trial vs broncos

[nacho]

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has today named a full-strength line-up for his side’s final pre-season trial match against Brisbane at Stockland Park, Caloundra, on Saturday night.

Queensland and Australian hooker Cameron Smith will lead a 22-man Storm squad that features 10 internationals.

It will be Smith’s second trial appearance after he played a major role in the Storm’s 32-24 win over Newcastle at Princes Park last Saturday.

Fellow Golden Boot winner Billy Slater will also play, as will Australian internationals Greg Inglis, Cooper Cronk, Dallas Johnson and Ryan Hoffman, and New Zealand stars Jeff Lima, Adam Blair, Sika Manu and Wairangi Koopu.

Bellamy said: “This is our last trial before the season kicks-off so it was always our intention to play our strongest possible side.

“We think this hit out will put us in good shape for our first game against the Dragons at Etihad Stadium on March 13.”

Storm v Brisbane Broncos:

1. Billy Slater
2. Steve Turner
3. Willie Isa
4. Will Chambers
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Greg Inglis
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Adam Blair
9. Cameron Smith
10. Brett White
11. Sika Manu
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Dallas Johnson

Interchange (from): Joseph Tomane, Dane Nielsen, James Maloney, Wairangi Koopu, Kevin Proctor, Scott Anderson, Jeff Lima, Ryan Hinchcliffe, Aiden Tolman.

Kick-off is at 7.45pm. The Storm’s under-20’s Toyota Cup side will also feature on Saturday with Brad Arthur’s side to battle Brisbane in a test of both club’s young guns.

[steaming stormer]

Looks like Isa is earmarked as the starting centre at this point. 

[mrpc]

“We think this hit out will put us in good shape for our first game against the Dragons at Etihad Stadium on March 13.”

Olympic Park actually.  Damn, the news gets old fast nowadays....

[Surandy]

“We think this hit out will put us in good shape for our first game against the Dragons at Etihad Stadium on March 13.”

Olympic Park actually.  Damn, the news gets old fast nowadays....

At least they got the date right. 

[bula]

Isa must have improved big time. I think Bellamy will use him and rotate Tomane and Nielsen wing/centre with Quinn and Inglis. Is it Folau on Isa or Chambers?

Jeff Lima must be a little off the 8 ball at the moment with fitness, looks a pretty strong side considering all the players we lost in the past few.

[nacho]

i read somewhere that chambers will be lining up against izzy

[steaming stormer]

According to todays HS, they expect Isa to match up on Issy - but it will depend which side the Broncos plan on playing Issy I guess

[nacho]

izzy is playing right center, read an article last night

[Super Cronk]

strange that pumba is on the bench. maybe trying to give whitey some more match fitness. no way does any other forward derserve a starting spot in the team then jeff lima. he will be back there come round 1.

[Temi]

Does anybody know if/where the trial match is being televised? I would love to see Izzy's first match against us, if only to see the stick they give him!

[nacho]

trials generally dont see airtime. and even if it was , do you think melbourne would get it before 12am?

[Surandy]

Does anybody know if/where the trial match is being televised? I would love to see Izzy's first match against us, if only to see the stick they give him!

It won't be televised but you should hopefully be able to catch some hilights on Ch10's Sports Tonight and Fox Sports News.

The only trial that I've known to be televised is the Charity Shield match which this year is being shown on Fuel TV (ch 516) due to it clashing with the soccer GF, cricket test match and Super 14. Stupid thing is the Shield match if on Fox Sports would probably outrate at least two of those.

[Insomniac]

Pre-trial news here:  I just got back from a Storm signing/photo session at Kawana Shopping World, which ran about 2 hours late - the guys had to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Melbourne after their plane apparently struck a bird.  The guys were forced to catch an alternative flight to the Sunshine Coast, but a fairly large turnout of fans waited the extra 2 hours in the food court for the guys to appear.  They were welcomed with plenty of screams and cheers, which was great to see/hear so far away from their "home".

I'll be heading off to the training session tomorrow, so I'll try to post some photos and any news.

[CooperCronk]

Pre-trial news here:  I just got back from a Storm signing/photo session at Kawana Shopping World, which ran about 2 hours late - the guys had to make an emergency landing shortly after taking off from Melbourne after their plane apparently struck a bird.  The guys were forced to catch an alternative flight to the Sunshine Coast, but a fairly large turnout of fans waited the extra 2 hours in the food court for the guys to appear.  They were welcomed with plenty of screams and cheers, which was great to see/hear so far away from their "home".

I'll be heading off to the training session tomorrow, so I'll try to post some photos and any news.

Can't wait to hear some news on them or photos would be great

[Insomniac]

Pre-trial update: most of the guys trained well this afternoon, and the guys really seemed to be enjoying themselves (Lima, Blair, & Manu in particular).  Cronk & Slater seem very focused and ready to go, and Inglis just makes anything with or without the football look effortless (a funny moment occured when Steve Turner tried to run around the outside of GI, and GI just smiled, changed into second gear, and nudged him into touch... I feel sorry for anyone that tries that whilst not wearing a Storm jersey!).  We all know that Dallas is a tackling machine, but it still astounds me how much of an impact he makes in tackles, even at half speed during training!

The only downer was Quinn, who made it half way through the session before leaving the field with Mary.  When he did return to the field, it was only as far as the sidelines with some ice, and although I couldn't see exactly where the ice was placed, it looked like it could be thigh or groin related.

Other than that, White had a fair bit of strapping on, Koopu looks like he's fitting in well, Proctor looks good, Maloney (at least I think it was him) looked a bit off the pace, Isa and Chambers also looked good.  I barely heard a word from Smith, with Cronk and Slater directing the show very vocally (Slater in particular seems to be looking after the young guys and making sure they are in the right position and running the right plays).

I'll look through my photos and see if there's anything interesting to upload...