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Super Cronk
07-12-05, 09:23 AM
Storm adds Gold Coast to pre-season plans: Heraldsun.com.au

MELBOURNE Storm will finalise its preparations for the start of the new NRL season with a four-day camp on the Gold Coast in late February.

While not originally part of its pre-season plan, the four-day camp has been added to help further bond the new-look playing squad.

The camp will be held at Runaway Bay sports centre after Storm's final pre-season trial against Brisbane in Toowoomba on February 25.

"It is something that has worked well for us in the past and with so many new faces in the squad we felt it would be worthwhile to head back there," newly appointed Storm football manager Dean Lance said yesterday.

"It is a chance to finetune ahead of our first game."






Storm will open its trial program on February 11 in Ballina in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales.

Regional Victoria has again been overlooked with Storm to play all three of its trial fixtures interstate.

The full first-grade squad will meet Parramatta in Ballina before an extended squad, including some promising juniors, again meets the Eels in Griffith on February 18.

Storm opens the 2006 NRL season against New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on Sunday, March 12. It will be the first of five straight away games because of Commonwealth Games venue clashes.

Coach Craig Bellamy will rejoin the squad next week after returning from his assistant coaching duties with the Australian Test side.

In Bellamy's absence assistants Michael Maguire and former Storm skipper Stephen Kearney have controlled Storm's pre-season preparations.

"The boys have been training really hard and we have been impressed by their progress," Maguire said.

"The new guys have fitted in really well and (former Rooster) Michael Crocker, in particular, has led the way."

Maguire said Cooper Cronk, who had been groomed to replace former halfback Matt Orford had also impressed.

"Coops has really bulked up and he has more than handled everything we have asked of him thus far," Maguire said.

"At this stage he looks ready to step up."

Former Australian schoolboys representative James Aubusson will pressure Cronk for the starting halfback's spot.

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I know alot here prolly dont care. But things sound pretty good for the pre-season.