So where do you have the Storm as we enter the business end of the year?
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SunshineCoastStormer
- Squall
- Posts: 219
- Joined: Sat Apr 29, 2017 5:27 pm
Without looking at fixtures in detail based on our up and down season, I have us anywhere from 3rd to 6th. We could win 4-7 of our last 8 depending how we turn up.
Top material - Penrith. Just look like it’s all clicking and monstered us
Next contenders - Souths, Broncos and us (on a good day). We can beat these two but they can also beat us. Souths really need Lattrell. Broncos need to show the 2022 blow out is out of their system. We need to stay fit, play committed footy and maybe have a wildcard Papi from the bench in the finals.
Dark horses - Eels, Cowboys, Cronulla. The Eels are tough and have won without some good players lately. Cowboys really hitting form and have beat us, Rabbits and Penrith (both teams origin affected) in the last month. Sharks are a bit of flat track bully for me. I’ve not seen them dominate a too team and Hynes does 90% of their good stuff. We drop into this category on an average day.
The outsiders - Raiders, Manly, Warriors. All liable to cause an upset in the 8 but likely to finish 7-9. The Raiders seem to trouble us a lot more than lost and would be best avoided.
Top material - Penrith. Just look like it’s all clicking and monstered us
Next contenders - Souths, Broncos and us (on a good day). We can beat these two but they can also beat us. Souths really need Lattrell. Broncos need to show the 2022 blow out is out of their system. We need to stay fit, play committed footy and maybe have a wildcard Papi from the bench in the finals.
Dark horses - Eels, Cowboys, Cronulla. The Eels are tough and have won without some good players lately. Cowboys really hitting form and have beat us, Rabbits and Penrith (both teams origin affected) in the last month. Sharks are a bit of flat track bully for me. I’ve not seen them dominate a too team and Hynes does 90% of their good stuff. We drop into this category on an average day.
The outsiders - Raiders, Manly, Warriors. All liable to cause an upset in the 8 but likely to finish 7-9. The Raiders seem to trouble us a lot more than lost and would be best avoided.
After Penrith you really could make an argument for 6-7 teams being good enough to win it all. I think Souths with a fit Latrell are probably number two for me. Their attack at its best is hard to stop and defensively they were as staunch as anyone to begin the season.
From there it gets a bit who do you trust more? Maybe a little optimistic on them but I think as of right now I'd go Parra as a definite 3rd. They were never as bad as their slow start indicated and have the second best F/A in the comp behind Penrith.
Then in some order Us, Cowboys, Broncos, Raiders, Sharks and Warriors. I'm too close to the Storm to not be negative about them but if the spine gets room to move they can beat anyone besides Penrith. I'd like to see more from the Cowboys against good sides post origin. They do look like a real sleeper atm though. Brisbane have the talent right across the park to beat anyone but they always get dragged into dogfights they shouldn't be. Raiders can be in every game and annoy you. Basically they are what they always are. The Sharks can't beat good teams and the Warriors can't play with any expectations.
From there it gets a bit who do you trust more? Maybe a little optimistic on them but I think as of right now I'd go Parra as a definite 3rd. They were never as bad as their slow start indicated and have the second best F/A in the comp behind Penrith.
Then in some order Us, Cowboys, Broncos, Raiders, Sharks and Warriors. I'm too close to the Storm to not be negative about them but if the spine gets room to move they can beat anyone besides Penrith. I'd like to see more from the Cowboys against good sides post origin. They do look like a real sleeper atm though. Brisbane have the talent right across the park to beat anyone but they always get dragged into dogfights they shouldn't be. Raiders can be in every game and annoy you. Basically they are what they always are. The Sharks can't beat good teams and the Warriors can't play with any expectations.
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Papenhuyzen23
- Hail Storm
- Posts: 426
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2023 12:40 am
We need to make some big calls before the business end if we are going to make any noise but these are my most contentious calls:
- We need Papenhuyzen to win the comp, as much as I admire the work Meaney has done he isn’t Paps. Much like Slater it’s so much more than just being safe, he is the X-factor, the guy out the back all the defences are worrying about, the Bulldog chasing down every loose ball and backing up every half break, we can not win the comp without a firing Paps I believe.
- Olam needs to be dropped, I’m not trying to sound like a broken record here, he is one of my favourite players and it hurts me to have to concede this, but he is done, his broken arm is still hindering him and he is just a liability at the moment, he has 1 try assist all season, 1. How does a centre put their winger over for only one try all season? He misses tackles, can’t slide, can’t create, his kamikaze style has caught up with his body and he needs to be replaced, weathers it’s Seve, Bradley or moving Warbrick in the tough call needs to be made and it needs to be made quickly.
- The forward pack rotation and bench use needs tweaking, NAS cannot play 80 in the back row, King cannot play 80 at lock, we can’t keep carrying 2 dummy-halves on the bench getting 7 minutes each and only using 5 interchanges all game, Bellamy needs to realise we aren’t as fit as the likes of Penrith and bench rotation is crucial, we have mismanaged this all season and we need to get it right, I honestly think we need to go back to NAS at lock, let him Welch & Tui go beserk for 20 minutes, then get guys like King on for clean up and to keep the momentum going, we need Tariq/Pene/Eisenhuth to lift, we need our bench to come on and not surrender the early momentum.
- We need more work from our outside backs to give the forward pack a breather, the good sides use their backs so much more effectively for yardage and it saves the gas of the forwards, Warbrick Reimis & Coates need to all aim for 15-20 runs a game each and 200 metres otherwise the Panthers of the world will just grind us and our pack into dust.
- Lastly, the spine, Grant Hughes and Munster have been hot and cold all year, they all need to put it together simultaneously as again, we are no chance if they aren’t at the top of their game, we know they are capable, but now is the time to get some consistent games in before the finals.
I think we can finish top 4 but to make some noise we really need some effort, luck and change to go our way as currently we look like also rans.
- We need Papenhuyzen to win the comp, as much as I admire the work Meaney has done he isn’t Paps. Much like Slater it’s so much more than just being safe, he is the X-factor, the guy out the back all the defences are worrying about, the Bulldog chasing down every loose ball and backing up every half break, we can not win the comp without a firing Paps I believe.
- Olam needs to be dropped, I’m not trying to sound like a broken record here, he is one of my favourite players and it hurts me to have to concede this, but he is done, his broken arm is still hindering him and he is just a liability at the moment, he has 1 try assist all season, 1. How does a centre put their winger over for only one try all season? He misses tackles, can’t slide, can’t create, his kamikaze style has caught up with his body and he needs to be replaced, weathers it’s Seve, Bradley or moving Warbrick in the tough call needs to be made and it needs to be made quickly.
- The forward pack rotation and bench use needs tweaking, NAS cannot play 80 in the back row, King cannot play 80 at lock, we can’t keep carrying 2 dummy-halves on the bench getting 7 minutes each and only using 5 interchanges all game, Bellamy needs to realise we aren’t as fit as the likes of Penrith and bench rotation is crucial, we have mismanaged this all season and we need to get it right, I honestly think we need to go back to NAS at lock, let him Welch & Tui go beserk for 20 minutes, then get guys like King on for clean up and to keep the momentum going, we need Tariq/Pene/Eisenhuth to lift, we need our bench to come on and not surrender the early momentum.
- We need more work from our outside backs to give the forward pack a breather, the good sides use their backs so much more effectively for yardage and it saves the gas of the forwards, Warbrick Reimis & Coates need to all aim for 15-20 runs a game each and 200 metres otherwise the Panthers of the world will just grind us and our pack into dust.
- Lastly, the spine, Grant Hughes and Munster have been hot and cold all year, they all need to put it together simultaneously as again, we are no chance if they aren’t at the top of their game, we know they are capable, but now is the time to get some consistent games in before the finals.
I think we can finish top 4 but to make some noise we really need some effort, luck and change to go our way as currently we look like also rans.
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Lennart Bedrager
- Hail Storm
- Posts: 347
- Joined: Thu Aug 12, 2021 8:08 am
Hard season to get an accurate gauge on where we're at because most other sides have been a bit hit and miss also.
Obviously not the premiership favourites at this point, but very much in the mix ladder wise and travelling pretty well on the injury front at this stage (touch wood)
I will say that the loss of experience in the middle has been an issue, and while I was down on what the Bromwich brothers and kafusi were bringing last year, their experience has been missed in terms of positioning and combinations. It's cliche, but it's very hard to win behind a beaten pack.
I have every belief that Bellamy is going to get the side to turn the corner and lift in the run towards the finals. But I equally won't be surprised to see things continue their up and down form that's been prevalent throughout the season to date.
Put it like this, as much as it's hard watching our team not dominate like they have in seasons past, It's easier than being a fan of at least a dozen other clubs. We're also ahead of where the experts had us at the start of the season.
Go storm!
Obviously not the premiership favourites at this point, but very much in the mix ladder wise and travelling pretty well on the injury front at this stage (touch wood)
I will say that the loss of experience in the middle has been an issue, and while I was down on what the Bromwich brothers and kafusi were bringing last year, their experience has been missed in terms of positioning and combinations. It's cliche, but it's very hard to win behind a beaten pack.
I have every belief that Bellamy is going to get the side to turn the corner and lift in the run towards the finals. But I equally won't be surprised to see things continue their up and down form that's been prevalent throughout the season to date.
Put it like this, as much as it's hard watching our team not dominate like they have in seasons past, It's easier than being a fan of at least a dozen other clubs. We're also ahead of where the experts had us at the start of the season.
Go storm!