Round 26 - Storm vs Sharks - MINOR PREMIERSHIP BATTLE

[yourhero]

Melbourne Storm v Cronulla Sharks
Saturday 3 September, 7:30pm
AAMI Park

1. Cameron Munster
2. Suliasi Vunivalu
3. Will Chambers
4. Ryan Morgan
5. Marika Koriobete
6. Blake Green
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Cam Smith ©
10. Tim Glasby
11. Kenny Bromwich
12. Tohu Harris
13. Dale Finucane

14. Felise Kaufusi
15. Christian Welch
16. Jordan McLean
17. Ben Hampton
21. Matt White

Queensland Cup
Sunshine Coast v PNG
Sunday 4 September, 3:00pm
National Football Stadium

Curtis Scott
Tony Tumusa
Richie Kennar
Mark Nicholls
Joe Stimson
Charlie Galo
Jake Turpin


Easts Tigers v Townsville
Sunday 4 September, 1:40pm
Jack Manski Oval

Dean Britt
Slade Griffin
Brodie Croft
Young Tonumaipea

[yourhero]

If I am completely honest, I'm not too confident.

Attitude needs to lift big time.

[mystormboys]

If I am completely honest, I'm not too confident.

Attitude needs to lift big time.

Have to say I tend to agree. I don't have the same feeling that I had in 2012 - don't mind being proven wrong tho

[blazza18]

Agree as well. The team has had their eyes on the finals a few weeks too early and we've come out playing with little to no passion at all. Hopefully they can get back to what we built our success on this year and actually defend. I personally don't care about finishing first or second, just want a better overall performance heading into the finals.

[sallymay]

I wanna believe we will win but everything is pointing to us playing bad...and I hate that they are promoting it as NO AFL so come along ect storm don't do well when that happens...I hope I'm wrong

[Storm Spirit]

FFS...our team has been EXCEPTIONAL this year.

they still are the same team...a couple of poor performances aside.

they will be doing everything in their power to tear the Flake a new one....

[LESStar58]

After the Broncos game I have decided to have ZERO expectations whatsoever.

[RobbieRoss]

Still no KP. Of course again the club might be mucking around with selections. I hope he plays . I reckon we will need him.

[Mister M]

If I am completely honest, I'm not too confident.

Attitude needs to lift big time.

Have to say I tend to agree. I don't have the same feeling that I had in 2012 - don't mind being proven wrong tho

People look back on 2012 with rose coloured glasses.

We lost 5 in a row in late June/July before our late run home that year, including some really lucky wins. (Round 24 against Bronco's we got a FG to win it, then Round 25 we scored two tries in the last three minutes to beat the Sharks. (one of the greatest post-game atmosphere's I've experienced at AAMI Park, btw)

Storm were just lucky to be building at the right time in 2012 and I think we are building that same way again this year, we are just having losses later in the season due to the tough competition while we are resting up/training hard preparing for finals.

This week will be a more accurate performance on how we will play in finals as Bellamy will be focusing on winning now and not getting this squad ready for finals (he's known we will finish top 2 for a while now, so focused on just getting us ready for September). Top 2 is what Storm are interested more than the minor premiership.

[Storm Spirit]

If I am completely honest, I'm not too confident.

Attitude needs to lift big time.

Have to say I tend to agree. I don't have the same feeling that I had in 2012 - don't mind being proven wrong tho

People look back on 2012 with rose coloured glasses.

We lost 5 in a row in late June/July before our late run home that year, including some really lucky wins. (Round 24 against Bronco's we got a FG to win it, then Round 25 we scored two tries in the last three minutes to beat the Sharks. (one of the greatest post-game atmosphere's I've experienced at AAMI Park, btw)

Storm were just lucky to be building at the right time in 2012 and I think we are building that same way again this year, we are just having losses later in the season due to the tough competition while we are resting up/training hard preparing for finals.

This week will be a more accurate performance on how we will play in finals as Bellamy will be focusing on winning now and not getting this squad ready for finals (he's known we will finish top 2 for a while now, so focused on just getting us ready for September). Top 2 is what Storm are interested more than the minor premiership.

Yep...I suspect you're correct there....

[Gaiscioch]

Agree as well. The team has had their eyes on the finals a few weeks too early and we've come out playing with little to no passion at all. Hopefully they can get back to what we built our success on this year and actually defend. I personally don't care about finishing first or second, just want a better overall performance heading into the finals.

Well said, I feel the same. The boys just need their head in the game on the games that really matter. so if they bomb this game perhaps they have it all out of their system and ready for the finals.

[mystormboys]

SS the boys have done a great job this year. I haven't knocked the way they have played it's just the feeling I have

[Danger D]

Is Cheyse Blair injured? Not named for Easts or the Falcons?
There are a few players I'd like to see lift for this game. Our outside backs are going to have their hands full in defence and will need to be solid with their communication and reads. We'll need our forwards to get a roll up the middle and really dominate their pack who are prone to poor discipline when pressed. Can't let the nigglers get in our heads: expect Ennis and Maloney to do their best/worst on that front.
Couldn't care less about the minor premiership, but I don't want to finish second and have to play a red hot raiders in week 1 of the finals. Home stretch now: we just need 3 wins in the next month or so to wrap up the season.

[yourhero]

I hope like hell that this weekend, Smith throws the ball at every player who rolls away from the ruck. Archer has already defended the decision and said that they have to blow a penalty in those situations.

If so, game on for everyone. I'm sure that will be a f**king fantastic look for the game in the finals...

Or just pass the ball into the pocket ref as suggested by Vossy. Get the feed in a scrum at the end of a set.

[The Mauritian]

I was worried about this game with our crappy form, but then i found it was Tohu's 100th. We always lift for important milestone games, and rarely lose. We will win by 12+ i think.