Round 23: Melbourne Storm vs Gold Coast Titans

[Toads]

Tend to agree with Pete when it comes to last night's game.

Even though we generally fell short of a few wins this year. I can't help but think we're building on something BIG of 2013. We'll be in the Top 4 all next season long!

[kwigibo]

I'm sick of these contrived losses, I miss last year when they lost just by being bad.

I've come to the realization that if I want my team to succeed, they'll probably need to play like the storm ie; cheat constantly in the ruck in a manner that you don't constantly get penalised. There's a trick to it, and it was more effective when your owners also owned the league and the salary cap didn't apply to you.

Would I still want to support them, though?

[teke]

Tend to agree with Pete when it comes to last night's game.

Even though we generally fell short of a few wins this year. I can't help but think we're building on something BIG of 2013. We'll be in the Top 4 all next season long!

That's why im not too disheartened atm because I can see a good 2013 coming up. I think they will be top 8 all year long next year.

[Toads]

Realistically, you're spot on, teke. I'm just being very slightly over optimistic.

[Titanic]

Playing left side and playing left centre are not the same thing although i can see your pt. Ok if Bird is supposedly injured this week would you as coach leave him out to make way for Hendololol.

The way Cartwright sets them up it is exactly the same = stand flat, no pass or turn the ball back inside. All the punters can bet their last brass razzoos that Henderson will be back this week.

Even though we generally fell short of a few wins this year. I can't help but think we're building on something BIG of 2013. We'll be in the Top 4 all next season long!

Not without some sort of relief in the backs ... we have really got nothing out of Champion and if he is our future then we are stuffed. Idris will not blossom under this structure either so a top 8 position will still be a lottery.

[C-Whiz]

I wouldn't be too hard on anybody out of that performance, least of all Falloon. There were a couple of contentious calls but to say we were beaten by the refs is a huge stretch.

It is just about impossible to win with a 15 man rotation in the modern era. Brave, brave effort.

Yeah we weren't beaten by the refs.

I thought the team played alright and steadied the ship after the Storms initial 2nd half blitz. It had all the makings to get worse but the team stuck tough.

Idris made some desperate tackles in defence

We lost by 8 points that came from a forward pass and an obstruction.
Considering we were down 3 starting players after 15mins, what ever their other shortfalls, its hard to knock the boys for this loss.

I thought we played well.

Defence was outstanding in the first half.

All of the above.

We got caught short in the first 10 minutes after the break, and the Storm try off the forward pass was ridiculous, but we hung tough and I thought it was a great effort. Not our best game, but we showed the sort of heart that proves that the players believe in themselves again. Even Jamal earnt almost half of his paycheck last night.

[Jamal's Hamstring]

I have no issue with how the Storm plays the game. As a matter of fact I respect their structure, their discipline and I believe Bellamy is the best coach in the game.

Opposition fans aways whinge about 'that other mob of grubs.' I like the mongrel. I like it when Bird and Myles do their dirty little tricks in tackles.

Its football. Don't whinge when we get a little bit back. It's not a new invention and it's not going away.

[Ryan]

I have no issue with how the Storm plays the game. As a matter of fact I respect their structure, their discipline and I believe Bellamy is the best coach in the game.

Opposition fans aways whinge about 'that other mob of grubs.' I like the mongrel. I like it when Bird and Myles do their dirty little tricks in tackles.

Its football. Don't whinge when we get a little bit back. It's not a new invention and it's not going away.

Manipulating crucial joints, tendons, spinal cords and such IS NOT ****ING FOOTBALL!

The tactics the Storm players have been trained to employ are even banned in cage fighting, and for very good reason. And some people are worried about shoulder charges......

I have no respect for clubs, coaches or players who structure their game on covertly injuring a grounded opponent. It's a blight on our game :boo:

Theres a diffence between rubbing your forearm is someones face and placing pressure on his spinal cord....

[Tamwelg]

All of the above.

We got caught short in the first 10 minutes after the break, and the Storm try off the forward pass was ridiculous, but we hung tough and I thought it was a great effort. Not our best game, but we showed the sort of heart that proves that the players believe in themselves again. Even Jamal earnt almost half of his paycheck last night.

I agree, but I'll add I was not a fan of Mead up the back. He went ok for his first game there for the Titans, but he's killing it on the wing and should stay there IMO.

[Jamal's Hamstring]

Manipulating crucial joints, tendons, spinal cords and such IS NOT ****ING FOOTBALL!

The tactics the Storm players have been trained to employ are even banned in cage fighting, and for very good reason. And some people are worried about shoulder charges......

Got an example of that happening last night? As a matter of fact I don't think I recall seeing spinal cords, tendons or small joints (it's small joint manipulation that is banned in MMA- not crucial joint [I'd suggest knees, elbows, shoulders are crucial and all are target of legal moves in 'cage fighting'] being zoned in on recently in any game.

The tactics the Storm employ- or have employed in the past- are designed to slow the play the ball. Most teams employ the very same tactics now. Grapple tackles and chicken wings are outlawed and penalised accordingly. Often leg pulls are as well.

Look- I'm disappointed we lost too. I don't think the Storm are the embodiment of evil.

I'm also curious why you feel rubbing forearms / elbows on a grounded opponent are ok? Isn't the intent the same? Injure / intimidate? Maybe antagonise to give rise to retaliation and a penalty.

[Jamal's Hamstring]

he's killing it on the wing and should stay there IMO.

If it ain't broke.... Given Zilly's withdrawal prompted the move, but I really prefer Meady crossing over once or twice a game from the wing

Bloke's a gun.

[Ryan]

Got an example of that happening last night? As a matter of fact I don't think I recall seeing spinal cords, tendons or small joints (it's small joint manipulation that is banned in MMA- not crucial joint [I'd suggest knees, elbows, shoulders are crucial and all are target of legal moves in 'cage fighting'] being zoned in on recently in any game.

The tactics the Storm employ- or have employed in the past- are designed to slow the play the ball. Most teams employ the very same tactics now. Grapple tackles and chicken wings are outlawed and penalised accordingly. Often leg pulls are as well.

Look- I'm disappointed we lost too. I don't think the Storm are the embodiment of evil.

I'm also curious why you feel rubbing forearms / elbows on a grounded opponent are ok? Isn't the intent the same? Injure / intimidate? Maybe antagonise to give rise to retaliation and a penalty.

Someone questioned an existing Storm-introduced tactic (rolling pin) being used in last nights game, obviously it hasn't been verified or proven, but my point was that the Storm have form with that type of conduct and it's not surprising to hear such allegation.

Pretty much every tackling technique that has been made illegal in the last few years was introduced by the Storm. Grapple, chin-strap, crusher - all tackles that put dangerous pressure on the neck. Then theres the chicken wing, ripper and rolling pin. There is numerous amounts of video\photo evidence showing it, and the Storm have indisputably been critisized by almost every relevant figure in the game for introducing them. Some teams copied the Storm after seeing them get away with it, but no other team has categorically developed & introduced them like the Storm has.

You gotta question ones ethics when they continually decide that gaining a half second avantage in a game is worth risking long term injury on another athlete. 16 teams in the comp, only one of them consistently brings the games sportsmanship into disrepute. A simple google search reveals one common denominator when searching NRL stories\photos regarding illegal and injury threatening tactics...

And if you can't distinguish the diffence between a face rub and your neck being twisted or crushed - Then you are either in denial or just a lost cause

[teke]

I agree, but I'll add I was not a fan of Mead up the back. He went ok for his first game there for the Titans, but he's killing it on the wing and should stay there IMO.

Stay on the wing begging for the ball while a Q Cup ring in goes to FB (when Zilly is out)? You wont keep him at the club if he is not moved after next year

[Jamal's Hamstring]

Someone questioned an existing Storm-introduced tactic (rolling pin) being used in last nights game, obviously it hasn't been verified or proven, but my point was that the Storm have form with that type of conduct and it's not surprising to hear such allegation.

Pretty much every tackling technique that has been made illegal in the last few years was introduced by the Storm. Grapple, chin-strap, crusher - all tackles that put dangerous pressure on the neck. Then theres the chicken wing, ripper and rolling pin. There is numerous amounts of video\photo evidence showing it, and the Storm have indisputably been critisized by almost every relevant figure in the game for introducing them. Some teams copied the Storm after seeing them get away with it, but no other team has categorically developed & introduced them like the Storm has.

You gotta question ones ethics when they continually decide that gaining a half second avantage in a game is worth risking long term injury on another athlete. 16 teams in the comp, only one of them consistently brings the games sportsmanship into disrepute. A simple google search reveals one common denominator when searching NRL stories\photos regarding illegal and injury threatening tactics...

And if you can't distinguish the diffence between a face rub and your neck being twisted or crushed - Then you are either in denial or just a lost cause

We'll have to agree to disagree there mate. I will grant you the salary cap thing (althought not mentioned here) is a big issue, but the Storm weren't the only one's caught in the history of the game, and nor are they the only team giving out top ups to make deals more enticing.

teke- Meady is really keen for the shift to get more ball? I wonder if he would be happier on the wing with better service from higher quality ball players? Is it a distinct want to play FB, or is it simply he isn't getting the ball under the current game plan?

[teke]

teke- Meady is really keen for the shift to get more ball? I wonder if he would be happier on the wing with better service from higher quality ball players? Is it a distinct want to play FB, or is it simply he isn't getting the ball under the current game plan?

In current squad he is happy doing what he can for the team to win cause that's how Dave is. I have been in his ear that he should not be on the wing in 2 yrs time, my words not his. Getting more ball will probably be the result from the team being more successful which is usually the case in any successful squad.