Are Melbourne finished?

[Apey]

BM called it some time ago if i recall.

Yep, long before it even happened. #wisdom

 

[hineyrulz]

BM called it some time ago if i recall.

yeah just before the 2012 GF.

 

[some11]

They were strictly in win now mode.

As opposed to?

 

[BunniesMan]

As opposed to?

Making plans that balance short term success with not stuffing up your long term future.

Paying the big 3 big money into their 30s is not smart. Those last big long term contracts they signed pays them big money when they're 34 for what they were doing when they were 29. That is what gets them the 2012 premiership but it also makes their rebuild a lot slower, a lot longer and a lot more painful.

The Cowboys are in the same boat IMO except they didn't even get 1 premiership out of it.

 

[TheVelourFog]

What is your constant obsession with footballers in their 30s?

Logan's Run was not a documentary you know

 

[ram raid]

It's starting to look that way. But Melbourne have been written off many times. I'm not writing them off just yet.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Their issue is having adequate replacements for the big 3 ready to go in the next 2-3 years.

Not much in their Easts side and their Holden Cup team is average

 

[BunniesMan]

Their issue is having adequate replacements for the big 3 ready to go in the next 2-3 years.

Not much in their Easts side and their Holden Cup team is average

3 international caliber spine players rarely come along at once. And if they do one of the other 15 clubs is likely to sniff them out and get them away from the Storm because they're paying so much to the big 3.

 

[KeepingTheFaith]

Don't let Hoppity see that. He'll tell you all about how Cody Walker is the next great superstar.

EDIT: too late.

 

[BunniesMan]

Don't let Hoppity see that. He'll tell you all about how Cody Walker is the next great superstar.

EDIT: too late.

In 2015 Greg Inglis, Gareth Widdop and Cody Walker will be more productive combined than the 'big 3'. That gap only gets worse every year after that. That's why they've made a mistake in how they've contracted the big 3. They'll regret it.

 

[eozsmiles]

Yep, they're done.

I would've thought Meninga is gonna be in the toughest spot he's been in since our streak started when it comes to selection this year. I can think of a number of players who would deserve a callup over the formally big 3.

McC or J. Friend in for Smith
Inglis to fullback for Slater
Cherry Evans into the starting side for Cronk.

I think GI for Slats is the only one Mal would look at, and I don't think he'll change anything.

DCE can wait another year or two, and the hookers aren't at Smith's level IMO. But the gap is closing for them. We all know part of the QLD success is continuity. JT and Cronk get a side, Hodges and GI in the centres, then Cam and Billy pick where they all go. It's proven.

 

[eozsmiles]

It would have been a more balanced squad at the top end in terms of age.

They were strictly in win now mode. Good for the first 2 years, bad for the next 5.

When you have "the big 3" you must be in win now mode. They are the players you win comps with, and it's damn hard to win a comp even if you've built the perfectly balanced squad over 5 years.

People will enjoy sticking the knife into the Storm over the next couple of years if they do decline. But they've got the trophies (well, you know what I mean).

 

[BunniesMan]

I think GI for Slats is the only one Mal would look at, and I don't think he'll change anything.

DCE can wait another year or two, and the hookers aren't at Smith's level IMO. But the gap is closing for them. We all know part of the QLD success is continuity. JT and Cronk get a side, Hodges and GI in the centres, then Cam and Billy pick where they all go. It's proven.

It's proven when Slater was a much better player than he is now. Almost all of those players except GI are over 30 and past their best years and pretty much all of them except GI are out of form. If they want to keep their streak going they'll need to adapt.

 

[thorson1987]

Bumpity bump bump.

Slater wraps up the QLD number 1

 

[Evenflow]

It's proven when Slater was a much better player than he is now.

Had a shit game tonight, sack him. GI ran absolute rings around him...... :lol:

 

[Jason Maher]

Melbourne have had it. We won't be seeing them up the pointy end again for a long, long while.

 

[StormHi]

Bunniesderp once again shoves his foot into it lol I wonder if he cries to himself in a corner everytime players and teams shit on his predictions.

 

[footy75]

lol

 

[Danny-Boy]

lol thread fail. That original post.

 

[DC_fan]

Melbourne are Gonski.

Yes they looked good last night, especially the Great Billy. But they were helped by a pretty inept showing from my team.