Where on the ladder would the Storm finish without Cameron Smith?

[redbur95]

After seeing a Storm side containing 16 of their 17 players get smashed by Canterbury at a neutral venue, I have to wonder if the Storm would even make the finals without Cameron Smith.

I don't think they would, because he acts like the supports for a well-made, modern house - without them, the house turns to a pile of rubble.

Thoughts?

 

[Super Freak]

After seeing a Storm side containing 16 of their 17 players get smashed by Canterbury at a neutral venue, I have to wonder if the Storm would even make the finals without Cameron Smith.

I don't think they would, because he acts like the supports for a well-made, modern house - without them, the house turns to a pile of rubble.

Thoughts?

I think they would make the finals without Smith. The class of Cronk and Slater is just too good to write off, and Bellamy is a bloody good coach.

They have a very poor record without Smith, I think they would struggle at first but eventually find their feet. I don't think they would be able to make the 4, I'm guessing 7th is a realistic standing on the ladder.

 

[Alec]

Outside the 8. He's the best player in the world not only because of his personal skills (and he is a very smart runner, great kicker and an excellent defender...oh and a handy goalkicker too), but also because of what he brings to a side with his leadership, organisational skills. He can get a forward pack going better than any other in the game, and often makes them look a fair bit better than they actually are.

 

[Cult]

I would have loved to see them split up. If Slater finished his career in NQ he would be the last piece to their puzzle in my opinion. I know it will never happen though. They'll never split up.

 

[Big Pete]

Cameron Smith, a Rugby League legend if ever there was one and my favourite player in the game today. Including Broncos, but don't hold that against me.

Smithy no doubt boasts a tremendous influence on every team he plays for and I don't think the Storm would be a benchmark team like they are right now...but they'd still be an out and out contender.

I know what I'm saying is borderline treason, Carlaw & Parker would be absolutely filthy with me, but there's more to the Storm than Smith. Whether fans will admit it or not, Bellamy is a wonderful club coach, one of the best in the game and his attention to detail is better than anything I've seen, bar none.

If Smith was to say, in some hypothetical universe, come up to Brisbane, I'm sure the Storm would take that fat pile of money and spend it wisely. They may not have a Smith, but they'd money-ball a good team out of it, a better one then we saw run out there tonight I'd imagine (I don't know, I didn't sit back and watch this game).

SF tell me now and tell me true, why did the Storm lose that game? Just a bad night in the office or were the Bulldogs on fire?

 

[Huge]

Attitude. A cornered and frightened dog gave its fiercest growl. They wanted it more than Melbourne who were a thrown off their game by the very late withdrawal of Smith. It was wet,crappy and lacking a bit of atmosphere, more like a trial match in a small town. They just were not good enough against a desperate side. Not sure why the Dogs were so keen, maybe remembering past defeats.. They'll be there at the seasons end, fifth for mine.

 

[Broncoman]

They would still make the finals. Cronk and Slater would carry the rest of the team and Hinchcliffe is a reliable player that can do his role well (he was the Storm's best tonight imo). I would imagine they would finish between 5th and 8th.

They are a terrific but overrated team. Just take the big 3 away from them and they are not even close to the same thing.

 

[Splinter]

Borderline 8th position with the team that played last night

 

[Mr Fourex]

After seeing a Storm side containing 16 of their 17 players get smashed by Canterbury at a neutral venue, I have to wonder if the Storm would even make the finals without Cameron Smith.

I don't think they would, because he acts like the supports for a well-made, modern house - without them, the house turns to a pile of rubble.

Thoughts?

Sooo......a side loses it's captain, chief playmaker and goal kicker minutes before the start of a match

......without warning

and they then lose???

Interesting ......

 

[Socnorb]

I think we are seeing the beginning of the end of storm dominance.

 

[Morkel]

Sooo......a side loses it's captain, chief playmaker and goal kicker minutes before the start of a match

......without warning

and they then lose???

Interesting ......

Hate to say it but I agree. If they'd trained all week expecting Smith to be out, different story. They'd be steeled by the challenge. Just before kickoff screws them up mentally.

As for the OP, yes, they'd probably spend Smith's money wisely but it wouldn't be enough for them to have been half as successful. Say for example they persevered with Nathan Friend. He's a hardworking, smart, terrier of a player who never gives up. But no one can move a team around, or be as unflappable and therefore calmingly influential to his team, as Smith. So I would say they'd have maybe been a top 4 side while they still had Folau, Inglis, etc, and top 8 had they been able to retain those guys (because Friend wouldn't cost as much as Smith), but no where near the dominant powerhouse.

 

[Morkel]

I think we are seeing the beginning of the end of storm dominance.

If so, I couldn't be happier. If I'm to be brutally honest, Bellamy is only "such a great coach" because he is so shitscared of losing that he's willing to do anything to secure that win. Even if it comes down to bad sportsmanship, cheating, deliberately hurting opposition players. If you value a win above all else, that's a great coach. It's just not my cup of tea. Unless it's a Big Brother comp.

 

[Bucking Beads]

It depends if Smith is just injured or he is gone from the Storm all together. Even if he was injured the Storm would be able to put structures in place to make finals without him.

 

[Cult]

If so, I couldn't be happier. If I'm to be brutally honest, Bellamy is only "such a great coach" because he is so shitscared of losing that he's willing to do anything to secure that win. Even if it comes down to bad sportsmanship, cheating, deliberately hurting opposition players. If you value a win above all else, that's a great coach. It's just not my cup of tea. Unless it's a Big Brother comp.

Don't forget holding players in the scrum. Oh how I loathe them.

 

[OXY-351]

To be fair, they lost Smith last minute in the warm up. I don't think you can determine how they would go long term without Smith based on one game and taking that in to account. Sure they wouldn't be the same team without Smith, but take most hookers out of the team at the last minute and I think most teams would struggle to adjust, especially when the team doesn't really have a back up dummy half as that hooker plays most of the game.

 

[Ari Gold]

They'd probably just scrape into the finals.

As for the argument about not knowing Smith was out in the lead-up, I'd like to point out that he was always out of the Grand Final against Manly and Des Hasler's team still beat them 40-0.

On the flip side, they did not have the best of preparations. Monday night game turnaround going to Perth to play on a Saturday, plus being involved in the game with the McKinnon injury may have mentally affected them too.

 

[Harry Sack]

Sooo......a side loses it's captain, chief playmaker and goal kicker minutes before the start of a match

......without warning

and they then lose???

Interesting ......

This

I think we are seeing the beginning of the end of storm dominance.

..and also this.

 

[Anonymous person]

Take a future immortal, most important player in the game, one of the best players in the game, captain, goal kicker, and one of the most important positions on the field out of a team just before kick-off and the team loses, and people are acting like it was the biggest upset in the history of professional sport and that all of a sudden the other 16 guys who won a premiership 2 years ago and went to within 2 matches of back to back premierships are actually no good and only got there because of one guy?

I guess that's one way to look at it. The other and more realistic way is far less interesting.