Preliminary final 2 - Saturday 25th

Discussion on anything to do with Melbourne Storm - games, players, rumours - anything!
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Squall
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Hey Blazza, you do know that Api actually plays for Penrith?!
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yourhero
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https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/ ... -doubtful/

Storm v Panthers: Foxx, Smith cleared; Penrith trio doubtful
NRL.com
Sun 19 Sep 2021

Penrith will have to dig deep to refill their tanks ahead of facing a fresh and invigorated Melbourne Storm side in this Saturday night's Suncorp Stadium showdown.

The grinding 8-6 win over Parramatta on Saturday in Mackay was an energy-sapping encounter and the Panthers haven't got the luxury the Storm have enjoyed - virtually 14 days of rest to soothe some of their aches and pains.

Then again, revenge is a hungry beast and the Panthers appetite is still there to knock the team, that beat them last year, out of this year's finals.

These are the best two teams from the 2021 NRL club competition - 21 wins each from 24 matches.

In head-to-head match-ups, the spoils were shared with the Panthers winning their round-three game while the Storm exacted revenge in round 20.

Only once in the past five years (2019) did Storm not make the grand final after a week off.

Earning that rest in semi-finals week has worked a treat for Craig Bellamy's men since 2016, including winning the 2017 and 2020 premierships.

Bellamy will also want somewhere near the 90% completion rate (35-39) his players managed against Manly to inflict the same kind of possession pain against the Panthers.

Ivan Cleary will be hoping his team keeps the same sort of discipline against the Storm as they did against the Eels - just two penalties over 80 minutes.

The Rundown

Team News
Storm: Josh Addo-Carr said on Sunday he would make his comeback after missing the qualifying final win over Manly due to a hamstring complaint.

Isaac Lumelume is likely to make way for the Foxx on the flank.

Melbourne hooker Brandon Smith was cleared of a facial fracture following a head clash with Manly's Josh Aloiai in week one and he also said he would be right to play Penrith.

Panthers: Second-rower Viliame Kikau, interchange hooker Mitch Kenny and winger Brian To'o are nursing ankle complaints.

Kenny looks the least likely to be fit with Nathan Cleary indicating Tyrone May would be the main candidate to replace him on the bench.

To'o missed the 8-6 win over Parra in Mackay with Brent Naden filling in on the wing.

The likes of Izack Tago or Matt Eisenhuth could be selected this week if Kikau is not able to suit up against the Storm.

Key Match-Up
If the 2021 World Cup had been played this year, these two halfbacks could well have been the Australian (Nathan Cleary) and New Zealand (Jahrome Hughes) No.7s, such has been their club season form - and the part Cleary played in NSW wrapping up Origin after game two.

They both like to take the line on, both defend well on the right edge, both have a lot of instinctive variety in their game.

The pair are also level in try assists and line-break assists, a slight advantage to Cleary in the number of forced drop-puts (19 to 13) but quite a gap in averaging kicking metres per game: Hughes on 241 but Cleary with 520.

Since field position is even more crucial in a final, could this be the advantage the Panthers have?

Stat Attack
This is the Storm's 53rd NRL final and they have only lost 19. They have scored 1046 points in those 52 matches, an average of just over 20 per final.

Their last September loss was 14-6 to the Roosters in the 2019 preliminary final.
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Squall
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30 degrees kickoff time Saturday in Brisbane. Who does that suit?
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Kettles
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Premiers wrote: Mon Sep 20, 2021 10:32 pm 30 degrees kickoff time Saturday in Brisbane. Who does that suit?
If we were Melbourne based, I’d be worried, but they’re acclimatised to Queensland.
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Squall
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Everyone is writing off Penrith’s chances. That makes them more dangerous
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1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. George Jennings 3. Reimis Smith 4. Justin Olam 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Brandon Smith 10. Christian Welch 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenneath Bromwich 13. Dale Finucane 14. Harry Grant 15. Tui Kamikamica 16. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 17. Nicholas Hynes 18. Aaron Pene 19. Tom Eisenhuth 20. Chris Lewis 21. Isaac Lumelume

1. Dylan Edwards 2. Stephen Crichton 3. Paul Momirovski 4. Matt Burton 5. Brent Naden 6. Jarome Luai 7. Nathan Cleary 8. Moses Leota 9. Apisai Koroisau 10. James Fisher-Harris 11. Viliame Kikau 12. Kurt Capewell 13. Isaah Yeo 14. Tyrone May 15. Scott Sorensen 16. Tevita Pangai Junior 17. Liam Martin 18. Izack Tago 19. Spencer Leniu 20. J’maine Hopgood 21. Brian To’o
blazza18
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It's our strongest team we have named all season. Hopefully the boys are ready for a chance to compete in another GF.
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I just hope the week off doesn't ruin the important combinations with our halves and backline - we all know how poor Olam was in his return game after being rested! :pale:
RobbieRoss
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We have Sutton not Klown as ref - phew . However Klown is our video referee , so still has a big opportunity to stuff us up. Troublingly he is also refereeing the other game, so must be in the frame for the grand final. Shades of the 2006 stitch up ? I hope not !

Penrith complaining that Sutton is our ref!
Scooter
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RobbieRoss I was about to post good news Klein isn't our referee. Bad news Klein is the video referee.
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Squall
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Another bad omen. The last time the Storm and the Melbourne Demons were in their respective Prelim and Grand final, both teams got smashed (2018)

Not looking good.
Scooter
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Premiers wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:41 pm Another bad omen. The last time the Storm and the Melbourne Demons were in their respective Prelim and Grand final, both teams got smashed (2018)

Not looking good.
Is your favourite movie Trolls?
Lennart Bedrager
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Very solid looking team, everyone should be fit and firing!
With a rested and fairly complete team we did a number on the supposedly red hot Manly, and I think that while the score probably won't be a blowout, the boys should get it done fairly comfortably.
Lennart Bedrager
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Scooter wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:43 pm
Premiers wrote: Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:41 pm Another bad omen. The last time the Storm and the Melbourne Demons were in their respective Prelim and Grand final, both teams got smashed (2018)

Not looking good.
Is your favourite movie Trolls?
I'm surprised there's such good internet under a bridge 😂
glennb
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I am so confused. The 2018 AFL grand final was between West Coast and Collingwood. Melbourne never made it to the grand final that year. Storm are won the 2018 preliminary final and made the grand final. Melbourne are in the grand final this year and at the moment Storm are not in the grand final. It is a very long stretch to call it everything like an omen. I don’t understand your thinking
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