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It's Monday morning so time to flick over and start looking towards the next game. And boy, do we have yet another big game, yet another blockbuster coming this week. Not only is it magic Round, one of the best Rounds of the year, but we play our nemesis, the Melbourne Storm. it's always a big one when we play them for reasons, we all know but this one is made even bigger because of the position of both teams on the ladder. It's a top four clash, third vs fourth. Winner skips two points clear of the other and really cements themselves inside the top four. So, the stakes are as high as they get for this stage of the Season.
We all know our record against the Storm is absolutely shocking. Not 100% sure what the overall record is now but we've only bet them six or seven times in over 25 years now. That is ridiculous. At what point does it become psychological? We need to go out there this week and prove that that stat ain't in our heads and we need to get one back on them. Thankfully, despite this being our 'away' game against the Storm, it's not in Melbourne where we have never won so I guess that's a small win.
This game is certainly not going to be easy. The Storm, despite losing a lot of quality players at the end of last year, just continue to amaze me. Just when you think they're going to drop off, they go to another level. And that is the case this year once again. Once again, they're a top four contender, and a real threat to the competition. They're playing some great Footy at the moment and are in much better form than the last time we met so we'll have our hands full to contain them. Plenty of strike right across the park lead by their halves Munster and Hughes. Probably the most dangerous halves pairing in the comp I reckon. They do so much for that side so containing them has to be a big focus. They've got some real strike out wide too. Any backline containing Olam, Smith, Warbrick and Meany is going to be tough to stop. Big night for our edge defence. It's also a big night for the middle forwards. You look at their pack on paper and it certainly doesn't look as strong as Melbourne forward packs in years gone by but for whatever reason, they just seem to always get the job done, always. Big NAS is back for them, he didn't play last time out, and then there's guys like King and Katoa who are in good form. Tough to contain. I think the key to this one will be execution in attack. If you're going off the last game, where we actually won the middle, but our attack was poor, I think we're pretty even in the forward pack, especially with NAS back. So how we attack this time and how we break down the Storm is going to be crucial.
Thankfully, we're in much better form than the last time we played them too. Much, much better. Our attack is now on fire, we've got some troops back and that defence is currently holding firm. We've got to keep this up and keep evolving in this game or the Storm will get us. We know from many years of pain against them, that you simply cannot beat yourselves in this one. You cannot gift them opportunities, too good of a side and they'll make you pay. So I want to see us complete highly, an area of our game that has been a bit up and down this year. Secondly, they're not going to give you too many opportunities themselves so the opportunities you do get down there, you've got to strike. That's something we struggled with last time we met in Round 5 so I hope the boys have learnt from that. They're a good defensive side so the attack needs to be on song. This game is also a big attitude thing. Our attitude stunk last time we played them and I don't want to see that happen again. It's a big game with a lot at stake so get yourselves up for it!! I feel like I say this every week, but if we get our own game right and don't beat ourselves, then I'm confident in this one.
Magic Round!! It's gonna be cool. Hopefully we can put on a bit of magic for everyone. Also praying that the surface holds up, that is a concern not gonna lie. But anyways, bit game with big ramifications. We've been going really well the last few weeks with some huge statements along the way, winning this week would really make a big statement and stamp our position as potential Premiership fovourites. Not to mention it would put us in an outstanding position as the draw finally opens up. A big opportunity this week! Let's go do it lads!
Glory, Glory.
We all know our record against the Storm is absolutely shocking. Not 100% sure what the overall record is now but we've only bet them six or seven times in over 25 years now. That is ridiculous. At what point does it become psychological? We need to go out there this week and prove that that stat ain't in our heads and we need to get one back on them. Thankfully, despite this being our 'away' game against the Storm, it's not in Melbourne where we have never won so I guess that's a small win.
This game is certainly not going to be easy. The Storm, despite losing a lot of quality players at the end of last year, just continue to amaze me. Just when you think they're going to drop off, they go to another level. And that is the case this year once again. Once again, they're a top four contender, and a real threat to the competition. They're playing some great Footy at the moment and are in much better form than the last time we met so we'll have our hands full to contain them. Plenty of strike right across the park lead by their halves Munster and Hughes. Probably the most dangerous halves pairing in the comp I reckon. They do so much for that side so containing them has to be a big focus. They've got some real strike out wide too. Any backline containing Olam, Smith, Warbrick and Meany is going to be tough to stop. Big night for our edge defence. It's also a big night for the middle forwards. You look at their pack on paper and it certainly doesn't look as strong as Melbourne forward packs in years gone by but for whatever reason, they just seem to always get the job done, always. Big NAS is back for them, he didn't play last time out, and then there's guys like King and Katoa who are in good form. Tough to contain. I think the key to this one will be execution in attack. If you're going off the last game, where we actually won the middle, but our attack was poor, I think we're pretty even in the forward pack, especially with NAS back. So how we attack this time and how we break down the Storm is going to be crucial.
Thankfully, we're in much better form than the last time we played them too. Much, much better. Our attack is now on fire, we've got some troops back and that defence is currently holding firm. We've got to keep this up and keep evolving in this game or the Storm will get us. We know from many years of pain against them, that you simply cannot beat yourselves in this one. You cannot gift them opportunities, too good of a side and they'll make you pay. So I want to see us complete highly, an area of our game that has been a bit up and down this year. Secondly, they're not going to give you too many opportunities themselves so the opportunities you do get down there, you've got to strike. That's something we struggled with last time we met in Round 5 so I hope the boys have learnt from that. They're a good defensive side so the attack needs to be on song. This game is also a big attitude thing. Our attitude stunk last time we played them and I don't want to see that happen again. It's a big game with a lot at stake so get yourselves up for it!! I feel like I say this every week, but if we get our own game right and don't beat ourselves, then I'm confident in this one.
Magic Round!! It's gonna be cool. Hopefully we can put on a bit of magic for everyone. Also praying that the surface holds up, that is a concern not gonna lie. But anyways, bit game with big ramifications. We've been going really well the last few weeks with some huge statements along the way, winning this week would really make a big statement and stamp our position as potential Premiership fovourites. Not to mention it would put us in an outstanding position as the draw finally opens up. A big opportunity this week! Let's go do it lads!
Glory, Glory.
