Super Cronk
27-02-06, 12:42 PM
Melbournestorm.com.au
IT HAS been the standout performer of the NRL pre-season, but Melbourne Storm backrower David Kidwell last night warned his team not to become a victim of February fever.
Despite the ease and impressive nature of Storm's 58-10 belting of the Brisbane Broncos in Toowoomba on Saturday night, Kidwell said Melbourne's new-look line-up was yet to prove itself.
"We have to be careful we don't get a false impression of where we're at from a trial win," Kidwell said.
"It is great to beat the Broncos and to beat them by that margin is always sweet. But it was a trial and nothing more.
"The reality is Brisbane had a lot of guys missing and you only have to look back to when we smashed them up early last year. We got a bit full of ourselves and maybe lost our way a bit."
In its final hit-out before the season proper, Storm was merciless against a Broncos team missing 10 first-grade regulars.
Fullback Billy Slater, centre Greg Inglis and five-eighth Scott Hill all crossed for doubles in a superb exhibition of attacking league.
Most of the doubts over Storm's ability to challenge for the title?in the wake of prop Robbie Kearns retirement and the departure of key halfback Matt Orford and centre Steven Bell to Manly ? appear to have faded.
Rookie halfback Cooper Cronk was again outstanding from the scrumbase, while Inglis has made the centre position his own.
Injuries have hurt Storm's front-row depth, but the virtually unheralded quartet of Antonio Kaufusi, Garret Crossman, Adam Blair and Ian Donnelly ran roughshod over the Broncos' more established pack on Saturday.
"I think it was just an indication of the hard work the boys have done in the off-season," Kidwell said.
"The most pleasing thing for us is the way the young blokes have stood up."
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said his team had been "out-enthused" by Storm, but also pointed out the way his team had responded to a similar thrashing in Round 2 last year.
"These things can happen. You never want them to happen, but in the end it's a trial match and we had a lot of players missing," Bennett said.
Storm came through the match injury-free and coach Craig Bellamy is unlikely to make any changes for the Round 1 meeting with the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on March 12.
IT HAS been the standout performer of the NRL pre-season, but Melbourne Storm backrower David Kidwell last night warned his team not to become a victim of February fever.
Despite the ease and impressive nature of Storm's 58-10 belting of the Brisbane Broncos in Toowoomba on Saturday night, Kidwell said Melbourne's new-look line-up was yet to prove itself.
"We have to be careful we don't get a false impression of where we're at from a trial win," Kidwell said.
"It is great to beat the Broncos and to beat them by that margin is always sweet. But it was a trial and nothing more.
"The reality is Brisbane had a lot of guys missing and you only have to look back to when we smashed them up early last year. We got a bit full of ourselves and maybe lost our way a bit."
In its final hit-out before the season proper, Storm was merciless against a Broncos team missing 10 first-grade regulars.
Fullback Billy Slater, centre Greg Inglis and five-eighth Scott Hill all crossed for doubles in a superb exhibition of attacking league.
Most of the doubts over Storm's ability to challenge for the title?in the wake of prop Robbie Kearns retirement and the departure of key halfback Matt Orford and centre Steven Bell to Manly ? appear to have faded.
Rookie halfback Cooper Cronk was again outstanding from the scrumbase, while Inglis has made the centre position his own.
Injuries have hurt Storm's front-row depth, but the virtually unheralded quartet of Antonio Kaufusi, Garret Crossman, Adam Blair and Ian Donnelly ran roughshod over the Broncos' more established pack on Saturday.
"I think it was just an indication of the hard work the boys have done in the off-season," Kidwell said.
"The most pleasing thing for us is the way the young blokes have stood up."
Broncos coach Wayne Bennett said his team had been "out-enthused" by Storm, but also pointed out the way his team had responded to a similar thrashing in Round 2 last year.
"These things can happen. You never want them to happen, but in the end it's a trial match and we had a lot of players missing," Bennett said.
Storm came through the match injury-free and coach Craig Bellamy is unlikely to make any changes for the Round 1 meeting with the New Zealand Warriors in Auckland on March 12.