Finals Week 1 vs Broncos - 2nd Qualifying Final - Suncorp Stadium

[Papenhuyzen23]

Big call to drop Tepai, we look a little light now I’m not sure what CB is up to, all I can think is maybe King will shift to prop and Paps/Garlick with share that roving lock role in the middle? Interesting.

[Scooter]

Surprised that Tepai is not in the 19 at least.

[blazza18]

Sims has wayyyyy more experience between the two so if we’re thinking of playing two middles on the bench I get why Bellamy is going that way.

[Papenhuyzen23]

I can live with Sims and Reimis coming in for Eisenhuth and Young T, I imagine the reason you would carry a guy like Smith as 18th man ahead of a utility like Wishart is because they intend on playing him in the team.

[big_m]

bench is too small, but havent been this excited about a game in ages

[Lennart Bedrager]

I'd say we're going for a lighter bench/pack to increase mobility and reduce fatigue as part of a strategy to manage Brisbane's speed.

Likewise I think we'll employ a similar kicking and kick chase strategy as to the one use in the last game vs Penrith as a way to blunt Walsh's impact, it certainly seemed to mute Edwards.

I think we'll get the broncos, they've been good this year, but I do think they've had a favourable draw and have had a pretty mixed bag vs top 8 sides. They got 6 from 10 against sides in the 8 and only 2 from 5 vs sides in the top 4. 3 of those wins were by 4 points or less including a round 1 win over the panthers by a point.

[yourhero]

Updated team

1. Nick Meaney
2. William Warbrick
3. Marion Seve
4. Young Tonumaipea
5. Xavier Coates
6. Cameron Munster
7. Jahrome Hughes
8. Tui Kamikamica
9. Harry Grant
10. Christian Welch
11. Trent Loiero
12. Eliesa Katoa
13. Josh King

14. Bronson Garlick
15. Tom Eisenhuth
16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
17. Ryan Papenhuyzen

19. Tariq Sims
21. Reimis Smith

[yourhero]

Craig likes an outside back as the HIA sub player. So I would think that either Reimis or Young get that spot, with Sims or Eisenhuth to drop out at game time.

[yourhero]

Also think Garlick will start with Harry coming off the bench 20 mins in.

[blazza18]

Historically I don't think we're very good as underdogs in the finals and think Brisbane are pretty primed to win the comp this year.

Hopeful we can stay in the contest long enough for one of the spine members to do something. We going to be the same old Storm or have we got some tricks up our sleeve to make up for the talent gap across the park?

[Papenhuyzen23]

Anything less than our best and we get smacked tonight, it is concerning as we haven’t really put it all together as a team too many times this year, we will have to perform better than we have all year to be a chance.

Meaney at his best is barely going to cut it, we need X getting involved and scoring tries, we need our centres absolutely spot on in defence, no misreads no rushing out, Warbrick needs 0 errors, Munster needs to find that a origin form, Hughes needs to be running and gunning and constantly creating doubt, Harry needs to play 9 and not over do it, and the forwards need to just fire the F up, line speed, hit them with everything, no backwards steps no laziness.

For me the one I haven’t seen dominate a game for a while is NAS, he can be the difference maker, when he pulls out one of those monster games, 200 metres a few line breaks a try and a reel of big hits we rarely lose, he can carry this team to victory tonight.

Anything short of our very best won’t be good enough tonight, I am excited to see what damage Paps can do through the middle against tiring forwards, I’m pumped up this should be a ripper, the year means nothing now this is our chance to draw a line in the sand that we are still a premiership contender!!

LETS GO STORM!!!!

[Bullucked]

No mistakes, get the ball down the other end, kick early and kick often and turn them around and a straight line in defence, (Munster, no rushing up and getting brushed.) Get them guessing, come up or sit back. Things will open up with this game plan, but, it relies on getting the other side of half way.

[Papenhuyzen23]

Sims in for Garlick, wow.

[Mattpoet]

Sims in worries me

[Papenhuyzen23]

Sims is the type that doesn’t always show up but like NAS when he does is devastating, I’ve seen him in Origin be the dominant forward amongst those level of players so he is certainly capable, has he shown it lately? No. But last week he got MOTM and I get the feeling that last shot at a title and the chance he doesn't get a contract without a big game here might be driving him to a huge effort, I’m happy it’s a bigger body if nothing else.