Away to Souths

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
RobbieRoss
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Adam Reynolds and Cameron Murray both out for them, and Latrell Mitchell still suspended .

The top 5 teams are clearing out from the rest. Obviously we aim to finish top 2, so next Thursday is a huge match . If we lose we are 2 games behind second .

No doubt Paps will be doing all he can to prove his fitness for this one.
Mstorm1999
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Must win. If we can’t win this one with Mitchell, Murray & Reynolds out then it would be a little concerning.
Bullucked
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I think we can and should win without Paps. Let the halves create the points and be a better judge of where we're truly at.
As good as we're going I feel our results are being a little bit flattered by our opposition.
blazza18
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I wonder if we give Papenhuyzen a chance to play or if we don't even name him again. Listened to a radio interview he did the other day and he sounded positive when talking about being right for the Souths game. But every late mail talk I've seen since the end of last week has him missing more than one game .
Shuttlesworth99
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I’d probably keep Paps on ice this week and maybe even the week after against the Dragons. Get it right.
six rings
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https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/05/03/rab ... ough-task/

The rundown
Team news
Rabbitohs: Facing the Storm with a full squad is tough enough but the Rabbitohs must do it this week without Adam Reynolds (thumb), Cameron Murray (ankle), Campbell Graham (hand) and Jaxson Paulo (wrist). Star fullback Latrell Mitchell is still two weeks away with suspension so Wayne Bennett's backline will need a major reshuffle with Benji Marshall possibly shifting to halfback and Blake Taafe making his debut at five-eighth having recovered from an ankle injury.Their outside back stocks have been stretched to breaking point

Off-season recruit Josh Mansour remains laid low by a hamstring injury, while journeyman centre Tautau Moga is midway through a four-game ban for dissent towards an official in reserve grade.

His biggest query rests with shifting Cody Walker into the halves alongside veteran Benji Marshall to play Alex Johnston at fullback, or bringing rookies Troy Dargan or Dean Hawkins in to keep Johnston on the wing.

Steven Marsters and veteran centre Taane Milne loom as other options to fill the wing spots, while Braidon Burns made a successful return from injury last week in NSW Cup.

Storm: A clean bill of health coming off the win over Cronulla and they also have Nelson Asofa-Solomona and George Jennings due back from a head knocks. Star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen (shoulder) is at least another week away from a return.

Ryan Papenhuyzen “is close” to returning from a shoulder injury according to coach Craig Bellamy, however he took the safe approach with replacement No.1 Nicho Hynes last week just in case Papenhuyzen’s return is delayed. “We’re not quite sure what’s happening with Paps, he’ll be close. It’s a six-day turnaround then we go into a longer break so whether we take the conservative route there I’m not quite sure,” Bellamy said. “(Nicho) had a bit of a problem with his calves. It wasn’t strain or anything he just hasn’t played 80 minutes in a long time. We took him off at the end there just to make sure he can recover for next week.”
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Thursday 6th May 2021
Stadium Australia
7:50pm

Souffs (3rd) vs Storm (5th). Huge game. Both clubs unbeaten in their last 5 starts. Both missing their star fullbacks.

Last two meetings;
Round 1 2021 - AAMI Park - Win - Storm 26 - Rabbits 18
Round 17 2020 - ANZ Stadium - Win - Rabbits 16 - Storm 22

Form Guide (Last 5 Games)

Storm - 5 Wins
W - Storm 40 - Sharks 14
W - Storm 42 - Warriors 20
W - Storm 20 - Roosters 4
W - Bulldogs 18 - Storm 52
W - Storm 40 - Broncos 6

Points For: 194 (38.8pg)
Points Against: 62 (12.4pg)

Souths - 5 Wins
W - Raiders 20 - Souths 34
W - Titans 30 - Souths 40
W - Souths 18 - Tigers 14
W - Souths 35 - Broncos 6
W - Bulldogs 0 - Souths 38

Points For: 165 (33pg)
Points Against: 70 (14pg)

We have played the Bunnies 34 times in our history, winning 29 of those games (85%). Whoa!
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yourhero
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Both teams have been racking up huge points over the past 5 weeks! Defence has been good as well, but both teams probably feel that they have room for improvement in this regard. Both teams will also be interested in using this game as a measuring stick to see where they are really at, as both teams have had relatively easy runs in recent weeks.

Should be a cracker and probably the match of the round.
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yourhero
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yourhero wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 8:53 amWe have played the Bunnies 34 times in our history, winning 29 of those games (85%). Whoa!
This is our best record against any team (85%) and Souths worst record against any team (15%).

Melbourne is one of two teams yet to concede more than 20 points in a match this season (Penrith). Souths have conceded 20 points or more on 4 occasions this year so far. In our worst defensive effort, we conceded 20 points exactly against the Warriors.
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yourhero
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Penrith's defence has been unbelievable to be honest. They are averaging 7.5 points conceded across the season so far.

Storm are averaging 13.5...
riders of the storm
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yourhero wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 1:51 pm
yourhero wrote: Tue May 04, 2021 8:53 amWe have played the Bunnies 34 times in our history, winning 29 of those games (85%). Whoa!
This is our best record against any team (85%) and Souths worst record against any team (15%).

Melbourne is one of two teams yet to concede more than 20 points in a match this season (Penrith). Souths have conceded 20 points or more on 4 occasions this year so far. In our worst defensive effort, we conceded 20 points exactly against the Warriors.
Very dominant record. In fact, the Rabbitohs have only beaten the Storm twice in the past decade and strangely enough both times are when Melbourne coming off winning the premiership (2013 and 2018).
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We are 7 and a half point favs.

Murray, Walker and Reynolds definitely out.

Big Nelson is back and Harry will start with Cheese at lock.
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yourhero
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Storm team named;

1. Nicho Hynes
2. George Jennings
3. Reimis Smith
4. Justin Olam
5. Josh Addo-Carr
6. Cameron Munster
7. Jahrome Hughes
8. Jesse Bromwich
9. Harry Grant
10. Christian Welch
11. Felise Kaufusi
12. Kenneath Bromwich
13. Brandon Smith

14. Dale Finucane
15. Tui Kamikamica
16. Tom Eisenhuth
17. Nelson Asofa-Solomona

18. Dean Ieremia
19. Chris Lewis
20. Ryley Jacks
21. Aaron Pene
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yourhero
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Souffs team named;

1. Alex Johnston
2. Steven Marsters
3. Dane Gagai
4. Braidon Burns
5. Taane Milne
6. Cody Walker
7. Benji Marshall
8. Thomas Burgess
9. Damien Cook
10. Tevita Tatola
11. Keaon Koloamatangi
12. Jaydn Su'A
13. Jai Arrow

14. Mark Nicholls
15. Liam Knight
16. Jacob Host
17. Patrick Mago

18. Jed Cartwright
19. Hame Sele
20. Troy Dargan
21. Dean Hawkins
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yourhero
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The return of NAS and Jennings is timely and definitely aids our bench options.

Dale, Tui or Nelson may come on to start at lock with Brandon shifting to the bench. Matter of fact, we haven't started a 'smaller' lock forward against Souths since 2014 when we still had Hinchy. Not that that probably means much.
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