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2023 PF Fri - Penrith 38-4 Melbourne @ Accor

Finals Week 3: Penrith v Melbourne

  • Penrith Panthers

    Votes: 32 76.2%
  • Melbourne Storm

    Votes: 10 23.8%
  • Draw after Golden Point

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    42
  • Poll closed .

StormFred

Juniors
Messages
45
Perhaps this might be a repeat of 2017 to 2020 (Storm 2017, Roosters 2018 & 2019 then Storm 2020). So now Panthers 2021 & 2022. Would be nice for Storm to bookend this run with the 2023 premiership. Storm has nothing to lose. Every non-Storm tipster will pick Panthers. If Panthers win, will be considered as expected, if Storm win will be considered one of the biggest boil overs this season.
 

mxlegend99

Referee
Messages
23,141
It's incredible. How has it come to this. 3 teams I can't stand and a team going for 3 premierships and 4 grand finals in a row. I wouldn't hate Penrith in normal circumstances but they have won far too much.

I don't want any of them to win but by simply being the least worst club left I am forced to go for Penrith.
Its nice that some people somehow think we're the least worst club considering usually it's the opposite... But if I were a neutral i would 100% be on the Warriors.

Storm and Broncos have won a bunch. Panthers have too lately. Warriors have won nothing really yet and they have an incredibly likeable team.

Only reason a neutral would probably like Panthers success is because it's built around development of juniors or other teams discards and theyve lost enough talent to see they're getting hit by the cap.
 

soc123_au

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
19,018
What happened did his finger collide with his chin?

C'mon Melbourne, lets give the people what they want...a Queensland-ish grand final! Time to throw Yeosey and the Pussycats in the trash compactor where they belong.

Storm by 6.
Mary clenched.
 

JamesRustle

First Grade
Messages
7,252
I’m struggling to see a way that Storm can win here.

They were awful in week 1 and were lucky to then play the Roosters who have horrible attack as it is and then lost most of their backline (granted they were missing Hughes).

If they can keep it within 20 it will be an achievement.
I remember thinking about the 2005 prelims in the same way.
 

Vic Mackey

Referee
Messages
24,938
The Storm are miles behind the top 2 atm. Their pack is fragile, outside backs terrible and their best 2 players (Munster, Grant) are in the worst form of their lives.

I fully expect these prelims to be like in 2008/2012 when 1st and 2nd belted their opponents by 30.
 

Iamback

Coach
Messages
18,707
Its nice that some people somehow think we're the least worst club considering usually it's the opposite... But if I were a neutral i would 100% be on the Warriors.

Storm and Broncos have won a bunch. Panthers have too lately. Warriors have won nothing really yet and they have an incredibly likeable team.

Only reason a neutral would probably like Panthers success is because it's built around development of juniors or other teams discards and theyve lost enough talent to see they're getting hit by the cap.

That last paragraph is key. Easy to hate clubs that leach off others... I hope when our run ends it is to a side that has been developed not a parasite one
 

Apey

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
27,517
The Storm are miles behind the top 2 atm. Their pack is fragile, outside backs terrible and their best 2 players (Munster, Grant) are in the worst form of their lives.

I fully expect these prelims to be like in 2008/2012 when 1st and 2nd belted their opponents by 30.
I think Warriors will put up a good fight but yeah Storm just don't have the team to trouble Penrith at all. They were just better than all the rest (5th - 17th), pretty much. They probably would have lost to Roosters if Roosters had their backline available and I didn't rate Roosters. Hughes was a big out but he isn't going to solve the problems you've mentioned. Their outside backs have been their biggest weakness for years now.

Panthers 20+ which is a very sad result for rugba leeg.
 
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