Round 22: STORM vs TITANS

[DIEHARD]

LU Storm v Titans preview http://leagueunlimited.com/news/2664...titans-preview

[DIEHARD]

Storm's Glasby keen to get one over Taylor
http://www.sbs.com.au/

Melbourne NRL prop Tim Glasby feels he's finally due a win over Gold Coast's Dave Taylor.

Glasby, 26 and Taylor, 27 have been butting heads on the rugby league field since school days in central Queensland.

Ahead of their AAMI Park clash on Sunday afternoon, the Storm forward recalls that Taylor usually got the better of him.

"Our schools used to play against each other and he was a handful then," Glasby said.

"He was about the same size then back in high school as he is now so it's nothing new to me."

It's not just Taylor, who will leave the Titans at the end of the season for Super League outfit Les Catalans, that the Storm have to worry about size-wise.

Skipper Nate Myles is returning from injury to join Luke Douglas in the front-row while Eddy Pettybourne is also lining up on the bench alongside Taylor.

A win is something the Storm desperately need to keep alive their slim chances of a top four finish heading into the finals.

A shock last-round loss to then last-placed Wests Tigers saw them fall to sixth.

Glasby, who has been converted from the second row into a starting prop following injuries to their usual big men, said Melbourne were focused to make amends for that result.

"We've had a couple of tough training days after a frank and honest review," he said.

"We're not going into this match thinking that our top four hopes are on the line because we can't control what other teams do.

"We just need to learn from where we went wrong."

Prior to last week's win over the Eels, the Titans had lost five games in a row by double-digit margins conceding an average of nearly 32 points a game.

But Glasby said they were a better team than their lowly ladder position suggested.

"They've had a few injuries this season but the results have shown that any team can beat any other so we need to be switched on."

[DIEHARD]

Round 14, 2014
Melbourne Storm 24
Tries: Will Chambers 2, Ben Roberts, Ben Hampton, Kurt Mann
Goals: Ben Roberts

Defeated.

Gold Coast Titans 20
Tries: Kevin Gordon 2, James Roberts, Brad Tighe
Goals: Kevin Gordon

at CBUS Super Stadium.

[DIEHARD]

Current ladder.

[DIEHARD]

Melbourne Storm star Marika Koroibete wants consistency from team and himself

In some ways Marika Koroibete's season has mirrored the form of his Melbourne Storm side.

The highlights for the Fijian winger have been brilliant while the lows have been frustrating.

In the Storm's past three matches they have had big wins over Penrith and St George-Illawarra followed by a loss to the struggling Wests Tigers last round - against his old club Koroibete scored two tries early but he and his side faded in the last hour to lose the game.

Against Gold Coast Titans at AAMI Park on Sunday they will be out to not only atone for last round, but also searching for a winning formula for the run to the NRL finals.

Koroibete rates his own season as inconsistent although, he has still scored 14 tries in 17 matches [sixth in NRL] showing that, just like the Storm, his best play is as good as any player in the NRL.

"It has not been a consistent season for me - I've been pretty much inconsistent," Koroibete said.

"But everyone should be all good now because the Origin boys have come back so we should start winning every game."

Koroibete started the season with some impressive long tries showing the fruits of his first full preseason with the club after transferring to Melbourne in the middle of last season.

But in early June he fractured his thumb against Sydney Roosters and missed a month - his loss further compounded the Storm's troubles during State of Origin as they lacked his attacking speed plus the talents of veteran stars like Cameron Smith and Cooper Cronk.

"I can't remember how I injured it - the last thing I remember was contesting the ball against the Roosters and I got up and felt some pain," Koroibete said.

"That thumb has always been a bit loose so I strap it up but after the game I saw the physio and he said I had a broken thumb.

"Most games it's sore but I didn't think it was that bad."

While he was out Koroibete welcomed his first child, son Iliesa, into the world with wife Emma.

Koroibete said he felt more responsibility now he was a parent.

"It's a big motivation for me, I have a son, I have some responsibility on me and it will make me work harder to put the food on the table," the 23-year-old said.

"It was a really good feeling, especially to have kids at a young age, hopefully he will grow up and can see me play."

While scoring lightning fast tries is his NRL trademark, Koroibete said putting his son to sleep was his best parenting skill.

"Just putting the baby to sleep and carrying him around the house - he is a big boy and getting very heavy so that means I'm doing some extra weights," Koroibete said.

"Looking at him, holding him, seeing him when he goes to sleep - that is the best part of it."

As for the Storm's chances at making a run at the NRL premiership, Koroibete said the side had to take hold of their season.

"Everyone is frustrated but we just have to work hard, bond together and get a win, week in, week out for the rest of the year," Koroibete said.

The Storm play Gold Coast Titans at AAMI Park on Sunday at 2pm.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/

[TITAN PETE]

Storm wary of complacency, and Bird

Sun 09 Aug, 2015, 7:30am
By William Botoulas, Melbourne Correspondent, NRL.com

Melbourne's best football is good enough to beat any team in the competition.

However it is their inability to display it for the full 80 minutes so far that has been the struggle for the Storm this season.

So far their 2015 campaign has included some dominant wins over strong opponents, while other results have left their supporters understandably gob-smacked. Recent weeks are a testament to that.

Double-digit wins over the Panthers and Dragons were followed by an 18-point loss to last week's bottom-placed side the Wests Tigers.

Against the Tigers Melbourne burst out of the blocks, scoring the first two tries before allowing six of the next seven. That mid-game drop of fuels the belief that their unpredictable form line can change not only from game to game but also minute to minute.

As they prepare to again go into a contest as overwhelming favourites, hosting the 14th placed Titans on Sunday, their string of up-and-down results needs to stop.

A win would again put them within touching distance of the top four while a loss could see them slip as low as eighth and uncomfortably within reach of the chasing pack.


In spite of all their peaks and troughs the Storm playing group has remained steadfastly confident in the belief that their best is capable of beating any team in the competition.

"I think so, it is probably just about consistently playing for 80 minutes and I guess that is something that the top four [teams] have done on a regular basis," Storm lock Dale Finucane told NRL.com

"I'm not sure if complacency comes into it at all, it is hard to put your finger on it… at stages our execution wasn't great, some of our defensive reads weren't great as well.

"The mood has been quite good this week actually; you can't dwell on it too much otherwise it will creep into your performance this week."

Finucane will have his hands full on Sunday against opposing number Greg Bird, a player so vital to the Titans' fortunes.

It was Bird's last-minute penalty kick that sent the Gold Coast home victorious from their last visit to AAMI Park in Round 5 last season, in was the Titans' second win in Melbourne from seven visits.

The Storm lock knows he will be a busy man trying to outdo the opposition's proven match-winner.

"It is always really challenging to go up against someone of Greg Bird's caliber," Finucane said.

"He's been at the peak of his career for a long time and it is always good to test yourself against those guys and gauge yourself where you're at."

The Storm host the Titans at 2pm on Sunday at AAMI Park.

[hammer]

Channel 9 stating that Myles is out today and Pettybourne out also due to the flu.

[TitanSam]

Ooooo if Hala plays then he'll be the 100th Titan!!

[toddythetitan]

I saw a pic of eddy doing the castle hill run on renee gartners instagram?

[Bayside Titan]

@travismeyn: Beau Falloon dropped for Daniel Mortimer. Hala in for Pettybourne. Myles OUT. #NRLstormtitans

[gotitans101_]

Think I'd still rather have Falloon out there than Mortimer...

[Titan4Life]

Why take the two when we're looking so sharp?!? Stupid....

[gotitans101_]

White, ffs

[Titan4Life]

Melbourne been on top ever since we took the two.

- - - Updated - - -

NEK MINNIT!!! Great work Sezer, Morts and LG.

[gotitans101_]

got out of jail there...poor effort by Macdonald...needs to work on his D badly.