17 for 17

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
Mattpoet
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Bench.

The bench is a hard one, so few players have had a great year and stayed on the bench as opposed to being elevated to the starting lineup. So, I have looked for players whose careers took off after a period on the bench and come up with the following three names:

Cooper Cronk (2005). Played 20 games in 2005, most of them as a bench utility moving into hooker, five eighth, centre or anywhere else that a hole had to be plugged. It was the way that he played this year that helped get him the job of halfback when Orford left at the end of 2005.

Adam Blair (2006). Even though he did his ACL in 2007, he didn't start from square one when he came back in 2008. He was devastating in the run to the grand final, busting tackles and offloading at will in the preliminary final in a game that I still remember now.

Matt Rua (2000). Played a very hard-hitting brand of league that lead to him claiming the hit of the year award for our club in both 1999 and 2001. 27 games in 2000 which included the winning World Club Challenge game. Rua could play second row, lock and even centre at a pinch and played for New Zealand at the World Cup in 2000.
Mattpoet
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The Coach.

I'm only going to nominate 2 again, Murray didn't make the finals in either year and when you put that up against coaches who have (or would have in the case of 2010) made the finals in every year then he just doesn't make the grade.

Chris Anderson (1998). The obvious year to nominate him for would have been 1999 but, the ground work was lain in 1998 when he set the structures and cultures that would enable us to sweep to glory in just our second year.

Craig Bellamy (2010). Our darkest hour was his finest moment. The image of him leading the players out to face the media is the iconic image of his time at the club which has been full of highlights. That he kept everything and everyone going was nothing short of amazing.

It's Bellamy. No coach in the history of the game has had to deal with a situation like that and he would have made finals that year if we'd been allowed, that's fantastic.
Mattpoet
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1.Slater (2013)
2.Geyer (1999)
3.Chambers (2012)
4.King (2007)
5.Bai (1998)
6.Finch (2009)
7.Kimmorley (1999)
8.Kearns (2003)
9.Cameron Smith (2007)
10.J.Bromwich (2014)
11.Kearney (2001)
12.Hoffman (2012)
13.Nikau (1999)
14.Hinchcliffe (2010)
15.Cronk (2005)
16.A.Blair (2006)
17.Rua (2000)
Coach.Bellamy (2010)

And there we have it, in my opinion the best years in each position for the Storm.
Scooter
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Very good and interesting topic Mattpoet. I understand what you did with the bench but I would have thought guys like Rusty Bawden and Danny Williams would have been a chance to get a bench spot. From memory they spent a lot of their time coming off the bench.

Also interesting no Inglis or Folau.
Mattpoet
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It's always subjective, but, in trying to do it in a different way, some of the guys who are automatic selections over their careers miss out due to an individual having a more brilliant season.

As for Williams and Bawden, they probably fall into that category more than anyone as they didn't really have that one standout year but were more solid over a longer period.
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yourhero
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Great stuff and an enjoyable read Mattpoet. Thanks.
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sallymay
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I like except I don't agree with GI not being there at all
Mattpoet
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It was a dilemma, but i just didn't see a season that was our best in a specific position.
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Blair 06 was much better then Cronks 05, like the length of the flemington straight better.

Young forward holding his own against a bits and pieces player.
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