Round 2 - Eels vs Storm

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
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Mattpoet wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:03 pm I know it wouldn't change the result but I really don't understand why Campbell-Gillard was allowed to dive on his own player for each of the last 4 tackles and slow the play the ball down like that.
Yes, I noted that too. Maybe he thought he was playing Ra-Ra? Mattpoet, has the voluntary tackle penalty been abolished?

I'm not going to comment on right side defence, those that have been on this board for a long time will know I lay blame at the inside men not sliding across, it's the way we play and have for a long time. (Now if Jahrome was a bigger body...)

Funny, I was thinking in the second half how we kept grinding away and playing safe footy (playing to the conditions) then Nelson comes back on and 5 metres out off loads it straight to Parra. A couple of sets later Jesse does the same thing. Aargh!

Were we as stuffed as the commentators were making out? Funny for a Bellamy team to struggle for the whole 80.

I've obviously missed a bit of news, what has Nicho done, not big enough for the reduced rotations or just not impressing at training?
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I thought both teams played pretty well considering the conditions, but those two offloads to opposing players were crucial - I thought we were getting a pretty good roll on when both of those passes killed our momentum.

Obviously Jennings being no match for Sivo cost us the most... I asked last week and no one was able to enlighten me, so I'll ask again; does anyone know what is going on with Lumelume? I thought he played well for us last year when he had to, and maybe he'd be a better option than Jennings?
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Very confused as to what the subtle differences were between why Parra were able to get a penalty to give them a free ride up field and not a six again but got the six again inside the 10 next to the posts in what could’ve easily been a time where a penalty kick would’ve been taken? Feel as if we won’t be the last team that gets burned by that and something the league should really sort out.

Hard to really grasp where the team is at yet. Competed well and with a little more composure we win this but some pretty glaring mistakes too.
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Always gonna be a tough night with the weather, away crowd booing everything and the ref giving Parra so many piggybacks without affording us the same luxury.

A lot of criticism towards Jennings but I really like his running game making crucial metres and gaining a bit of momentum for us.
Smith could have been a bigger factor in blocking for him too.
What's more a concern is the kicking game and leadership but meh it's only round 2.
Can't win them all, move on.
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blazza18 wrote: Thu Mar 18, 2021 11:43 pm Very confused as to what the subtle differences were between why Parra were able to get a penalty to give them a free ride up field and not a six again but got the six again inside the 10 next to the posts in what could’ve easily been a time where a penalty kick would’ve been taken? Feel as if we won’t be the last team that gets burned by that and something the league should really sort out.
And this is the problem with tinkering the rules all the time, its creates unforeseen problems. When does a ref decide to actually give a penalty or just go 6 again?

Also, how Gutho wasn't penalised for sliding in with his legs is beyond me?

Despite this we still had enough chances to win last night, we looked directionless at times and poor decisions from key players. Our kicking game in both games had been average at best,
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bula wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 3:53 am Always gonna be a tough night with the weather, away crowd booing everything and the ref giving Parra so many piggybacks without affording us the same luxury.

A lot of criticism towards Jennings but I really like his running game making crucial metres and gaining a bit of momentum for us.
Smith could have been a bigger factor in blocking for him too.
What's more a concern is the kicking game and leadership but meh it's only round 2.
Can't win them all, move on.
Agreed with all your points bula:

Both teams had the same conditions and I thought it was a ripping game.

I prefer Jennings, Lumelume in his appearance(s)? last year looked ok, he hit the line with gusto but he also got pushed back very easily.
Players standing under the high ball are sitting dead ducks, they have zero chance. They need to get back and run and contest in the air. The other option is the punch, AFL style. That last bomb was a perfect time to deliberately knock it on or prefferably dead. This is another of my never understanding why they don't do somethings.

I watched Smith running interference and immediately got concerned (it's a personal hatred of mine players doing this, both ours and others) and thought here comes the penalty. Immediately after Paps kick for the in goal near the end he was taken out of his chase, I thought at the time if they'd appealed it they may've had a case.

TBC.
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I think we can all agree, the Fus' is farked.

Grant, Finucane, Fus, NAS (maybe) all on the sidelines hurts.
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nacho wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 10:41 am I think we can all agree, the Fus' is farked.

Grant, Finucane, Fus, NAS (maybe) all on the sidelines hurts.
Luckily the NRL have been kind to us with our draw though, only having to play the Rabbits, Eels, and Panthers to kick off 2021... :roll:
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As harsh as it sounds, I think last night proved the club was right in its assessment to focus on retaining Harry Grant over handing Brandon Smith the reigns at dummy-half.

That’s nothing against Smith but his development as a specialist hooker has a long way to go. He’s excellent in general due to his physicality, particularly his contact and legwork while carrying, but his play-making and passing from that position need a heap of work.

If he can develop these skills and bring his passing up to speed he could be an excellent dummy-half but his service last night was average at best - especially the ball he threw at Cameron Munster’s feet while the Storm were looking to break through in the first-half.
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Thought Kaufusi's elbow incident was made to look far worse with Matterson's head hitting the ground and Alexander having a proper whinge over it. Didn't look intentional at all and he mostly looked like he was bracing as he was falling.

Hughes has really struggled with the long kicks out of our half. Feel like he misconnects on every attempt. It's not losing us games but the kicking game in general has taken a massive hit with Cronk and now Smith retiring. Our most natural kicker might be Paps but we can't ask him to do everything.

Brandon is close to my favourite player on the team and we can't really overreact to just 2 games with barely any preseason/trials but he just flat out struggled being a dummy half both weeks so far. He deserves game time there even with Harry in the side but it might be sooner rather than later until it's realised he's best as a utility/lock. It can't be ignored that his best moments are always when he's running the ball.
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https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/03/19/rou ... -charges2/
Melbourne's Felise Kaufusi is facing a three-match ban for an incident involving opposing second-rower Ryan Matterson in Thursday's loss to the Eels.

The match review committee has announced its findings with Kaufusi able to have his ban reduced to two matches if he enters an early guilty plea.

The Maroons forward will be suspended for three games if he unsuccessfully challenges the judiciary over the incident in the 46th minute in which Kaufusi's forearm appeared to strike Matterson in the head as the Parramatta forward hit the ground in the tackle.

Storm prop Christian Welch has also been charged with dangerous contact and is facing a $1350-$1800 fine over a sixth-minute incident with Isaiah Papali'i.
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Just let the commentators charge us at this point. Talk about prejudicial. They hate us, they blow things up whilst excusing anything done to our players, they get out boys rubbed out. Joke.
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NRL.com now says the Welch charge was from the 69th minute for "Dangerous contact - other" (not the 6th minute) - I recall Papali'i complaining about something in the tackle at around that time, but I couldn't see what he was complaining about and they never showed a replay after he played the ball.
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We can’t win the Premiership this year based on the draw we have
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Premiers wrote: Fri Mar 19, 2021 2:45 pm We can’t win the Premiership this year based on the draw we have
I guess there's no point in coming back and posting on this forum for 2021 then.
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