Melbourne Storm 2019
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- Northern Raider
- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Club owner saying Vunivalu was punched inside the club and the fight broke out when both groups were kicked out.
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-sent-v ... df979cde94
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-sent-v ... df979cde94
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- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
16 week suspensions for everybody involved..minimum !!
3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment..Old Faithful
#emptythetank
#emptythetank
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- John Ferguson
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Melbourne Storm 2019
Did you see the video? Nelson is like the Hulk, a towering machine going for it. Incredible scene at least 8 blokes got KO
- Northern Raider
- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
You wouldn't want to be on the end of one of those hammers.LastRaider wrote: ↑October 14, 2019, 7:08 am Did you see the video? Nelson is like the Hulk, a towering machine going for it. Incredible scene at least 8 blokes got KO
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Good on him. A few punks probably got what they deserved
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- John Ferguson
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Let’s see if they are consistent with Wighton.
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- Gerry De La Cruz
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Off season has begun. Bet Ben Cummins has been counting down to this moment
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Suliasi Vunivalu vows to be at Melbourne Storm in 2020
Melbourne Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu has vowed to serve the final year of his NRL deal with the club but left the door open for a move to union in 2021.
Read more: https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/vunivalu-v ... 857b29edf8
Melbourne Storm winger Suliasi Vunivalu has vowed to serve the final year of his NRL deal with the club but left the door open for a move to union in 2021.
Read more: https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/vunivalu-v ... 857b29edf8
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Looks like will chambers has retired
https://twitter.com/WJChambers4/status/ ... 05573?s=19
Sent from my ELE-L29 using Tapatalk
https://twitter.com/WJChambers4/status/ ... 05573?s=19
Sent from my ELE-L29 using Tapatalk
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
He was going to Rugby. Not sure whether it was Japan, Europe or Super rugby?-TW- wrote:Looks like will chambers has retired
https://twitter.com/WJChambers4/status/ ... 05573?s=19
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Shoving it in your face since 2017
- Northern Raider
- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Don't think I've seen a player decline as quickly as Chambers this year. Went from one the game's best centres to a total liability.
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Melbourne Storm re-sign Kenny Bromwich, Tui Kamikamica and Albert Vete
Kenny Bromwich brother and Fijian prop Tui Kamikamica have both re-signed with the Storm until the end of 2022 with options for another season in 2023, while fringe front-rower Albert Vete has also re-committed for another two years.
Centre Curtis Scott remains in talks with Canberra about a shift to the nation's capital and the Storm are willing to release him from the final two years of his contract.
Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/20/sto ... new-deals/
Kenny Bromwich brother and Fijian prop Tui Kamikamica have both re-signed with the Storm until the end of 2022 with options for another season in 2023, while fringe front-rower Albert Vete has also re-committed for another two years.
Centre Curtis Scott remains in talks with Canberra about a shift to the nation's capital and the Storm are willing to release him from the final two years of his contract.
Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/11/20/sto ... new-deals/
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Croft looks like he's broncos bound. Nothing official yet. He'll be released over the weekend and there by monday.
They must sign a first grade ready half now.
If I was them I'd talk to Sezer. At the very least Brandon Wakeham and Cade Cust.
We want Scott and they need a half.
They must sign a first grade ready half now.
If I was them I'd talk to Sezer. At the very least Brandon Wakeham and Cade Cust.
We want Scott and they need a half.
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Smith, Sezer, Munster, Papenhuyzen is a pretty good spine. They could probably make me look really dumb.
bellyache came out and hosed down all the Smith to #7 talk the other day.
bellyache came out and hosed down all the Smith to #7 talk the other day.
- Matt
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
More work from my Storm friend Adrian.
For the NRL Tragic's in my friends list....
As a Passionate Melbourne Storm Supporter - I can only see the final 3 years of Cameron Smith's leadership of the Storm as an abysmal failure.
If there's one thing I've come to know about Storm Supporters in the last 2 seasons, it's that many of them are a precious lot, seeing only rainbows and unicorns where the legendary Cameron Smith is concerned. And yes - he is a legend but sadly hasn't been since the start of the 2018 season.
With Cooper Cronk leaving at the end of 2017, the future for the Storm was still bright. We had a very able replacement in Brodie Croft whom Cooper Cronk had raised up to take the reins of the Storms attack. By the way, the Storms attack was far more the product of Cooper Cronk and Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien than of Smith and Bellamy.
I will always look back to the Storms World Club Challenge match with Leeds Rhino's and ask the question "Why Cam? Why?" For a pre-season match in February, Storms attack with Croft at Half Back was Stella!!! Sublime!!! At one point Andrew Voss joked in commentary "Cooper Who?".
Weeks later however, when the season kicked off, it became clear that Smith had completely thrown our Cronk/O'Brien engineered attack out the window and installed a new game which scripted a half back completely out of it. Smith declared it too risky to allow Croft to do the job he had been prepared for and insisted that he was legendary enough to do it all himself.
Two years down the road and Croft has been pushed out of the club, without Storm ever even giving him a chance to do the job he had been prepared for. I also don't see it as a coincidence that there is a mass exodus from the club of our other backline players. Chambers - Gone, Scott - Gone, Vunivalu - looking for opportunities elsewhere beyond 2020, Addo-Carr seeking a release... And with Croft gone, the club does not have a single genuine organising half on the roster, less than 12 months out from Smith's impending retirement.
I've never seen so many players leaving or wanting to leave Storm as there are at present. It is clear that there has been a significant shift in the culture of the club - a club that in the past, players wanted to stay at and be involved in the future successes they could see on the horizon. This is something many a Storm fan will miss in their endless search for rainbows and unicorns! I also see it as no coincidence that it is our backs leaving, Smiths approach to our attack has seen all of their games go backwards in the last 2 seasons.
For this end result - anything short of a Premiership just isn't good enough! Even a single Premiership would be coming at too great a cost. And who's to say that the club would not have won at least 1 or even both of the 2018/19 Premierships had they for the most past maintained their attack and trusted Croft to do the job he was raised up to do?
It's been said for eons that you can't win the major Australian Rugby League Premiership without a quality half back. Well the simple truth is that Cam Smith chose to try to prove this wrong at great expense to the Clubs future. His halfbackless attack in the last 2 seasons has produced 3 finals losses from 6 appearances and with just 1 Try on the board! In contrast, Storm were held to this in just 2 of 16 finals from 2011-2017. It only serves to prove true the adage that you need a quality half back to win the Premiership.
At this point, the damage is well and truly done! Even if Storm win the title in 2020, which history and their intention to continue trying to buck history, strongly suggest they can not, the cost is too great. And nobody can say that they would not have equaled a single premiership or even had better success, had they simply backed Croft to do the job.
My only question now is how long it will take many Storm fans to confront reality? Will it be during 2020 when Croft is thriving in Brisbane, as he is sure to do - or maybe during 2021-22 when the club is fighting to rebuild without a quality half back and with all of the genius of Cronk and O'Brien completely lost?
At some point in time Storm fans are going to have to realise that we had a transition plan completely in place and then threw it away for nothing - and that for the most part goes back to Cam Smith. A legend for many years - but completely off the rails in his club leadership at the end of his career.
For the NRL Tragic's in my friends list....
As a Passionate Melbourne Storm Supporter - I can only see the final 3 years of Cameron Smith's leadership of the Storm as an abysmal failure.
If there's one thing I've come to know about Storm Supporters in the last 2 seasons, it's that many of them are a precious lot, seeing only rainbows and unicorns where the legendary Cameron Smith is concerned. And yes - he is a legend but sadly hasn't been since the start of the 2018 season.
With Cooper Cronk leaving at the end of 2017, the future for the Storm was still bright. We had a very able replacement in Brodie Croft whom Cooper Cronk had raised up to take the reins of the Storms attack. By the way, the Storms attack was far more the product of Cooper Cronk and Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien than of Smith and Bellamy.
I will always look back to the Storms World Club Challenge match with Leeds Rhino's and ask the question "Why Cam? Why?" For a pre-season match in February, Storms attack with Croft at Half Back was Stella!!! Sublime!!! At one point Andrew Voss joked in commentary "Cooper Who?".
Weeks later however, when the season kicked off, it became clear that Smith had completely thrown our Cronk/O'Brien engineered attack out the window and installed a new game which scripted a half back completely out of it. Smith declared it too risky to allow Croft to do the job he had been prepared for and insisted that he was legendary enough to do it all himself.
Two years down the road and Croft has been pushed out of the club, without Storm ever even giving him a chance to do the job he had been prepared for. I also don't see it as a coincidence that there is a mass exodus from the club of our other backline players. Chambers - Gone, Scott - Gone, Vunivalu - looking for opportunities elsewhere beyond 2020, Addo-Carr seeking a release... And with Croft gone, the club does not have a single genuine organising half on the roster, less than 12 months out from Smith's impending retirement.
I've never seen so many players leaving or wanting to leave Storm as there are at present. It is clear that there has been a significant shift in the culture of the club - a club that in the past, players wanted to stay at and be involved in the future successes they could see on the horizon. This is something many a Storm fan will miss in their endless search for rainbows and unicorns! I also see it as no coincidence that it is our backs leaving, Smiths approach to our attack has seen all of their games go backwards in the last 2 seasons.
For this end result - anything short of a Premiership just isn't good enough! Even a single Premiership would be coming at too great a cost. And who's to say that the club would not have won at least 1 or even both of the 2018/19 Premierships had they for the most past maintained their attack and trusted Croft to do the job he was raised up to do?
It's been said for eons that you can't win the major Australian Rugby League Premiership without a quality half back. Well the simple truth is that Cam Smith chose to try to prove this wrong at great expense to the Clubs future. His halfbackless attack in the last 2 seasons has produced 3 finals losses from 6 appearances and with just 1 Try on the board! In contrast, Storm were held to this in just 2 of 16 finals from 2011-2017. It only serves to prove true the adage that you need a quality half back to win the Premiership.
At this point, the damage is well and truly done! Even if Storm win the title in 2020, which history and their intention to continue trying to buck history, strongly suggest they can not, the cost is too great. And nobody can say that they would not have equaled a single premiership or even had better success, had they simply backed Croft to do the job.
My only question now is how long it will take many Storm fans to confront reality? Will it be during 2020 when Croft is thriving in Brisbane, as he is sure to do - or maybe during 2021-22 when the club is fighting to rebuild without a quality half back and with all of the genius of Cronk and O'Brien completely lost?
At some point in time Storm fans are going to have to realise that we had a transition plan completely in place and then threw it away for nothing - and that for the most part goes back to Cam Smith. A legend for many years - but completely off the rails in his club leadership at the end of his career.
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
The list of players leaving is growing, and many were touted as the heir to established players thrones. This is what I can think of off the top of my head.
Croft - off to Bronx. Was supposed to be Cronks heir.
Drinkwater - at Cows. Next Slater. TBF, they have Hughes and Papynhouzen.
Stimson - off to Dogs. Supposed to be Hoffmans replacement.
Scott - to Raiders. Just punted Chambers too.
Add to that:
Addo-Carr - looking to return to Sydney
Vunivalu - not sure if he is looking or being shopped
When has the Storm ever had an exodus like this?
Croft - off to Bronx. Was supposed to be Cronks heir.
Drinkwater - at Cows. Next Slater. TBF, they have Hughes and Papynhouzen.
Stimson - off to Dogs. Supposed to be Hoffmans replacement.
Scott - to Raiders. Just punted Chambers too.
Add to that:
Addo-Carr - looking to return to Sydney
Vunivalu - not sure if he is looking or being shopped
When has the Storm ever had an exodus like this?
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- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Barb still gets a ring.
3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment..Old Faithful
#emptythetank
#emptythetank
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Imagine the storm not being consistently strong. Just imagine it. Chills.
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- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
I hope they go through 20+ years of bog just like we have.
I really do.
Ill call it right now, when Smith retires Bellamy will leave.
I really do.
Ill call it right now, when Smith retires Bellamy will leave.
3rd Battalion Royal Australian Regiment..Old Faithful
#emptythetank
#emptythetank
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- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
I think your Storm friend Adrian is a Class A Dribbler. Is this Brodie Croft's uncle or something?Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 7:44 am More work from my Storm friend Adrian.
For the NRL Tragic's in my friends list....
As a Passionate Melbourne Storm Supporter - I can only see the final 3 years of Cameron Smith's leadership of the Storm as an abysmal failure.
If there's one thing I've come to know about Storm Supporters in the last 2 seasons, it's that many of them are a precious lot, seeing only rainbows and unicorns where the legendary Cameron Smith is concerned. And yes - he is a legend but sadly hasn't been since the start of the 2018 season.
With Cooper Cronk leaving at the end of 2017, the future for the Storm was still bright. We had a very able replacement in Brodie Croft whom Cooper Cronk had raised up to take the reins of the Storms attack. By the way, the Storms attack was far more the product of Cooper Cronk and Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien than of Smith and Bellamy.
I will always look back to the Storms World Club Challenge match with Leeds Rhino's and ask the question "Why Cam? Why?" For a pre-season match in February, Storms attack with Croft at Half Back was Stella!!! Sublime!!! At one point Andrew Voss joked in commentary "Cooper Who?".
Weeks later however, when the season kicked off, it became clear that Smith had completely thrown our Cronk/O'Brien engineered attack out the window and installed a new game which scripted a half back completely out of it. Smith declared it too risky to allow Croft to do the job he had been prepared for and insisted that he was legendary enough to do it all himself.
Two years down the road and Croft has been pushed out of the club, without Storm ever even giving him a chance to do the job he had been prepared for. I also don't see it as a coincidence that there is a mass exodus from the club of our other backline players. Chambers - Gone, Scott - Gone, Vunivalu - looking for opportunities elsewhere beyond 2020, Addo-Carr seeking a release... And with Croft gone, the club does not have a single genuine organising half on the roster, less than 12 months out from Smith's impending retirement.
I've never seen so many players leaving or wanting to leave Storm as there are at present. It is clear that there has been a significant shift in the culture of the club - a club that in the past, players wanted to stay at and be involved in the future successes they could see on the horizon. This is something many a Storm fan will miss in their endless search for rainbows and unicorns! I also see it as no coincidence that it is our backs leaving, Smiths approach to our attack has seen all of their games go backwards in the last 2 seasons.
For this end result - anything short of a Premiership just isn't good enough! Even a single Premiership would be coming at too great a cost. And who's to say that the club would not have won at least 1 or even both of the 2018/19 Premierships had they for the most past maintained their attack and trusted Croft to do the job he was raised up to do?
It's been said for eons that you can't win the major Australian Rugby League Premiership without a quality half back. Well the simple truth is that Cam Smith chose to try to prove this wrong at great expense to the Clubs future. His halfbackless attack in the last 2 seasons has produced 3 finals losses from 6 appearances and with just 1 Try on the board! In contrast, Storm were held to this in just 2 of 16 finals from 2011-2017. It only serves to prove true the adage that you need a quality half back to win the Premiership.
At this point, the damage is well and truly done! Even if Storm win the title in 2020, which history and their intention to continue trying to buck history, strongly suggest they can not, the cost is too great. And nobody can say that they would not have equaled a single premiership or even had better success, had they simply backed Croft to do the job.
My only question now is how long it will take many Storm fans to confront reality? Will it be during 2020 when Croft is thriving in Brisbane, as he is sure to do - or maybe during 2021-22 when the club is fighting to rebuild without a quality half back and with all of the genius of Cronk and O'Brien completely lost?
At some point in time Storm fans are going to have to realise that we had a transition plan completely in place and then threw it away for nothing - and that for the most part goes back to Cam Smith. A legend for many years - but completely off the rails in his club leadership at the end of his career.
* The author assumes no responsibility for the topicality, correctness, completeness or quality of information provided.
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- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Hot tip: Matty's Storm friend is Matty.
- Matt
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
He is right about this stuff far too often to be a dribbler.Northern Raider wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 11:34 amI think your Storm friend Adrian is a Class A Dribbler. Is this Brodie Croft's uncle or something?Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 7:44 am More work from my Storm friend Adrian.
For the NRL Tragic's in my friends list....
As a Passionate Melbourne Storm Supporter - I can only see the final 3 years of Cameron Smith's leadership of the Storm as an abysmal failure.
If there's one thing I've come to know about Storm Supporters in the last 2 seasons, it's that many of them are a precious lot, seeing only rainbows and unicorns where the legendary Cameron Smith is concerned. And yes - he is a legend but sadly hasn't been since the start of the 2018 season.
With Cooper Cronk leaving at the end of 2017, the future for the Storm was still bright. We had a very able replacement in Brodie Croft whom Cooper Cronk had raised up to take the reins of the Storms attack. By the way, the Storms attack was far more the product of Cooper Cronk and Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien than of Smith and Bellamy.
I will always look back to the Storms World Club Challenge match with Leeds Rhino's and ask the question "Why Cam? Why?" For a pre-season match in February, Storms attack with Croft at Half Back was Stella!!! Sublime!!! At one point Andrew Voss joked in commentary "Cooper Who?".
Weeks later however, when the season kicked off, it became clear that Smith had completely thrown our Cronk/O'Brien engineered attack out the window and installed a new game which scripted a half back completely out of it. Smith declared it too risky to allow Croft to do the job he had been prepared for and insisted that he was legendary enough to do it all himself.
Two years down the road and Croft has been pushed out of the club, without Storm ever even giving him a chance to do the job he had been prepared for. I also don't see it as a coincidence that there is a mass exodus from the club of our other backline players. Chambers - Gone, Scott - Gone, Vunivalu - looking for opportunities elsewhere beyond 2020, Addo-Carr seeking a release... And with Croft gone, the club does not have a single genuine organising half on the roster, less than 12 months out from Smith's impending retirement.
I've never seen so many players leaving or wanting to leave Storm as there are at present. It is clear that there has been a significant shift in the culture of the club - a club that in the past, players wanted to stay at and be involved in the future successes they could see on the horizon. This is something many a Storm fan will miss in their endless search for rainbows and unicorns! I also see it as no coincidence that it is our backs leaving, Smiths approach to our attack has seen all of their games go backwards in the last 2 seasons.
For this end result - anything short of a Premiership just isn't good enough! Even a single Premiership would be coming at too great a cost. And who's to say that the club would not have won at least 1 or even both of the 2018/19 Premierships had they for the most past maintained their attack and trusted Croft to do the job he was raised up to do?
It's been said for eons that you can't win the major Australian Rugby League Premiership without a quality half back. Well the simple truth is that Cam Smith chose to try to prove this wrong at great expense to the Clubs future. His halfbackless attack in the last 2 seasons has produced 3 finals losses from 6 appearances and with just 1 Try on the board! In contrast, Storm were held to this in just 2 of 16 finals from 2011-2017. It only serves to prove true the adage that you need a quality half back to win the Premiership.
At this point, the damage is well and truly done! Even if Storm win the title in 2020, which history and their intention to continue trying to buck history, strongly suggest they can not, the cost is too great. And nobody can say that they would not have equaled a single premiership or even had better success, had they simply backed Croft to do the job.
My only question now is how long it will take many Storm fans to confront reality? Will it be during 2020 when Croft is thriving in Brisbane, as he is sure to do - or maybe during 2021-22 when the club is fighting to rebuild without a quality half back and with all of the genius of Cronk and O'Brien completely lost?
At some point in time Storm fans are going to have to realise that we had a transition plan completely in place and then threw it away for nothing - and that for the most part goes back to Cam Smith. A legend for many years - but completely off the rails in his club leadership at the end of his career.
Remember when Munster clashed with Smith?
Remember when Croft clashed with Smith?
Remember when Cronk stopped talking to Smith?
Sorry, but just because he WAS the best ever to lace a boot, doesn't absolve him of the rest.
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
The rest of what? Looks like he wants happy families ahead of contending for premierships.Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 12:14 pmHe is right about this stuff far too often to be a dribbler.Northern Raider wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 11:34 amI think your Storm friend Adrian is a Class A Dribbler. Is this Brodie Croft's uncle or something?Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 7:44 am More work from my Storm friend Adrian.
For the NRL Tragic's in my friends list....
As a Passionate Melbourne Storm Supporter - I can only see the final 3 years of Cameron Smith's leadership of the Storm as an abysmal failure.
If there's one thing I've come to know about Storm Supporters in the last 2 seasons, it's that many of them are a precious lot, seeing only rainbows and unicorns where the legendary Cameron Smith is concerned. And yes - he is a legend but sadly hasn't been since the start of the 2018 season.
With Cooper Cronk leaving at the end of 2017, the future for the Storm was still bright. We had a very able replacement in Brodie Croft whom Cooper Cronk had raised up to take the reins of the Storms attack. By the way, the Storms attack was far more the product of Cooper Cronk and Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien than of Smith and Bellamy.
I will always look back to the Storms World Club Challenge match with Leeds Rhino's and ask the question "Why Cam? Why?" For a pre-season match in February, Storms attack with Croft at Half Back was Stella!!! Sublime!!! At one point Andrew Voss joked in commentary "Cooper Who?".
Weeks later however, when the season kicked off, it became clear that Smith had completely thrown our Cronk/O'Brien engineered attack out the window and installed a new game which scripted a half back completely out of it. Smith declared it too risky to allow Croft to do the job he had been prepared for and insisted that he was legendary enough to do it all himself.
Two years down the road and Croft has been pushed out of the club, without Storm ever even giving him a chance to do the job he had been prepared for. I also don't see it as a coincidence that there is a mass exodus from the club of our other backline players. Chambers - Gone, Scott - Gone, Vunivalu - looking for opportunities elsewhere beyond 2020, Addo-Carr seeking a release... And with Croft gone, the club does not have a single genuine organising half on the roster, less than 12 months out from Smith's impending retirement.
I've never seen so many players leaving or wanting to leave Storm as there are at present. It is clear that there has been a significant shift in the culture of the club - a club that in the past, players wanted to stay at and be involved in the future successes they could see on the horizon. This is something many a Storm fan will miss in their endless search for rainbows and unicorns! I also see it as no coincidence that it is our backs leaving, Smiths approach to our attack has seen all of their games go backwards in the last 2 seasons.
For this end result - anything short of a Premiership just isn't good enough! Even a single Premiership would be coming at too great a cost. And who's to say that the club would not have won at least 1 or even both of the 2018/19 Premierships had they for the most past maintained their attack and trusted Croft to do the job he was raised up to do?
It's been said for eons that you can't win the major Australian Rugby League Premiership without a quality half back. Well the simple truth is that Cam Smith chose to try to prove this wrong at great expense to the Clubs future. His halfbackless attack in the last 2 seasons has produced 3 finals losses from 6 appearances and with just 1 Try on the board! In contrast, Storm were held to this in just 2 of 16 finals from 2011-2017. It only serves to prove true the adage that you need a quality half back to win the Premiership.
At this point, the damage is well and truly done! Even if Storm win the title in 2020, which history and their intention to continue trying to buck history, strongly suggest they can not, the cost is too great. And nobody can say that they would not have equaled a single premiership or even had better success, had they simply backed Croft to do the job.
My only question now is how long it will take many Storm fans to confront reality? Will it be during 2020 when Croft is thriving in Brisbane, as he is sure to do - or maybe during 2021-22 when the club is fighting to rebuild without a quality half back and with all of the genius of Cronk and O'Brien completely lost?
At some point in time Storm fans are going to have to realise that we had a transition plan completely in place and then threw it away for nothing - and that for the most part goes back to Cam Smith. A legend for many years - but completely off the rails in his club leadership at the end of his career.
Remember when Munster clashed with Smith?
Remember when Croft clashed with Smith?
Remember when Cronk stopped talking to Smith?
Sorry, but just because he WAS the best ever to lace a boot, doesn't absolve him of the rest.
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- Mal Meninga
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Haha Matt has completely lost the plot here.
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Believe what he says or not, but if you dont think the internal rumblings and now the this mass exodus is highly unusual for a team with such a strong culture, and a 'destination' for players, isn't worth noting, thats up to you.
We have all been predicting the fall, and more than ever it seems the writing is on the wall, esp as now the rats are jumping ship too; its reported that Smith begged Scott to stay.
We have all been predicting the fall, and more than ever it seems the writing is on the wall, esp as now the rats are jumping ship too; its reported that Smith begged Scott to stay.
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Cant argue that there are troubling times ahead for Melbourne - Smith is in decline and their current star list are headed out the door. Personality clashes have ben blamed for this.Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 12:55 pm Believe what he says or not, but if you dont think the internal rumblings and now the this mass exodus is highly unusual for a team with such a strong culture, and a 'destination' for players, isn't worth noting, thats up to you.
We have all been predicting the fall, and more than ever it seems the writing is on the wall, esp as now the rats are jumping ship too; its reported that Smith begged Scott to stay.
But that article also stinks of Storm fans level of entitlement - they just won the minor premiership with a record gap to second place. Its hardly that 'Smiths style of play' has been ineffective - they lost 2 finals games to the teams that went on to play the most evenly contested grand final in recent memory. Thats far from an abysmal failure. There were at least 10 other teams in the comp who would kill for that level of ineffectiveness.
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
Precious storm fan indeed.. That was as far as I got - tldrNorthern Raider wrote:I think your Storm friend Adrian is a Class A Dribbler. Is this Brodie Croft's uncle or something?Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 7:44 am More work from my Storm friend Adrian.
For the NRL Tragic's in my friends list....
As a Passionate Melbourne Storm Supporter - I can only see the final 3 years of Cameron Smith's leadership of the Storm as an abysmal failure.
If there's one thing I've come to know about Storm Supporters in the last 2 seasons, it's that many of them are a precious lot, seeing only rainbows and unicorns where the legendary Cameron Smith is concerned. And yes - he is a legend but sadly hasn't been since the start of the 2018 season.
With Cooper Cronk leaving at the end of 2017, the future for the Storm was still bright. We had a very able replacement in Brodie Croft whom Cooper Cronk had raised up to take the reins of the Storms attack. By the way, the Storms attack was far more the product of Cooper Cronk and Assistant Coach Adam O'Brien than of Smith and Bellamy.
I will always look back to the Storms World Club Challenge match with Leeds Rhino's and ask the question "Why Cam? Why?" For a pre-season match in February, Storms attack with Croft at Half Back was Stella!!! Sublime!!! At one point Andrew Voss joked in commentary "Cooper Who?".
Weeks later however, when the season kicked off, it became clear that Smith had completely thrown our Cronk/O'Brien engineered attack out the window and installed a new game which scripted a half back completely out of it. Smith declared it too risky to allow Croft to do the job he had been prepared for and insisted that he was legendary enough to do it all himself.
Two years down the road and Croft has been pushed out of the club, without Storm ever even giving him a chance to do the job he had been prepared for. I also don't see it as a coincidence that there is a mass exodus from the club of our other backline players. Chambers - Gone, Scott - Gone, Vunivalu - looking for opportunities elsewhere beyond 2020, Addo-Carr seeking a release... And with Croft gone, the club does not have a single genuine organising half on the roster, less than 12 months out from Smith's impending retirement.
I've never seen so many players leaving or wanting to leave Storm as there are at present. It is clear that there has been a significant shift in the culture of the club - a club that in the past, players wanted to stay at and be involved in the future successes they could see on the horizon. This is something many a Storm fan will miss in their endless search for rainbows and unicorns! I also see it as no coincidence that it is our backs leaving, Smiths approach to our attack has seen all of their games go backwards in the last 2 seasons.
For this end result - anything short of a Premiership just isn't good enough! Even a single Premiership would be coming at too great a cost. And who's to say that the club would not have won at least 1 or even both of the 2018/19 Premierships had they for the most past maintained their attack and trusted Croft to do the job he was raised up to do?
It's been said for eons that you can't win the major Australian Rugby League Premiership without a quality half back. Well the simple truth is that Cam Smith chose to try to prove this wrong at great expense to the Clubs future. His halfbackless attack in the last 2 seasons has produced 3 finals losses from 6 appearances and with just 1 Try on the board! In contrast, Storm were held to this in just 2 of 16 finals from 2011-2017. It only serves to prove true the adage that you need a quality half back to win the Premiership.
At this point, the damage is well and truly done! Even if Storm win the title in 2020, which history and their intention to continue trying to buck history, strongly suggest they can not, the cost is too great. And nobody can say that they would not have equaled a single premiership or even had better success, had they simply backed Croft to do the job.
My only question now is how long it will take many Storm fans to confront reality? Will it be during 2020 when Croft is thriving in Brisbane, as he is sure to do - or maybe during 2021-22 when the club is fighting to rebuild without a quality half back and with all of the genius of Cronk and O'Brien completely lost?
At some point in time Storm fans are going to have to realise that we had a transition plan completely in place and then threw it away for nothing - and that for the most part goes back to Cam Smith. A legend for many years - but completely off the rails in his club leadership at the end of his career.
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
THIS IS THE YEAR!Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 12:55 pm Believe what he says or not, but if you dont think the internal rumblings and now the this mass exodus is highly unusual for a team with such a strong culture, and a 'destination' for players, isn't worth noting, thats up to you.
We have all been predicting the fall, and more than ever it seems the writing is on the wall, esp as now the rats are jumping ship too; its reported that Smith begged Scott to stay.
It's happening...
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
I won't buy into it until they're outside the 8 after round 25.
Until then they're a lock in my top 8
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Until then they're a lock in my top 8
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
I believe I publicly hitched my star to the "Smith has jumped the shark" bandwagon last week. Now I get to death ride them home all season, it's gonna be great(ly amusing for you all).Botman wrote: ↑December 1, 2019, 6:00 pmTHIS IS THE YEAR!Matt wrote: ↑November 29, 2019, 12:55 pm Believe what he says or not, but if you dont think the internal rumblings and now the this mass exodus is highly unusual for a team with such a strong culture, and a 'destination' for players, isn't worth noting, thats up to you.
We have all been predicting the fall, and more than ever it seems the writing is on the wall, esp as now the rats are jumping ship too; its reported that Smith begged Scott to stay.
It's happening...
Considering a name change to BadCameron
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
As ive said, if you just stick to your guns eventually you'll be right
Maybe it's going to be this year... but for me? Like TW said, ill need to see it before i believe it. I'd rather be a year late than 1 and then 2, and then 3, and then 4, and then x years early
Melbourne Storm 2019
Their style is perfectly suited to the way Australian Rugby League is officiated. They will be finals bound..... Unless the refs crack down on advantage line flat ball football, tacklers accidentally getting caught up with the attacker in the play the ball and endless block plays.
Such boring, robotic but effective rugby league.
Such boring, robotic but effective rugby league.
Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
I've never called it before.Botman wrote: ↑December 1, 2019, 7:18 pmAs ive said, if you just stick to your guns eventually you'll be right
Maybe it's going to be this year... but for me? Like TW said, ill need to see it before i believe it. I'd rather be a year late than 1 and then 2, and then 3, and then 4, and then x years early
I rarely make big calls about who will do what, I'm a "if, then" hedger. But I'm sick of Cameron Stink and I smell blood.
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- Don Furner
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Re: Melbourne Storm 2019
I'm jumping on board the Storm in a tea cup this yr.BadnMean wrote: ↑December 1, 2019, 7:48 pmI've never called it before.Botman wrote: ↑December 1, 2019, 7:18 pmAs ive said, if you just stick to your guns eventually you'll be right
Maybe it's going to be this year... but for me? Like TW said, ill need to see it before i believe it. I'd rather be a year late than 1 and then 2, and then 3, and then 4, and then x years early
I rarely make big calls about who will do what, I'm a "if, then" hedger. But I'm sick of Cameron Stink and I smell blood.
I wanna say fringe 8 this yr