I am thinking battle hardened. They have gone to the point of no return. I reckon they could run through brick walls right about now. Storm have had it all their own way for the past month........an eelectric shock is in store for them.
Just like last years World Cup when the Kiwis put such intense pressure on the Kangaroos Billy Slater lost the plot and the Kiwis came up trumps
DESPERATION ... Billy Slater's errant pass contributed to Australia's incredible loss to New Zealand in the World Cup final.
This is what Parramatta must do to Slater, Inglis, Smith, Cronk, Finch & co and Hindmarsh will lead the way with Cayless, Burt, Inu, Hayne, Smith, Fui & co.......
The Eels full on 80 minute game of ferocious defence, intensity and 2nd/3rd/4th phase plays to rattle the Storm who will completely lose their composure and drift away from their game plan becoming a broken team with a broken spirit.....
Billy Slater blunder hands Kiwis the Cup
Peter Badel | November 23, 2008 01:00am
http://www.news.com.au/couriermail/s...003409,00.html
BILLY Slater has been the beacon of brilliance in the game's centenary season for the past nine months.
Then, in one instant, in a stupefying flash of insanity, the Melbourne, Queensland and Australian flyer became the villain of a World Cup final the Kangaroos supposedly could not lose.
Over the past month, no one has dominated this centenary showpiece quite like Slater. He's been everywhere; scoring tries, breaking lines, cajoling, terrorising, orchestrating.
Simply captivating.
And then this. Sixty one minutes into last night's decider. Australia leading 18-16. New Zealand kick downfield. Like a gazelle, Slater ghosts across field. Sticks out his right hand. Catches it effortlessly, like David Copperfield without the wand.
Electrifying.
The confidence levels soar. Slater sees a sliver of space down the Kiwis' left flank. Manu Vatuvei shows him the sideline. Slater knows he can do this. If he can slide past Vatuvei, he can sprint the requisite 90 metres.
And win another game.
He's done it before.
Breathtaking.
As he attempts to sucker punch on Vatuvei, the Kiwi winger isn't conned. He pushes Slater towards the touchline. Slater panics, throwing the ball infield. Madness. Australians scramble for the ball. The Kiwis sense destiny. Slater falls over the touchline. Benji Marshall pounces, in disbelief as he completes the easiest 10m run of his career to score the try producing arguably the greatest boilover in rugby league World Cup history.
As the Kiwis pump the balmy night air, Slater rises from the turf. A thousand blunders have been made this season, but surely nothing so embarrassing, so stupefying, so costly.
Downright cruel.
It would be unfair to blame Australia's shock loss last night on Slater's moment of madness. But the Maroons maestro will wake this morning playing the blame game inside his head. He will yearn for the play again. He won't get it. How he recovers, whether he accepts with the passing of time a clanger no one could envisage he would make, will determine if he returns a better, stronger player.
Certainly, his first hour at Suncorp Stadium gave no evidence of the blunder that was to follow.
Slater owned the first stanza. After a tough opening, Slater ensured the Kangaroos struck first blood, slicing the Kiwis line before his inside ball found skipper Darren Lockyer, who touched down in the 12th minute.
Four minutes later, the Storm sensation was at it again. Drifting down the Kiwis left corridor, Slater threw a superb cut-out ball for winger David Williams, who powered home to give the Kangaroos an ominous 10-0 lead.
The sad postscript for Slater is that he remains in line for a unique treble. Last week, he was named the inaugural winner of the International Rugby League player of the year award.
This Saturday night, he is favourite to win the Golden Boot, awarded to the best player in the world since 1986. At the same function, he could be named the Rugby League Professional Association's player of the year.
So many gongs, so many accolades, so many grand memories.
But, in the 61st minute last night, you get the feeling Billy Slater would have swapped every top honour for the chance to swerve infield and do what a man of lesser ability would have done - play the percentages.
