stop players using heads as leverage to get up off the ground cause I am sure I saw quite a few occassions last night where forearms were accross the Jaws of our players or hands in the face as they were getting up but no penalties for that.  Maybe Archer didn't get that email yet.

Most of the NRL have yet to get/read that email, you see it every game. My understanding was that any unnecessary contact with the head or neck was to be penalised. I've seen extremely few penalties for it yet and iirc only one citing by the match review committee.

[bunnies]

Hi everyone!

Once again I had an absolute ball at the "graveyard" and as usual I was my usual quiet retiring self! NOT!

Yes! I did let rip with a few STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORMs both during the match and at the after party, encouraged by my "quiet" mates in the Bai Stand and at VodaPhone

and "my DJ" told me he is very very close to signing! I told him it better be with the STORM otherwise I will track him down and lasso him!

It was so good to catch up with as many as I could, and thankyou Rose for today's road trip to the Great Ocean Rd, we did our darnest on the way back to Avalon to find a place that was showing NRL but gee it was all "gay AFL" We wanted to watch some real footy!

Plan on catching up again real soon!

STOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOORM!

Cheers
Bunnies