RD 26: Storm vs Sea Eagles

[Queenslander]

MELBOURNE STORM v MANLY SEA EAGLES
Saturday 2nd September at Olympic Park, 7.30pm

Referee: Paul Simpkins
Referee: Shayne Hayne

Team Notes:

Storm

Sea Eagles

The Sea Eagles are one of only four clubs to have beaten the league leaders this season, having won 34-12 in Round 11

STORM:

Billy Slater,
Matt Geyer,
Matt King,
Greg Inglis,
Steve Turner,
Scott Hill,
Cooper Cronk,
Antonio Kaufusi,
Cameron Smith,
Brett White,
David Kidwell,
Ryan Hoffman,
Dallas Johnson.

Interchange:

Adam Blair,
Jeremy Smith,
Garret Crossman,
Nathan Friend,
Michael Crocker,
Jake Webster (two to be omitted).

SEA EAGLES:

Brett Stewart,
Michael Robertson,
Steve Bell,
Steve Matai,
Chris Hicks,
Travis Burns,
Matt Orford (capt),
Jason King,
Michael Monaghan,
Brent Kite,
Steve Menzies,
Anthony Watmough,
Luke Williamson.

Interchange:

Shane Dunley,
Kylie Leuluai,
Mark Bryant,
George Rose.

***Please use this thread for game day spoilers***

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

I think manly can do this, their recent form shows they can match it with the best, melbournes spark and intensity seems to have dropped a bit, it will be a great game.

[philstorm]

I think manly can do this, their recent form shows they can match it with the best, melbournes spark and intensity seems to have dropped a bit, it will be a great game.

Rubbish. Biggest fallacy on online forums is this notion that we've 'dropped intensity'. We've lost 1 game from 15, Hoppy.

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

Rubbish. Biggest fallacy on online forums is this notion that we've 'dropped intensity'. We've lost 1 game from 15, Hoppy

U trailed to the Broncos and the raiders really gave it to you, i watch everygame on fox, i don't reflect on results, i reflect on what i see on the t.v., melbourne at periods during recent games have dropped intensity and concentration, they fact they were beaten at home by the warriors when they should have beaten them, shows, they switched off and arn't playing as well during that peak in the middle of the season.

[Poida]

storm to win by 7

[philstorm]

U trailed to the Broncos and the raiders really gave it to you, i watch everygame on fox, i don't reflect on results, i reflect on what i see on the t.v., melbourne at periods during recent games have dropped intensity and concentration, they fact they were beaten at home by the warriors when they should have beaten them, shows, they switched off and arn't playing as well during that peak in the middle of the season.

Ever team expects a loss hear and then. Admittedly we had a poor first half against the Broncos - but the second half was one of the best i've seen us play. We admittedly played very, very poorly against the Warriors, but the fact that we lost by only 4 points really says something in my opinion.

I'm not pointing fingers, but do you believe the Dragons are in form?

[Queenslander]

RD 26 Preview Storm v Sea Eagles
Wednesday, August 30, 2006 - 12:35 PM

This is finals football come early. While Melbourne are guaranteed top spot and will host a home final on September 10, Manly can finish anywhere from third to sixth and with a victory needed to secure a home semi, you can be assured they?ll be ready to play come Saturday night.

The Sea Eagles are one of only four clubs to have beaten the league leaders this season, having won 34-12 in Round 11 in a match devoid of any State of Origin stars.

But this clash shapes as a closer tussle as both sides try to build form into the playoffs.

The Storm defence doesn?t generally crack easily, having only conceded 384 points (bettered only by Brisbane?s 380) but the Sea Eagles should attempt to get at them with attacking kicks.

In their last meeting, Manly scored four tries direct from kicks and Melbourne?s kick defence, having let in 20 tries (5th worst in NRL) is quite vulnerable. Manly are also the second most successful team in the competition (see table) at forcing repeat sets of six when they can grubber the ball into the in-goal from the boot.

Repeat sets help build pressure and even the best defences find it difficult to maintain constant pressure on their line.

Interestingly enough, the Storm are the worst at this, maybe due to the small in-goals at Olympic Park.

It might be an idea for the Eagles to shape to kick on a few occasions, because Craig Bellamy will no doubt have his charges looking out for it, but then run the ball on the last tackle to catch out defenders.

Bellamy might have a dilemma in trying to work out exactly where to focus his attacking game plan. On one hand his left-side attack of Matt King and Steve Turner is much more prolific than the right, scoring 46 tries compared to 29, but on the other hand the Manly left-side defence is the weaker of the two sides, having conceded 30 tries compared to 21.

Greg Inglis, who ran riot against Canberra last weekend, is set to be unleashed at Matt Orford (should he play), Steve Matai and Michael Robertson down Manly?s left side in what could be a worrying sight for Eagles coach Des Hasler.

Hasler will be telling his troops not to clock off in defence at any time because the Storm have scored more tries than any other team from over halfway, with 20 four-pointers.

With Inglis, Billy Slater, Turner and King lurking out wide they have speed to burn and anything is possible at any time. In fact, Matt Geyer scored a try from long range in their round 11 meeting, so they should be all too well aware of this.

Another combination the Sea Eagles should watch for is the impressive Cooper Cronk/Ryan Hoffman double act. Hoffman is pushing for Tri Nations honours after an impressive year and his combination with halfback Cronk has been extremely damaging.

Running on the edges, Hoffman is a great target for Cronk and if Manly hold off he?ll hit the big second-rower all day. Canberra held off last weekend and Hoffman powered over for a try.so the Sea Eagles will need to get up and into his face so he can?t get up too much steam.

But they?ll have to keep their wits about them because Slater will also double around behind Hoffman, giving Cronk a second option. If they cover Hoffman, Cronk will go to the speedy Slater, but if they slide off the back rower and aim at the fullback, Cronk will go for the big man.

Both options need to be contained, a feat easier said than done.

Danger sign: Matt Orford spells danger with a capital ?D? for the home side. Returning to Melbourne for the first time since he departed a year ago, the Sea

Eagles? No. 7 will be primed to put one over his old club.

Best Bet? The Storm slipped up once on home soil, but they won?t slip twice. Take Melbourne at the 1-12 Margin.

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

no i don't think we are in top form, that is yet to come, not long though, but the game against the tigers was very promising and everything seemed to string together, the sharks game was a little dissapointing but still got the win, so we will see how both sides cope in the finals. Still the Storm didn't play that well agianst the raiders or the warriors.

[SuperCliffy#01]

This will be tough for Manly down in Melbourne, but Manly are show some good form and are doing what is needed to win and keep winning, i do fear this game as is it is vital for us to win to remain third, but i am confident that the Sea Eagles can do it.

Manly by <6.cya.

[DeeGan]

Tough game to pick - I went Melbourne for two reasons; they are at home and Ben Kennedy is unlikely to be risked. BK playing may have swung me to pick Manly who are looking to secure a top four spot.

Look forward to the game, Orford faces a good test and can silence all that doubt his big game play.

[mb63]

Disappointed Jake Webster looks like missing out & may only get a recall in the event of injuries.Despite dropping a little form he has been good all year & I think Storm will regret leaving him out.Think Storm will still beat Manly by around 8.

[Grimmace]

Melbourne Primed for Manly
Friday, September 1, 2006 - 1:16 PM

Manly might have a top 4 position on the line when they take on Melbourne at Olympic Park on Saturday night but try telling the Storm players they have nothing to play for.



The Storm have the minor premiership and a home final wrapped up and could be excused for putting their stars in cotton wool.



However veteran Matt Geyer says they may have top spot locked up but there?s no room for complacency in this game.



?No not at all. The Giltinan shield is coming down and it would be an empty feeling to be presented that after a loss.

Plus the fact Manly beat us earlier in the season and we need to be playing good footy going into the finals.?



A buzz has gone through the club this week with the J.J.Giltinan shield set to be presented, for the minor premiership, following the Manly game and Geyer says it will be an unforgettable moment in the Storm?s history.



?I thought we?d never get it down here, especially in my time. It?s a definite honour, something you try hard for and the first of two trophies you want to win.

From the start we?ve always been a successful club and only missed the finals twice in 9 years but we?ve always finished 5th or 6th with about a 50% win /loss record.?



Geyer says the difference this year is training with the same commitment they expect on the field and it?s paid dividends.



?A few weeks ago we had a pretty ordinary training session and over the years we might have accepted a session like that and brushed it off to pick up next time.



This year we don?t tolerate it and all those little things add up, it?s not the only thing that?s worked this year but it?s definitely helping us through the season.?



Third placed Manly are shaping as a real premiership threat with two wins over the Bulldogs this season and is a real bogey side to the Storm winning 4 of the last 5 encounters and Geyer can?t find the reason why.



?Yeah we always find it tough to beat them. Against the Bulldogs we?ve won a couple lately, but before that I think it was like 11 in a row. Manly doesn?t have a streak against us but we always struggle against them.



I?m not sure what it is as they?ve had some personnel changes over the years maybe it?s the way they play the game or something that?s ingrained at the club but we?re hoping to change that.?



Manly have two former Storm stars in Matt Orford and Steve Bell returning for the first time and Geyer says plans have been made to counter Orford?s kicking game.

?Matt and Brett Kimmorley as two former halfbacks at our club know the graveyard pretty well but every good half back needs a good forward pack in front of him. So we need to worry about that first.



They do have some old boys who know us, but we know their games pretty well too.?



The Storm have an embarrassment of riches with two internationals on a 6 man bench in Jake Webster and Michael Crocker.



Geyer says Crocker has made a big impact at the club and they are 10 wins from 10 starts when he plays.



?I don?t think that?s a coincidence either. We?ve nicknamed him 7 because he runs around the field like a 7 year old soccer player! Wherever the ball is, he is. So you?re always only a small step away from finding Michael Crocker and that?s a good thing because he?s always bursting with energy, he?s such a competitor and hopefully we can keep his winning record intact here.?



With the final places in the top 4 to be decided Geyer isn?t surprised fans of Brisbane, Newcastle, the Dragons and Parramatta will be cheering the Storm on against Manly.

?We?ve always felt like we?re everyone?s second team so I guess we?re just going to recruit a few temporary supporters, but we?re really interested in who turns up at the ground. We?ve been getting bigger crowds this season and playing good footy.



We?ve got some real stars in our team so I hope we get a real big crowd on Saturday night.?



Melbourne won their only grand final appearance in 1999 beating the favourites St.George Illawarra and Geyer says he learnt some valuable lessons in that finals series.



?In 99 we had a lot of luck and that?s why it?s important not to get ahead of yourself. We beat a lot of teams who were favourites, we played some good footy, but we had some luck too.



So in the finals we can be the favourite but you have to be prepared for luck to go against you, when it gets to sudden death and the luck goes against you, you can be just half a minute away from being out of the race.?



In 2003 and 2004 the Bulldogs dispatched the Storm in the finals series and the pair are 1 and 2 on the ladder this season but Geyer says beating the Bulldogs on Grand final day isn?t their idea of payback.



?If you can get us a ticket to grand final day it doesn?t matter who it?s against. You forget your opponent and what?s happened in the past, it?s all down to the day.



You?d probably prefer not to play the Bulldogs, but then again anyone who gets there will be a good side.?

Source: NRL

[Steve Dangerous]

Reallyyy important game. Not just for Manly's top 4 aspirations, but if they can get a win here they're looking in very good stead for the finals. While the storm will want a comfortable victory after dropping the intensity slightly lately. All adds up for a fiery match.

[BRONCOS FAN]

I really hope storm win so broncos can get 3rd on the ladder..

[Super Cronk]

First time ive seen the team!

Great that Crocker is back...i hope he gets a run.

he game starts in an hour and im predicting a strong game vs Manly...storm by 8 points.