The Annual "Wrestling" Media Attack on the Storm

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
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Reminds me of the stink over Cameron smith and Alex McKinnon especially the horrendous 60 minutes show that was almost libellous in how it tainted the Storm captain.

Just another terrible Sydney centric headline that proves the media today can't be trusted on value judgements. The article itself is a bit more level headed.
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‘Wily, old’ Benji outsmarts NRL with ‘genius’ act of gamesmanship
April 29, 2021
ANDREW JACKSON
FOX SPORTS

Last week his silky footwork and skills were mesmerising the NRL and this time around Benji Marshall’s experience was telling in his gamesmanship late in a 34-20 win against the Raiders.

Canberra looked a stunning chance of a last-gasp comeback against South Sydney with the Rabbitohs down to just 12 men when Jacob Host was sent to the bin.

Jack Wighton then burst through to score what would have likely reduced the deficit to six points.

Emre Guler though stopped in the line and Marshall did what he had to - running directly into the Raiders forward to make sure the Bunker had enough evidence to overturn what was initially sent up as a try.

“He stops in the line and Benji does the right thing, he makes a point of it, that he is standing in the line and it will be no try,” Fox League’s Shane Flanagan said in commentary.

“Benji Marshall gets caught up here on Emre Guler. Jack Wighton goes through the hole,” Cooper Cronk added.

“He’s played for it Benji but I think that’s enough with a man stationary in the line.”


It was smart work from Marshall, who once again proved his value to South Sydney with some classy touches in the 14-point win, including a perfect assist for Alex Johnston.

The five-eighth also was guilty of a few handling errors but has overwhelmingly had a positive impact on the side while Latrell Mitchell has been sidelined through suspension.
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yourhero
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‘Wily, old’ Benji
outsmarts NRL
‘genius’ act
gamesmanship
Can you just imagine the headlines if it was Cameron Smith doing the exact same thing??? :lol:

Finucane was actually hit by a lead runner and sure, he oversold the impact, but people are still crying about that one! And NSW people actually like Finucane!

The hypocrisy is the thing that kills me. I have no issue with what Benji did, all props to him and my gripe is not with him. My gripe is the media jerking off when Benji does it and running an 8 week smear campaign when Smith goes anywhere near a rule grey area.
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Lol Benji is a genius, Cameron Smith is a cheating grub who referees all games he plays.
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yourhero
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https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/roosters- ... dcd3d8de85

Shoulder to Teddy’s head by Niukore.

Knees into Hutchison’s back by Brown, causing broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Both stayed on the field. Brown didn’t even get placed on report for almost 20 minutes.

Outrageous.

There are two articles on Fox Sports. One focussed on the refereeing decisions and Trent Robinson’s complaints in the post game presser. The other article focussed on the fact that Brown didn’t get put on report for so long.

If this was Kaufusi/someone wearing a purple jersey, there would be 15 Hooper / Kent articles all about grubby play and intent to cause injury. Watch them both downplay the incidents this week :roll:
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yourhero wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 8:13 am https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/roosters- ... dcd3d8de85

Shoulder to Teddy’s head by Niukore.

Knees into Hutchison’s back by Brown, causing broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Both stayed on the field. Brown didn’t even get placed on report for almost 20 minutes.

Outrageous.

There are two articles on Fox Sports. One focussed on the refereeing decisions and Trent Robinson’s complaints in the post game presser. The other article focussed on the fact that Brown didn’t get put on report for so long.

If this was Kaufusi/someone wearing a purple jersey, there would be 15 Hooper / Kent articles all about grubby play and intent to cause injury. Watch them both downplay the incidents this week :roll:
100%....the hypocrisy is galling. The vitriol towards Felice is missing from the commentary on what would appear to be 2 significantly more serious incidents😳
Remember this day, men, for it will be yours for all time
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‘Who is leaking that?’: Bateman blasts Raiders, delivers Williams warning
May 10, 2021
FOX SPORTS - Mysterious Staff Writers

John Bateman has called out unnamed Raiders officials for leaking information about internal problems and undermining the playing group.

Bateman left Canberra at the end of last season to instead play for Wigan in the Super League after helping inspire the Raiders to a preliminary final finish in 2020.

His absence has been pinpointed as one of the key factors in Canberra’s slide, with Ricky Stuart’s men currently sitting in 12th position and on a five-game losing run.

Winning can often be the cure for everything but the team is coming under growing scrutiny and examination as their fall down the ladder continues.

Already Josh Hodgson has stepped down from the co-captaincy a fortnight ago and there have been reports of potential approaches from rival clubs.

George Williams is also homesick while Joseph Tapine’s wife has taken aim at Stuart on social media.

Now Bateman has revealed to the Sydney Morning Heraldthat there were times during his playing career that he confronted Stuart over the belief that club officials were undermining the players.
John Bateman wrote:I don’t understand how you’re told to keep things internally but the next minute you’ve got [journalists] chatting about it within 24 hours of what’s been said at the club.

I had a conversation with Ricky before and he told me it wasn’t him. I asked him about my situation.

I asked him where all these stories were coming from and he said, ‘I’m not too sure, it might be your management’. You’d love to know, wouldn’t you? You can get over it when it’s once. When it’s two or three times, you’re like, ‘Come on, what’s going on here?’

You ask yourself, ‘Who is leaking that stuff out?'
Bateman has also urged the club to strongly consider releasing Williams, warning he will not perform to his potential if he does not want to stay.

“He wants to be somewhere else totally different. If he’s not happy, you’re not going to get the best out of him,” Bateman added.

He does though understand the business side of it and why Canberra would be reluctant to let him leave yet.

The Raiders released a statement on Williams last week, confirming that he is having issues with being separated from his family and friends in England.

“The Raiders will continue to offer George and his partner all the support they need, and George has confirmed he remains committed to the club,” the club added.

Williams had a try assist, linebreak assist and forced two dropouts on the weekend in a 24-16 defeat to the Knights.

As for Hodgson, the Raiders hooker also said he is “fully committed to the club”.

Canberra coach Stuart was asked about internal problems after the team’s latest loss to Newcastle but claimed it was outside noise.

“They are problems that you read, they’re not problems inside the camp,” he said.

“As much as you want to read into it, they are problems that everybody enjoys reading and speculating on.

“We are a happy camp in regards to what you read.”

Canberra face the Bulldogs in Magic Round this weekend before back-to-back tests against premiership heavyweights the Storm and Roosters in the fortnight after.
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yourhero
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This has been happening for years and it is great to see Bateman call out Sticky over it.

Ricky Stuart uses Paul Kent as a puppet. He shoves his arm up Kent's *ss and moves his mouth. Whatever story or angle that Ricky wants out there, he get's Kent to run it for him. And Kent - just happy to have a coach as a mate - is a good little lap dog and performs the command set by his master.

Fox Sports doing their mate (Kent) a favour and obfuscating a fair bit, but it is clear that Bateman is calling out Stuart for exactly this.

When Bateman was looking to move on from the Raiders, Stuart picked up the phone to Kent and sold the story of a money hungry, greedy bloke.
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yourhero wrote: Sat May 08, 2021 8:13 am https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/roosters- ... dcd3d8de85

Shoulder to Teddy’s head by Niukore.

Knees into Hutchison’s back by Brown, causing broken ribs and a punctured lung.

Both stayed on the field. Brown didn’t even get placed on report for almost 20 minutes.

Outrageous.

There are two articles on Fox Sports. One focussed on the refereeing decisions and Trent Robinson’s complaints in the post game presser. The other article focussed on the fact that Brown didn’t get put on report for so long.

If this was Kaufusi/someone wearing a purple jersey, there would be 15 Hooper / Kent articles all about grubby play and intent to cause injury. Watch them both downplay the incidents this week :roll:
Does anyone else think that Tedesco is falling to his knees when he gets the shoulder charge? He got a should charge no doubts, but Tedesco ‘falling’ into it makes it 3x worse

I’d love to see some reporting on that.

Like how Matterson hit his head on the ground in the Kaufusi tackle. Matterson couldn’t do much, but players also need to protect themselves
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yourhero
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How good is the baldy flog, Hooper?

https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... 992a3bb3ac

Tigers fans pelting Panthers fans (including children) with cans of beer. It's his team, so he rushes to their defence... If this was Melbourne fans, I wonder how his story would read ::)
Little Baldy wrote:There was a flash point moment in the game where a handful of beer cans were thrown in the air but it was hardly the crime of the century.
Little Baldy wrote:The Wests Tigers will never forget the “on the bus” sales pitch only for Ivan to get off when a better opportunity presented itself. Don’t blame them. And who could forget the Panthers coach blowing kisses at a Tigers supporter at BankWest Stadium last year
Little Baldy wrote:I certainly didn’t see anyone trying to target Penrith fans with anti-social behaviour, only good-natured banter between all supporters.
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STORM

Storm's attacking revolution shows rivals how to adapt in six-again era: Pearce
Author
Brad Walter
NRL.com Senior Reporter
Timestamp
Thu 8 Jul 2021, 04:35 PM
Brad Walter
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Melbourne’s inaugural ball boy Marc Brentnall, Craig Bellamy’s son, Aaron, and club legend Billy Slater have been credited with helping to transform the Storm into the NRL’s most potent attacking team.

Often maligned for their role in the widespread adoption of wrestling tactics to slow the play-the-ball, the Storm have adapted best to rule changes introduced to encourage free-flowing play and the trio are behind the transition.


ARLC commissioner Wayne Pearce, who was behind the introduction of the six-again rule when the 2020 season resumed from a COVID-19 break, said the success of the Storm demonstrated that some teams had simply adapted better.

Melbourne GM of football Frank Ponissi said Brentnall, Aaron Bellamy and Slater had been the main archictects of their transformation.

"Those three deserve the accolades, especially for the way that our back three and our edges attack."

Hynes carves the Roosters up from a kickHynes carves the Roosters up from a kick
Hynes carves the Roosters up from a kick
The Storm are averaging 36.5 points per match in 16 games this season and are on track to surpass the 839 points scored by Parramatta in 2001 – the most of any team in premiership history.

However, Ponissi said there had been no "lightbulb moment" when Bellamy and his coaching staff decided to make dramatic changes to Melbourne’s attacking style, and it had evolved over the past 12 months.

Brentnall, whose father Greg – the former Bulldogs, Blues and Kangaroos fullback – was a Storm foundation staff member, is responsible for the team’s attack, while fellow assistant coach, Stephen Kearney, focuses on defence.

Munster and Addo-Carr catch the Roosters outMunster and Addo-Carr catch the Roosters out
Munster and Addo-Carr catch the Roosters out
A former Storm ball boy and junior, who played halfback for Norths Devils in the Queensland Cup before joining Melbourne's coaching ranks in 2013, Brentnall has been touted as a successor to Craig Bellamy when he finally hangs up the clipboard.

Aaron Bellamy, who has been on the Melbourne coaching staff since 2016, is a development coach and works closely with Brentnall, while Slater has input in his role as a coaching consultant.

The most significant change at the Storm this season has been the retirement of captain and hooker Cameron Smith but the loss of arguably the most influential player of the modern era hasn’t impacted on the club’s performances.

Harry Grant and Brandon Smith have been sharing the dummy-half duties and the squad is largely unchanged from the one which won the 2020 premiership.

"The way that Harry and Brandon attack compared to Cameron was a big focus of ours in the off-season, but it has otherwise just evolved over a period of time," Ponissi said.

"We were pretty dependant on three players [Smith, Slater and Cooper Cronk] for such a long period of time, so we probably charged to suit the players we had as well as the rules.

"I would say that all of last season we just continually adapted and made changes according to the rules. We had to learn on the run and make subtle changes as we went."

We had to learn on the run and make subtle changes as we went.

Frank Ponissi
The Storm have always been a good attacking team, scoring more than 600 points in four seasons between 2006 and 2019 – a feat achieved by other clubs on just eight occasions during an era when wrestling gained prominence.

Prior to 2006, the top teams regularly exceeded 600 points per season and Parramatta (2001, 2005), Newcastle (2001, 2002), Canterbury (2003, 2004), Sydney Roosters (2004) and the Storm (2001) scored more than 700 points.

Perhaps what the recent blow-out scorelines have highlighted is that teams like the Storm didn’t rely on wrestling to control the ruck as much as other clubs who have struggled since the introduction of the six-again rule last year.

A graphic produced by the @NRLfanalytics Twitter account last week showed 45% of games this year were decided by 19 points or more – a significant increase on previous seasons.


Pearce believes teams need to focus on getting used to the rules rather than complaining about them.

"Some clubs like the Storm have adapted really quickly, and they are the ones that are successful. Others haven’t at the moment, so for them it is probably a work a progress," Pearce said

"You can have whinge and complain, and blame external factors like the speed of the game, or you can choose to focus your energy on what you need to do to be competitive and utilise the changes in terms of tactics and playing style.

"A lot of it has to do with the clubs and their rosters and some clubs might have got caught a bit short because their players aren’t as suited to the changes in terms of agility or speed or skill.

"That is the free market that we operate in. You have got to adapt to the way the game is evolving.

"We got into a space where the game being slowed down via the wrestle, and penalties and stoppages meant that the game was orientated around set plays but now, because it flows a lot more, there is a lot more scope for the off the cuff-style players."

Pearce noted that complaints about wrestling tactics, which dominated the game for more than a decade, have all but disappeared.

The playmakers set to take charge in State of Origin IIIThe playmakers set to take charge in State of Origin III
The playmakers set to take charge in State of Origin III
"It is amazing the difference it has made," he said.

"Now some people are saying the game is a bit too fast.

"But do you want to lower the bar to slow the game down so we don’t see as much brilliant attacking footy and go back to bash and barge so we can have closer scorelines for those clubs that haven’t stepped up to the plate?"

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Itzbek the Purple
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Anyone else finding the lack of foxsport anti-Melbourne bias (at the moment) rather discomfiting. I'm used to a regular diet of storm bashing but it seems to be a bit quiet at the moment but that will no doubt change come finals time . Was it a major reaction to C Smith or something else.

Even the little baldy man has been playing nice A quote from his Jimmy Bring's column, "Yes we’ve had our run-ins over the years but you can’t deny what a brilliant club the Storm is thanks to Craig Bellamy, Frank Ponissi, chairman Matt Tripp and recruitment boss Paul Bunn".
Mattpoet
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Little baldy man will start a smear campaign soon enough
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Having Cam Smith and Billy Slater on Channel 9

and Cooper Cronk on Foxtel

all pro Storm in their comments

makes it almost bearable to watch.
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I'll add to that. Finch has been on in recent years, Thurston doesn't hate us either and Gallen (I can't believe I'm saying this) is often quite pro-Storm in his articles etc.
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