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Now we're over Christmas,and the crickets half way though,footy will be back (thank god!) before we know it.]

So,how do we all think the Storm will go in 09?

I think we will give it it a good shake in the finals,but the gap between experienced guys and the young pups coming through is going to cause a few headaches,especially during rep season,if we have as many as 08 involved.

Thoughts?Or am I suffering inverted cranial issues again?

I'll be brave and say it will be better than 2008.

Forget players leaving, they did in 2006 and look what happen.

In fact the end of since 2005 we have had 'named' players leave the club and every year people have said either the sky will fall in or it will be difficult.

Rep season wont hurt us has much with a few rep players moving on and I honestly think that if we come away with 16 or 18 premiership points out of 24 possible from the beginning of May till the end of the Rep season the MP will be put away early.

The area we need to work on and thank god Issy has gone is getting back to our grubbers. High kicks everyone knows we were going to do last year and that in my books (apart for still having Quinn) was our biggest down fall.
When we kicked along the ground we scored more often than not, with the high ball not so much compared to 2007.

Again I think for most part because of 'names' going we will be under estimated again, as will many of the younger guys.

Oh, expect Cronk or Billy for the DM at the end of the year. (IMO)

I vote GI for Dally M, shift him wide and watch him work his magic

Stormwarning[c] wrote: I'll be brave and say it will be better than 2008.

Forget players leaving, they did in 2006 and look what happen.

In fact the end of since 2005 we have had 'named' players leave the club and every year people have said either the sky will fall in or it will be difficult.

Rep season wont hurt us has much with a few rep players moving on and I honestly think that if we come away with 16 or 18 premiership points out of 24 possible from the beginning of May till the end of the Rep season the MP will be put away early.

The area we need to work on and thank god Issy has gone is getting back to our grubbers. High kicks everyone knows we were going to do last year and that in my books (apart for still having Quinn) was our biggest down fall.
When we kicked along the ground we scored more often than not, with the high ball not so much compared to 2007.

Again I think for most part because of 'names' going we will be under estimated again, as will many of the younger guys.

Oh, expect Cronk or Billy for the DM at the end of the year. (IMO)

totally agree.

I think we will do better in 09.

reasons:

1) We have a "specialized 5/8", not a centre turn 5/8..gi has done a great job there but i think we have lacked the genuine ball player who can take the stress and pressure off of cronk especially on the last. Also now that izzy has moved on we wont be relying on the bomb to score our points this means players like GI and Slater will be getting the ball more and will ultimately lead to more tries.

2)We pretty much have the same side but have improved in certain aspects. Love boofa to death but him leaving opens the door for a younger, faster and probably better defender then boof. Players like Manu and Tolman have done great and with another pre-season under their wing i think both players will improve on 09.

3) The boys became tired toward the end of 09 and from what ive seen from the pre-season training the boys  are working on the endurance and fitness for the back end of the season.

plus we are to fuggin good to not bounce back after 08...very good side we should finish top 4-6 any less and ill be very surprised.

I think we will do well maybe not the minor premiorship or grand final appearence or win but i think we will make the 8 and give it a good crack in the finasl i think the younger guys in the team need a year so 2010 will be our year again

Super Cronk wrote:
3) The boys became tired toward the end of 09 and from what ive seen from the pre-season training the boys  are working on the endurance and fitness for the back end of the season.

plus we are to fuggin good to not bounce back after 08...very good side we should finish top 4-6 any less and ill be very surprised.

Sounds like they could benefit from a high altitude training camp.Or the use of the altitude training room at the Lexus Centre.

sallymay wrote: I think we will do well maybe not the minor premiorship or grand final appearence or win but i think we will make the 8 and give it a good crack in the finasl i think the younger guys in the team need a year so 2010 will be our year again

Agree with your comments Sallymay.

I think the loss of Jeremy Smith cannot be underestimated and of course Izzy and Crocker who was our good luck charm

I am looking forward to seeing the young guys coming up so we have plenty to look forward to.

I think it's Jez we'll miss most.  He did a lot of the stuff that goes unnoticed I reckon and we'll miss his mongrel too.  Having said that, I have massive hopes on Manu - he's going to be a deadset gun!

I'm not sure exactly why, I just feel if we are to play in another GF, we will drop a bit first , for a season or two before climbing back to the top area of the ladder again.

And maybe that is based on trends ,more than anything,

It is very hard to play in 3 consecutive grand finals, and that was a great achievement in itself,  it may be too  tough an ask psychologically to expect a fourth.

But I hope I am wrong and am willing to be proven so.

The boys will be hurting from that day in October, I forget which day it was exactly, that will spur them along like that day in 2006 di9d for us in 2007.

Of our loss of players from 2008, I don't think they'll make much of a difference to our side and our chances. Not when you consider the players that will make the step up in 2009.

Ive been on the record for a while that we will be good to very good this season. We have too many good players not to be and the natural improvment of some players wil more then cover the loss of others. I agree with Steaming that jezza will be the biggest loss but Sika and Blairy in particular showed to me they have the mongrel, as well as as a hell of alot of talent, in them to fill his spot.

I also think that Kev Proctor will really step it up this year and wouldnt suprise me to see him be in the top 17 by mid-year.

All in 09 will be a year of very exciting football and if we dont win this year we will go very,very,very close in 2010.