PRE-GAME Round 20 - Broncos vs Storm

[Locky’s Left Boot]

I watched Tweed on Sunday and thought Coates’ defence was excellent. I observed him carefully, he was more sure of his role and less jumpy. He stayed with his hips square didn’t rush or turn in and was communicating.

Tweed were terrible and had to do a lot more defence but Coates was very strong. Cutters put him under pressure.

You might be able to answer me this but do you know why Coates is playing for a Titans feeder club rather than a Broncos one? I know he is a Tweed junior but I would have thought he would be playing for Wynnum or someone by now, now that he is in our system

 

[Broncapz]

As soon as Smith retires, Storm are done, Bellamy is done. Bellamy and Meniga would have been nothing without Smith. Look at their records in teams without Smith.

No player in the history of the NRL has as much of a positive effect on a team as Cameron Smith. He is without a doubt in my mind, the first picked on a team in any draft situation and that makes him the GOAT.

 

[Fernando]

Melbourne's 15-8 grand final loss to the Broncos in 2006 no doubt still sticks in the craw for the Storm but since then Brisbane have lost all four finals played against Melbourne.

3 of those with an illegal team. Beats me why any achievements at all from the Storm during that period are counted.

 

[theshed]

As soon as Smith retires, Storm are done, Bellamy is done. Bellamy and Meniga would have been nothing without Smith. Look at their records in teams without Smith.

No player in the history of the NRL has as much of a positive effect on a team as Cameron Smith. He is without a doubt in my mind, the first picked on a team in any draft situation and that makes him the GOAT.

I definitely don’t think they are done. They may struggle to be at the same level but they’ll still be there about. We said they wouldn’t be the same after the salary cap broke up their team, within 2 years they were. We said they wouldnt be the same without the big 3, they lose Cronk and barely miss a beat, they lose Slater and are having one of their most dominant years to date (post cap cheating).

They have good young players filling the wholes, and yeah the loss of Smith will be their biggest challenge yet but they won’t all of a sudden become the west tigers or the dragons.

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

unfortunately there are a few certainties in life, death, taxes, losing to the storm. it's an absolute write-off of a fixture for me.

don't get me wrong, i'll be watching and hoping for the best...

i expect us to score early, storm hit back with 2-3 tries, us get to within a try, a 5-10 minute period where we look like we're on top and could equalize, butcher a few chances, storm go up the other end and score, we lose by 12-14 points and complain on here after the game that we didn't take our chances.

it will be an absolute fucking miracle if we win.

Which is why I have thrown $500 on the Storm at $1.50 to help soften the blow. Might continue to do that for this fixture until either Smith retires or we break the hoodoo.

 

[abashii]

As soon as Smith retires, Storm are done, Bellamy is done. Bellamy and Meniga would have been nothing without Smith. Look at their records in teams without Smith.

Not just that, it's any of the big three. Bellamy's never won a gf without having all three of those available, without Smith they got smashed by Manly, without Slater they lost to the Sharks and without Cronk they lost playing against essentially 12 men and an onfield coach even with Smith playing the grub and working over Cronk's shoulder every chance he got. Without Cronk we also lost the origin shield in 2014.

 

[BroncsFan]

I definitely don’t think they are done. They may struggle to be at the same level but they’ll still be there about. We said they wouldn’t be the same after the salary cap broke up their team, within 2 years they were. We said they wouldnt be the same without the big 3, they lose Cronk and barely miss a beat, they lose Slater and are having one of their most dominant years to date (post cap cheating).

They have good young players filling the wholes, and yeah the loss of Smith will be their biggest challenge yet but they won’t all of a sudden become the west tigers or the dragons.

That is true to an extent, but when Cooper retired they brought in Croft who looks similar and Cam is now playing a bit of first receiver whilst Croft adjusts.

When they lost Billy they had young guys in Drinkwater, Hughes and Pap who could come in and play a similar role (supporting through the middle and finishing attacking movements).

When they lose Cam they may need to change their entire game plan... Brandon Smith looks a very good prospect, but he plays nothing like Cam so they won't have a controlling game manager at dummy half, which they've had for the last 12 or so years.

There is Harry Grant though... I know he has been absolutely killing it in ISC, but I've not seen him play. For those in the know is he more of a Cam Smith or Brandon Smith??

 

[Locky’s Left Boot]

That is true to an extent, but when Cooper retired they brought in Croft who looks similar and Cam is now playing a bit of first receiver whilst Croft adjusts.

When they lost Billy they had young guys in Drinkwater, Hughes and Pap who could come in and play a similar role (supporting through the middle and finishing attacking movements).

When they lose Cam they may need to change their entire game plan... Brandon Smith looks a very good prospect, but he plays nothing like Cam so they won't have a controlling game manager at dummy half, which they've had for the last 12 or so years.

There is Harry Grant though... I know he has been absolutely killing it in ISC, but I've not seen him play. For those in the know is he more of a Cam Smith or Brandon Smith??

I can’t understand how there is no whispers of any clubs going after Brendon Smith or Harry Grant. Especially when you hear Cameron Smith say that playing on in 2020 with 2021 still a real possibility with the way he is feeling physically and mentally.

A club like the Warriors should be throwing the chequebook at Brendon to replace Issac Luke. I can’t see Brendon turning down his home nation who could offer a starting spot plus probably double what he is on money wise at Melbourne to sit behind Cameron for another 2 and a half seasons playing a 40 minute battering ram role off the bench.

Yet all the talk is still about everyone going after our crop of players. The Titans for instance should be after Papenhuyzen saying we will offer more than Melbourne and you will be our starting fullback, not stuck behind Jahrome Hughes for the foreseeable future.

 

[Xzei]

Brandon smith is signed through till the end of 2022 im guessing he has been told he is in there long term plans.not sure about harry grant though.

 

[KnToad]

Chambers is way too slow. I'm glad Xavier will be defending on his side.

I agree Coates at centre in defense could be a worry but the thught of him at centre in attack with Oates outside of him makes me excited to see it. Like Staggs and Isaako on the right this combination could become something special

 

[Dee]

I don’t mind if we lose which is expected but aslong as the boys have a go that will be enough for me

See, this is the problem, this kind of mentality. All due respect mate, us (the fans), the whole team and coaching staff should REALLY care if we lose and it should NOT be expected. IMO, this kind of mentality is a huge reason why the Storm have had the wood over us for many years. Having a go is expected, ofcourse, but we should also expect to win EVERY game especially against the Storm since they are the bench mark. It's just frustrating because even in my own mind I expect to lose to the Storm but this attitude and mentality needs to change against these guys otherwise we won't be winning many premierships anytime soon because what happens if we face the Storm in a GF or prelim final again? Do we just expect to lose but as long as we have a dig, then that's okay and accepted?

 

[WASSHHH]

I’m going to be a very happy little Vegemite this weekend basking in the glory of our victory over the cheating Storm.

Take it as read, we will win by 10 tonight!

 

[Whatisgoingon]

See, this is the problem, this kind of mentality. All due respect mate, us (the fans), the whole team and coaching staff should REALLY care if we lose and it should NOT be expected. IMO, this kind of mentality is a huge reason why the Storm have had the wood over us for many years. Having a go is expected, ofcourse, but we should also expect to win EVERY game especially against the Storm since they are the bench mark. It's just frustrating because even in my own mind I expect to lose to the Storm but this attitude and mentality needs to change against these guys otherwise we won't be winning many premierships anytime soon because what happens if we face the Storm in a GF or prelim final again? Do we just expect to lose but as long as we have a dig, then that's okay and accepted?

Yes it’s accepted when this year has been horrible at times . We have lost many games this year because there was no heart . Of course we should play to win every game,But we if lose I want to lose fighting .

 

[Dee]

Yes it’s accepted when this year has been horrible at times . We have lost many games this year because there was no heart . Of course we should play to win every game,But we if lose I want to lose fighting .

It's not only this year, the Storm have dominated us for many many seasons. Enough is enough, that's the way I look at it.

Yes I agree with you, when we lose I want us to lose fighting too. But, its different against the Storm. They usually spank us by 20-30 points and I want this to change.

 

[The Strapper]

One thing that should be pointed out is that although we have been the storms bitch for a long time because we have such a young squad most of our players don’t have that mental baggage.
Only Boyd and Mac are likely to be affected.
Might just help us tonight.

 

[Dazza 92]

The ch**ts don't just like to beat us, they love to see us demoralized. They won't bash and barge up the middle, they will throw the ball around and look to score of every set.

They key for us is the first 15-20mns, our defence must hurt. In one straight line, we smash anything in a purple jersey. Worry about the win (and MRC later), hit em all with the fucking kitchen sink 'PNG' style!

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Inside the Storm's 21-year domination of the Broncos
Joel Gould NRL.com Reporter Fri 2 Aug 2019, 08:00 AM

It is a rugby league rivalry with a rich history but from the Broncos' angle their record against the Melbourne Storm in the past 21 years is more of an anomaly.

The Broncos have played the Melbourne Storm 47 times since 1998 and won just 13. The Storm remain the only club in the NRL with a winning record against Brisbane.

Melbourne's 15-8 grand final loss to the Broncos in 2006 no doubt still sticks in the craw for the Storm but since then Brisbane have lost all four finals played against Melbourne.

Former Storm five-eighth Scott Hill was at the club from its inception in 1998. He said there was an in-built determination in every player to have worn the purple jersey to beat Brisbane right from the outset.

"John Ribot started us and he started the Broncos. Along with Chris Johns, who had won titles as a Bronco, they were the guys who created the opportunity for us in Melbourne to wear the purple jumper so Brisbane has always been a battleground for us," Hill said.

"For us we always had that respect for them to prove that the club they had created was better than the one they came from. It was never talked about like that, but there has probably been that internal drive from the start to be at our best against Brisbane.

"Our first coach Chris Anderson never enjoyed playing the Broncos and he built that competitiveness within us. Then when Craig Bellamy came to us in 2003 after five years at the Broncos we always played for him to let him know that he had come to a better place.

"I was there for nine years and I can't count many games where I lost against the Broncos… although there is one [in the 2006 grand final] I remember clearly more than anything… but that is something I have got to live with."

When the Storm play the Sharks and Sea Eagles there is a genuine dislike for each other and the Melbourne players and coaching staff all understand it is a fierce rivalry.

There is not a loathing of Brisbane as such these days, perhaps because of the lopsided nature of recent results. When the Storm started in 1998 the Broncos were the benchmark team and Hill said that competitive desire to test themselves against the best had endured ever since.

"Now 20 years later who are the benchmark of the NRL and have been for the last 10 years? It used to be the Brisbane Broncos but now it would be fair to say it is the Melbourne Storm," Hill said.

"There is no team that we respect more than the Broncos. It is like a pure game of respect. Some of the closest mates I played rep footy with were Broncos players. I always catch up with Gorden Tallis, and Locky [Darren Lockyer] I am pretty close with."

Bellamy has been on the cusp of coaching the Broncos on several occasions since leaving in 2003. There has always been a sense that he saves something special for Brisbane. It was a point made by Brisbane coach Anthony Seibold, who spent three seasons under Bellamy as an assistant, when he was asked if he ever got the feeling the Storm v Broncos game was a special one, especially for the Melbourne coach.

"Especially for the coach. I felt that," Seibold responded with a chuckle.

"I'm not sure [why]. You'd have to ask Bellyache but I know he gets up for the Broncos games."

If that is the case then Bellamy was having none of it ahead of Friday night's clash with the Broncos at Suncorp Stadium.

"I'd be disappointed if that was the case, if I coach my best only when we play the Broncos," Bellamy said on Thursday after arriving in Brisbane.

"I quite enjoy coming up here, especially being in Melbourne's wet weather this week. I don't think I coach any different in any week to be quite honest. I am pretty systematic in how I go about my job. It is routine for me. Every game is only worth two points. I'd like to think I try and do my job each and every week and stick to the systems. That is what I want my players to do.”

So much have the Storm enjoyed playing at Suncorp Stadium that they have not lost to the Broncos at the venue since 2009.

Bellamy highlighted other reasons why the Storm, often tagged as Queensland's "fourth team", had such a superb record.

"We have a lot of Queenslanders in our team and in our club," he said.

"They all really enjoy coming back and most of their families come along to the game and they get to see their families. We seem to quite enjoy playing at Suncorp. It is probably the best rugby league stadium in the world."

The Storm's best players over the years have been Maroons such as Cameron Smith, Billy Slater and Cooper Cronk, for whom Suncorp Stadium is a second home.

Melbourne's 1999 premiership-winning captain Glenn Lazarus, who also won two premierships with Brisbane, said those above-mentioned players all had extra incentive to beat the Broncos. They keep alive the quest for excellence against Brisbane that Hill said was there from the start.

"It is just a fact that Smith, Cronk and Slater all came from Queensland and they all wanted to beat the superior team in Queensland, which was the Broncos," Lazarus said.

Smith supported the Broncos as a youth and has also been close to signing with Brisbane multiple times.

In an interview with NRL.com ahead of his 400th NRL game it was no surprise he listed the 2008 elimination semi-final at Suncorp Stadium, where Melbourne beat Brisbane 16-14 in the final seconds, as a favourite of his stellar club career.

As for who will win on Friday night, Lazarus laid out clearly what the Broncos are up against.

"You know what you are going to get with Melbourne. They have lost three games this year – two by one point and one by just two points – so the style they play and the intensity they play with means they are always in the contest," Lazarus said.

"The Broncos are going to have to play out of their skin and be at their very best to beat them."
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**** yeh....I love PNG style...!!!...bring it..!!!
[automerge]1564726558[/automerge]

You get to watch Webcke's Last. Ever. Kick-Off Return. A thing of beauty. Poor Scott Hill.

....can still hear Ray Warrens impassioned "WEBKE"..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Morkel]

**** yeh....I love PNG style...!!!...bring it..!!!
[automerge]1564726558[/automerge]


....can still hear Ray Warrens impassioned "WEBKE"..!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Heeere he is, Shaaayne Webcke..... Poor Scott Hill..."

 

[Morkel]

Sorry, "Here he comes"...