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View Full Version : Round 22 Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers



TITAN PETE
01-08-12, 07:03 AM
SATURDAY

Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers at AAMI Park, 3:30pm (local). #NRLMELPEN

STORM: Billy Slater, Sisa Waqa, Dane Nielsen, Will Chambers, Anthony Quinn, Gareth Widdop, Cooper Cronk, Jesse Bromwich, Cameron Smith, Jason Ryles, Sika Manu, Ryan Hoffman, Ryan Hinchcliffe. Interchange (from): Bryan Norrie, Rory Kostjasyn, Richie Fa'aoso, Kevin Proctor, Todd Lowrie, Jaiman Lowe

PANTHERS: Michael Gordon, Josh Mansour, Michael Jennings, Brad Tighe, David Simmons, Lachlan Coote, Luke Walsh, Sam Mckendry, Kevin Kingston, Tim Grant, Clint Newton, Cameron Ciraldo, Nigel Plum. Interchange (from): Shane Shackelton, Mitch Achurch, Ryan Simpkins, Matt Robinson, Danny Galea

Rage
01-08-12, 05:59 PM
Nigel Wall NRL.com Wed, Aug 01, 2012 - 2:35 PM

Melbourne Storm v Penrith Panthers
AAMI Park
Saturday 3.30pm

Melbourne?s players will be inhaling a double dose of the smelling salts in the dressing room before this week?s intriguing Close The Gap match-up with the Panthers, with five clumsy consecutive losses loosening their previously vice-like grip on a spot in the crucial top four.

After a season full of damaging bluster the Storm are now becalmed, with their minor premiership dream seemingly in tatters. They need to breathe new life into their campaign pronto ? a loss here and they could end up equal third alongside the winner of Saturday night?s clash between the Cowboys and Sea Eagles, as well as the Broncos should they account for the Raiders on Sunday. From there it?s a short drop to the bottom half of the finals zone.

Clearly coach Craig Bellamy will be looking for a slicker execution from his players after their rustiness cost them dearly against St George Illawarra last week, with Brett Morris scoring two crucial long-range tries against the run of play. But for an errant last pass on each occasion the Storm could have been celebrating four-pointers instead.

Meanwhile the Panthers, spurred on by returning representative star Michael Gordon, stole a controversial win over the Sharks last Saturday, proving they still have some spirit and purpose despite the fact they are dead and buried in the finals race. They?ll never get a better chance to take down the Storm and will delight in inflicting pain on another premiership heavyweight with a focused 80 minutes here.

They?ll also be mindful they are just a win ahead of the resurgent Eels in the battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

Craig Bellamy has invested in the same 17 players from last week?s defeat, adding Rory Kostjasyn and Todd Lowrie to form an extended bench.

Meanwhile Ivan Cleary has similarly named an unchanged 17 this week, with Danny Galea added to form a five-man interchange at this stage.

Watch Out Storm: Line-breaks and cheap metres out of dummy-half are a feature of the Panthers? play. Penrith have made seven busts at the ruck so far (fifth most), led by Kevin Kingston with four (second most).

Luke Walsh is their creative ace ? he may be way down on try assists in 2011 with just 10 so far compared to 20 last season but he did show renewed spark last week when he manufactured two tries. He needs to be pressured at first receiver.

Lachlan Coote looked a ready-made running five-eighth when crossing for two tries against the Sharks; his energy will pose a threat when the Storm forwards tire late in each half.

Josh Mansour has really kicked on since scoring against the Storm with his first touch in the NRL back in Round 9. The dynamic winger is averaging six tackle busts per game ? a shade off the benchmark 6.6 set by Greg Inglis. Plus he?s good for an average 170 metres a match (third most in the comp). Cooper Cronk needs to get his clearance kicks right.

Danger Sign: If the Panthers? outside men start to make inroads. Penrith average 31 tackle-breaks per game ? last week their backline alone totalled 30, including 24 to their outside backs. David Simmons (eight) and Michael Jennings (seven) led the way.

Watch Out Panthers: Given the Storm rank fifth for offloads (10.5 per game) their support players will need to be shadowed all evening ? in particular runners trailing off forwards Jesse Bromwich (24 offloads), Ryan Hoffman (22), Cameron Smith (18) and Jason Ryles (16).

Josh Mansour and Michel Jennings can expect a torrid time attempting to repel waves of Storm attack on the Panthers? left edge. That?s because the Storm have had more success with their right-edge attack than any team in the comp, crossing for 39 tries ? including three last week. By comparison they?ve scored 28 on their left side.

Cooper Cronk will be hoping for a more fluid combination with Cameron Smith and Billy Slater in the run to the finals. When they are in synch the trio can prise open even the toughest ruck defence with an interchange of passes ending in Slater streaking away into space. Cronk has 24 try assists so far, just two behind stats category leader Benji Marshall.

Expect left winger Anthony Quinn to be heavily involved ? he needs 112 metres to top 20 kilometres of territory in his career.

Danger Sign: Although the Panthers are one of the league?s better sides at defusing attacking kicks (75 per cent overall) they?ll have their work cut out negating the threat posed by Cronk?s boot. Melbourne have scored 20 tries from kicks, the third most by any team.

Billy Slater v Michael Gordon: The Panthers will still be having nightmares about Slater?s demolition effort from the back the last time these sides met (see below). That evening the reigning Dally M Medalist ran for 238 metres with the ball in hand, added two line busts and shrugged off 15 would-be Panthers tackle attempts. He also set up two tries with great vision ? one after running the ball from a scrum 10 metres out from his goal line, then kicking deep with Justin O?Neill winning the race to score. After a month out with injury he hit the ground running against the Dragons, delivering the final pass for Will Chambers to score and running the ball 19 times. Meanwhile Michael Gordon picked up against Cronulla where he left off before his early season injury, running 18 times and making a line-break, 165 metres and five tackle busts to keep the Sharks back-pedalling. He?ll be better for that outing.

Where It Will Be Won: Motivation. For the Storm it?s all about winning to build some much-needed momentum approaching the finals. Forget the minor premiership ? Craig Bellamy will settle for a spot in the top four, a ranking that is more important this year than ever before in the NRL; given the changes to this year?s Finals Series following the abandonment of the McIntyre system, it would afford them a second bite at the cherry if they were to lose in the first week of the playoffs. Meanwhile the Panthers players will be keen to maintain their energy levels and commitment through the closing rounds to show coach Ivan Cleary they are the right men to wear their jersey number again in 2013.

The History: Played 24; Storm 18, Panthers 6. The Storm have won the past eight clashes between the sides and boast a 2-0 advantage at Skilled Park.

The Last Time They Met: Melbourne dished out Penrith?s worst defeat in 2012 when they flogged the Panthers 44-10 at Centrebet Stadium in Round 9, recording their ninth-straight win for their best ever start to an NRL season.

In windy conditions, Penrith started promisingly and actually led 10-4 after 17 minutes before Melbourne?s stars ignited to cross for three unanswered tries and a commanding 22-10 lead at halftime.

It was one-way traffic after the break, with Justin O?Neill completing a hat-trick of tries in the 70th minute and other four-pointers to Will Chambers and Ryan Hoffman doubling the Storm?s score in the second 40 minutes.

Defence told the story ? Penrith tallied a whopping 44 missed tackles as the Storm ran riot with eight line busts throughout the 80 minutes. Meanwhile the Storm were efficient in defence across the park, missing only 15 tackle attempts.

Melbourne?s best included Billy Slater (238 metres and 15 tackle-breaks) and Justin O?Neill (three tries, 202 metres, two line-breaks).

Match Officials: Referees ? Ashley Klein & Adam Devcich; Sideline Officials ? Jason Walsh & Brenden Wood; Video Referee ? Pat Reynolds.

The Way We See It: Melbourne aren?t playing badly enough to have their epitaph written just yet. However, they need to rid themselves of any self-doubt that may have crept in following five straight losses. Expect Penrith to offer some stubborn resistance but at home, with a top-four berth in the balance, we anticipate Melbourne to get back on track ? and in stunning fashion. Storm by 14 points.

Televised: Fox Sports 2 ? Live 3.30pm.

? Statistics: NRL Stats

Rage
01-08-12, 06:01 PM
Melissa Woods AAP Wed, Aug 01, 2012 - 3:16 PM

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has warned his under-performing players the loyalty factor can only stretch so far as they try to snap their five-game NRL losing streak.

The Storm host lowly Penrith at AAMI Park on Saturday, looking to arrest their fall from the top of the ladder.

Bellamy made only one change to the line-up, bringing Gareth Widdop back in at five-eighth to link with Cooper Cronk, with the Storm finally fielding their top halves combination for the first time since the second State of Origin match.

Star fullback Billy Slater will be back for his second hitout since returning from six rounds sidelined with a knee injury.

But the coach, who admitted he wasn't sleeping well as he dealt with the "new experience" of five losses, said changes were ahead if players didn't deliver.

While injuries to players such as Matt Duffie (shoulder) and Justin O'Neill (groin) have limited his replacement options, under 20s winger Mahe Fonua is knocking on the door of a NRL debut with his try-scoring feats in the NSW Cup.

"There's a loyalty factor there ... but there are some guys who need to perform better or we will have to make some changes," said Bellamy on Wednesday.

"Having said that, these players have done a wonderful job for us earlier in the year and we'll give them the chance to find that again.

"Slowly but surely, that time's running out but you'd like to think we'll find some consistency in the things we need to do and hopefully that will be this week."

Bellamy said he had been tempted but didn't want to throw a young player in who wasn't really ready to make his NRL debut because it would be a "backward step" for that player.

The veteran coach said he couldn't remember experiencing such a losing streak, even back to his days as a player, and said it was a frustrating time.

"The one thing we've always been reasonably good at here is being pretty consistent and that's the thing that's really frustrating me," he said.

"We can do some really good things for periods in a game and then, for 23 minutes, we drop off and we're paying the price.

"That's what happens. When you're not playing well and you're not playing with that consistency, you seem to pay a lot more dearly for your mistakes."

TITAN PETE
02-08-12, 02:39 PM
Lewis may have played last Panthers game

AAP Thu, Aug 02, 2012 - 10:48 AM


Penrith star Luke Lewis may have played his last game for Penrith with coach Ivan Cleary admitting it's too early to say if the injured veteran would line up again this year.

Lewis had surgery to remove a lump in his neck on Monday and the club is awaiting the results of further tests.

Cleary said he wasn't sure if the 11-year club stalwart, who joins Cronulla next year, would play again in Panthers colours.

"Not sure yet. He's had surgery and at this stage we're hopeful that he may be able to play a few weeks down the track but it's a bit too early to say just yet," Cleary said on Thursday when asked if Lewis was finished at Penrith.

"We are still awaiting results from a couple of tests, so that's about all I can say at the moment."

Lewis had been complaining of neck pains for weeks before a biopsy revealed an abnormality in his neck.

He's missed Penrith's past two matches, wins over Sydney Roosters and Cronulla.

Penrith take on Melbourne away on Saturday afternoon.

There are five matches to go in the NRL regular season with the Panthers out of the running to make the final.

TITAN PETE
02-08-12, 02:39 PM
Coote's NRL form delights Cleary

Russell Jackson AAP Thu, Aug 02, 2012 - 3:00 PM


Lachlan Coote has emerged from a recent NRL axing to become a long-term option as Penrith five-eighth with coach Ivan Cleary elated with his switch to pivot.

The timing of Coote's run at No.6 could not be better with the Panthers' regular five-eighth Travis Burns copping a 12-game ban from the judiciary.

Burns will reportedly be granted a release to the UK Super League despite having a year remaining on his contract.

But after two consecutive wins with Coote at five-eighth, the Panthers, who face Melbourne away on Saturday, look to have found their man to partner halfback Luke Walsh.

Dumped to feeder club Windsor in June for disciplinary reasons, it seemed Coote wasn't going to survive under the Panthers' new regime of general manager Phil Gould and Cleary.

There were rumours the fullback was being shopped around to rival clubs and it seemed a matter of time before the 22-year-old was cut by the Panthers.

Coote has since starred in Penrith's past two matches, against Sydney Roosters and Cronulla.

He scored two tries in the controversial 21-20 win over the Sharks last Saturday and Cleary could not be happier with the local junior.

"It's been really good. I've been quite buoyed by the way Lachlan's gone there," Cleary said.

"You'd like to think he'll only get better. He'll keep playing there ... we've got no plans to shift him at the moment.

"We'll just see how it pans out but certainly the first couple of games have been very encouraging."

Captain Kevin Kingston was another Panther who was full of praise for Coote on Thursday.

"I can't give him enough of a wrap ... he's doing such a great job," Kingston said.

"He's been through a bit of a bad time, he got his bum smacked and he came back very strong.

"The work he's done has been great ... he's been putting the hours in with video work and continues to work hard on his game."

DIEHARD
04-08-12, 03:44 PM
Storm are currently slicing and dicing the Panthers. 40-0 53rd minute.

hully gully
04-08-12, 04:04 PM
Storm are on form again,,

Rage
04-08-12, 10:10 PM
I think it might be better for us that the Storm won this round. While an in-form Storm is a scary thought, a Storm that has lost the past 6 games and is due for a win is even scarier.

DIEHARD
05-08-12, 03:45 AM
How rubbish were the Storm jersey. Great notion but poorly executed. Looks like the hand was reaching for the Crown logo! And the player numbers were very hard to read.

But.... happy the Storm are going well. They are in my top three teams.

They really didnt go on with it in the 2nd half which could have clicked up to 60+ points.

TITAN PETE
05-08-12, 05:07 AM
How rubbish were the Storm jersey. Great notion but poorly executed. Looks like the hand was reaching for the Crown logo! And the player numbers were very hard to read.

But.... happy the Storm are going well. They are in my top three teams.

They really didnt go on with it in the 2nd half which could have clicked up to 60+ points.

One of the worst ever :boo:

Rage
06-08-12, 06:04 PM
Melissa Woods AAP Mon, Aug 06, 2012 - 2:55 PM

Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith says an Olympic-sized spray from frustrated coach Craig Bellamy helped the NRL side get the breakthrough win they desperately needed.

Nicknamed "Bellyache", Bellamy lived up to his reputation leading into the Penrith game and managed to get results with an impressive 46-6 victory to end the Storm's five-game losing streak.

Smith has been on the receiving end of a Bellamy serve many times over his years in Melbourne and rated last week's a "seven out of 10".

"Back in the early days, a lot of blokes were pretty scared of him and, when he walked past, we would put our head down so he wouldn't talk to us," Smith said on Monday.

"He put the wind up a lot of the boys last week. I don't think many of them had seen that side of Craig before.

"Everyone's aware of what he can dish out and we don't want to see that side of Craig Bellamy again this year."

Veteran prop Jason Ryles enjoyed a dream start to his Melbourne career this season with nine straight wins, but felt the wrath of Bellamy last week.

"He quite literally sprays you," said Ryles, referring to Bellamy's spit accompanying his angry words.

"They were up there for me and I was on the end of a few of them - everyone had their turn."

Bellamy was a relieved man on Saturday as was Smith, but the captain said the win over Penrith would count for little if they didn't back it up against Gold Coast at AAMI Park on Friday night.

"It felt like the start of the year when we won nine in a row," said Smith on Monday.

"But we're not going to judge ourselves off the result on the weekend.

"You can't do that - not after you've lost five games. You can't go on 80 minutes of football.

"We need to back up that performance again on Friday night."

The Titans, who were beaten 22-18 by second-placed South Sydney last round, will be an entirely different proposition to the Panthers, who had an awful first 40 minutes and trailed 36-0 by halftime.

Smith said Gold Coast skipper, halfback Scott Prince, was in vintage form.

"They've had a fair few wins and their captain Scott Prince is playing extremely well.

"I haven't seen him play as well as he is for a while.

"He's running the football, he's taking the line on and he's got a lot of confidence in himself at the moment.

"Any halfback that's playing the way he is at the moment, they're always dangerous."