NRL 2007 Grand Final: Melbourne Storm vs Manly Sea Eagles

[Super Cronk]

Its best if both teams are at full strength, will be an awesome game.

[Darren Lockyer]

yeah but storm will choke again.

[Super Cronk]

yeah but storm will choke again.

If you say so.

[Darren Lockyer]

If you say so.

thanks

[Super Cronk]

thanks

No, thank YOU kind sir.

[jenny]

THERE YOU GO CRONK


Cross set to play in grand final
September 24, 2007

MELBOURNE prop Ben Cross is now rated a likely starter in Sunday's NRL grand final after scans on his injured hamstring came up clear.

Cross was thought to be next to no chance of taking on Manly in the decider after limping off midway through the second half of yesterday's 26-10 preliminary final win over Parramatta.

But scans came up clear with Storm physio Mary Toomey hopeful of having the Newcastle-bound prop running by Tuesday.

"His scans came back not too bad," Toomey said. "You can see the area he injured a couple of weeks ago and he's got a bit of swelling around that but there was no sign of any new injury.

"It looks like the pain he had was just a hamstring spasm and we'll work really hard on him and see how he is in a couple of days time."

Cross will continue to undergo around-the-clock physio and will even spend time in a hyperbaric chamber in a bid to play.

Garrett Crossman will remain on standby and will continue to train with the side in the lead-up to the match.

AAP

[jenny]

Manly want obstruction rule cleared up

September 24, 2007

Manly captain Matt Orford wants clarification of the obstruction ruling, claiming it to still be a lottery that his side just can't seem to win.

Manly were denied two tries in last Saturday's preliminary final win over North Queensland, but it is one particular move that has Orford and the Sea Eagles deeply concerned ahead of Sunday's grand final with Melbourne.

The Sea Eagles backline play which involves two decoy runners before a short pass off Orford's hip to a speedster, most likely fullback Brett Stewart, has twice been denied by video referees in the past month.

The first ruling in Auckland cost Manly a chance at taking the lead over the Warriors and led to coach Des Hasler confronting video official Chris Ward after the game and earning a $10,000 fine.

The ruling in the Cowboys game occurred when Manly led 2-0 early but thanks to a superb second half by the Eagles it had no influence on the result of the game.

Manly coach Des Hasler is expected to speak to referees coach Robert Finch during the week about the issue and halfback Orford wants to know why his side is constantly copping the wrong side of the 50-50 calls.

"It's a lottery these days isn't it?" said Orford.

"We've just been a bit unlucky with the calls. If it's 50-50 we're always on the bad end of things.

"We've scored some great tries off those plays but the last few weeks it's just been reversed and gone the other way.

"Every team does it and has a lot of decoy runners.

"I guess there's things we've got to do better that Des (Hasler) will speak about with Robert (Finch) and we'll talk about that this week.

"(But) I can't see us changing too much."

Orford says the Manly decoy runners are not obstructing defenders, but rather tricking the opposition into making bad reads in defence.

"I don't think we've done too much wrong, I thought (our decoys) did everything they could," said Orford.

"That defender changed his line and turned in. It's my opinion anyway that he turned in on (Watmough) and made the wrong decision."

Hasler hinted he would talk to Finch about the obstruction incidents from the weekend.

"If I see a need to I'll talk to Robert Finch later in the week," said Hasler.

"We'll have a look at those (plays) and obviously battle the Storm a bit different to what we played the Cowboys."

Five-eighth Jamie Lyon said video referees need to pay more attention to defenders making mistakes and not rule simply on contact between the decoy and the opposition.

He said it is hard for a decoy to avoid contact if a defender is sucked into trying to tackle him.

"Sometimes I think (obstruction) gets awarded for bad reads," said Lyon.

"You can't just come in and be looking like you're getting obstructed when it's your fault coming in when you don't need to."

But Lyon doubts the latest confusion will force Manly to make any changes to their attack.

"It's something we've got to look at ... they're only minor adjustments we've got to make and I don't think it's too hard to do," he said.

? 2007 AAP

[jenny]

Geyer happy with bench spot for Storm

September 24, 2007

Ask any Melbourne player and they'll say Matt Geyer is the ultimate team man.

He can play any position in the backline but the fact that Geyer will also happily fill a bench position for Sunday's NRL grand final against Manly is indicative of his team spirit.

The 32-year-old, the only remaining player from Melbourne's 1999 premiership team, is set to be squeezed out of the starting side for the decider.

"If we're fully fit I'll be on the bench but it's no time to be selfish," Geyer said.

"If I'm on the losing side I'll be bitterly disappointed but it won't have anything to do with not starting.

"I'm not giving up the want or the will to start, I'm not putting my hand up and saying, `I'm a reserve player', but it's definitely not the time to be selfish.

"If I can get a victory on Sunday, I won't be worrying about what number's on my jersey.

Geyer isn't one to complain because he is well aware that many a great footballer doesn't get to play in one grand final let alone three.

"The one that stands out for me is Robbie Kearns," Geyer said.

"He's been at the club from the start and he missed the 1999 grand final because he was injured and then the first year he retired we've gone back to back.

"I try to tell the young blokes how lucky they are and how lucky I am - here's my third and I've got a great mate, a club legend, who hasn't played in one."

Geyer said he never expected to play a full NRL season let alone have such a long and successful career.

"When I left Perth I had six NRL games under my belt and I was happy with that," he said.

"I never thought I'd have much of a career as a footballer and I thought I'd get a copy of each of those and show them to my kids and say, `Dad did play'.

Last year the 10-year veteran was the only Storm player who had any NRL grand final experience, however the bulk of the side is now backing up from the loss to Brisbane.

He felt that could be the difference.

"I don't like to say it's a better team but it's a year older and more experienced," he said.

"About 90 per cent of the players have now experienced a finals campaign right up until the grand final."

And win or lose, there is no chance Geyer will be reconsidering his decision to play on for another season.

"I just don't subscribe to the fairytale theory. I don't see the point of retiring so you can be written down as saying your last game was a grand final," he said.

"My body is still letting me think that I can play first grade football.

"Regardless of the result on Sunday the team's on the up. We've got a bunch of young blokes who know how to win footy games so it's a really good time to be playing at Melbourne Storm."

? 2007 AAP

[Super Cronk]

After quinns effort in defence i think boofa should be put back into the starting team.

Good news re: Cross!!!!

[jenny]

Storming back

By David Beniuk and Steve Jancetic
September 24, 2007

THE NRL grand final pendulum has swung Melbourne's way with four in-doubt players now almost certain to start in Sunday's Telstra Stadium decider against Manly.

The Storm began the day expecting to lose up to four stars but it was Manly who confronted an epidemic of niggling injuries, as 11 Sea Eagles stars sat out a training session.

While the Sea Eagles licked their wounds, the news went from good to better for Melbourne.

Their most serious injury concern, prop Ben Cross, received encouraging news from scans on his hamstring injury, sustained in yesterday's 26-10 preliminary final win over Parramatta at Telstra Dome.

And forward Jeremy Smith escaped suspension despite receiving a grade one careless high tackle charge for his hit on Eels fullback Jarryd Hayne.

Melbourne physio Mary Toomey said Cross, who spent time in a hyperbaric chamber, had pleasantly surprised her with his scan results.

"His scans came back not too bad," she said. "You can see the area he injured a couple of weeks ago and he's got a bit of swelling around that but there was no sign of any new injury.

"Two hours ago I would have said he was gone for all money but this looks really good. He's already been in the hyperbaric chamber and he'll be in there (Tuesday) and the next day. If he's comfortable, I'll have him running (Tuesday)."

The grand final would be Cross's last game for the Storm before he heads to Newcastle next year.

Smith will not be suspended, whether or not he enters an early guilty plea or opts to defend the charge, as it does not carry enough penalty points to incur a ban.

The Storm also received good news on injured duo Israel Folau (calf) and Clint Newton (ankle) with both today declared likely starters on Sunday.

"It was a little bit better news but we'll just have to see how they go the next couple of days and wait until we train," coach Craig Bellamy said.

"Sometimes you think things are improving pretty well until you start running on them, but things are looking a bit better this morning than they were last night."

But "precaution" was the word of the day as the Manly players greeted fans at Narrabeen before captain Matt Orford and star fullback Brett Stewart were sent for scans.

Orford has a hamstring twinge after Saturday's 28-6 preliminary final win over North Queensland while Stewart was sent for precautionary scans on a knee injury. Both will find out the results Tuesday.

"I've just had a bit of a tight hammy, nothing too bad, just a precaution," Orford said.

New South Wales fullback Stewart declared himself a certain starter despite his trip to the x-ray clinic.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," he said. "My knee was aching a bit after the game, so I'm just getting some x-rays soon as a precaution but it's not too serious."

Joining Orford and Stewart in recovery were hooker Michael Monaghan (concussion), wingers Michael Robertson (concussion) and Chris Hicks (ankle), centre pairing Steve Bell (cork) and Steve Matai (ankle), prop Brent Kite (groin), second-rower Glenn Stewart (ankle), lock Luke Williamson (ankle) and veteran utility Steve Menzies (cork).

Monaghan took a heavy knock in the first half against the Cowboys but returned for the second and played a starring role out of dummy-half despite looking dazed.

"(It's) just precaution, I'll be back on deck (Tuesday) and ready to go," he said. "I haven't had any dramas since the game and feel pretty good actually. We've sort of got our own protocols that we go through and every player that gets concussion will do that and I'll see the doc after this and I can't imagine there'll be any problems."

Coach Des Hasler wasn't counting his chickens, but he was confident his most seriously injured player, Hicks, would return after missing the preliminary final.

"He's a very big chance now of playing having missed last week, he should be right and he'll be in calculations for sure," Hasler said.

"More than likely (there will be no changes) but we don't know who else might succumb to injury, we don't know yet, we'll see later in the week.

AAP

[jenny]

Sydney still hates us

By David Beniuk, Todd Balym and Melissa Woods
September 24, 2007

STEVE Menzies has played for Manly long enough to know Sydney's traditional hatred of the Sea Eagles won't disappear just because they're playing a team from Melbourne in the NRL grand final.

Menzies, who made his debut for the club in 1993, has even done the figures.

"We might get 20 per cent of the people that live in Sydney that don't normally go for Manly (who) want us to win," he said. "I've been at Manly too long to think that everyone, just because they live in Sydney, are going to go for us.

"Being Manly, we'll still get a few people that live in Sydney that are going to go for Melbourne."

More idealistic Sea Eagles have called on Sydneysiders to put their rivalry with the southern capital ahead of their dislike of rugby league's silvertails.

Incredibly, they've even bandied about a tag normally reserved for South Sydney or the Wests Tigers - "everyone's second team".

"Everywhere we go, on one side of the (Spit) bridge or the other, people are right behind us," second-rower Anthony Watmough said.

"I don't think we're the team everyone loves to hate anymore. We're the team everyone is starting to shine to and take in as a second team."

Skipper Matt Orford, though, has shown himself to be more of a realist. "Being the only Sydney team in the grand final I'd like to think that everyone loves Manly at the moment," he said.

"I don't know whether we've roped a few other people in to come to the dark side but we've had some great support."

Just who Sunday's Telstra Stadium crowd gets behind remains to be seen, with the remaining tickets to go on sale Tuesday morning. Four thousand of the 14,000 first allocated to season ticket holders were snapped up.

The Storm encountered a "neutral" crowd last year when they played fellow out-of-towners Brisbane and are expecting more boos on Sunday.

"Being the only Sydney team in the grand final they'll (Manly) get a fair bit of support," captain Cameron Smith said.

"They don't really like the Victorians, the blue-baggers, so we're going to be copping a fair bit of boos when we run out.

"Last year it was about 50-50, with the Broncos, but with a New South Wales team in there all Sydneysiders will be behind them."

Menzies, of course, has crunched the figures.

"I'm doing my numbers," he said of his side's likely crowd support. "That will probably bring it to 50-50. We'll probably get more support because they're in Melbourne and they have to travel a bit further so we'll get a fair bit of support.

"But the people on the fence - we'll only get 20 per cent of them."

AAP

[Dragons]

Gotta be Manly as they were the better looking team on the weekend. And any team outside of NSW (except the Titans) should not be in our final. LOL

[~lee~]

The itiniary would have flowed better with the eels in the grand final.

[Old Diehard]

]And any team outside of NSW (except the Titans) should not be in our final. LOL[/B]

I agree - in fact I'm so much in agreement that all the teams outside NSW should be kicked out that I hope sponsors, Channel 9 and Foxtel push for that too happen! And the new Jesery Flegg U20 comp should only have Sydney clubs & Newcastle in it!

That would make my day!

[Super Cronk]

The itiniary would have flowed better with the eels in the grand final.

Hows it hanging mate? you get the replay yet?