coast_dragons
Coach
- Messages
- 17,055
are you suggesting he may indeed have white powder on his nose lol.
Bang on!I'm just wondering if people actually watched our attack last year?
We were absolutely woeful, yet people want to keep our personnel the same....same halves, same centres, fullback who can't pass etc. Closing your eyes and hoping for a different result with the same backline is akin to madness. Straight out of the Steve Price coaching manual.
All the things we are trying, ball playing FB, new left centre with footwork, Dugan to right centre, exploring new halves options is because we can't continue to be bottom 2 in attack and succeed. Good on Mary for exploring all options.
Anyone who watched the game last night will tell you how hard this season is going to be, Broncos were extremely impressive. I expect the same from the Cows and the Roosters and am keen to see how Manly, the Raiders and the Warriors go.
No easy games this year.
We need to keep up or get left behind.
@NRL_Dragons twitter account had a pic of the lads flying down to Melbourne. Looked like Frizz was on the flight so maybe a late change?
Melbourne Storm still waiting on Billy Slater, Cameron Munster for St George Illawarra Dragons clash
Melbourne Storm will wait until game day to decide if Billy Slater and Cameron Munster will play against St George Illawarra Dragons in Monday night's NRL season opener.
Slater trained well last week after undergoing rehabilitation for his reconstructed shoulder during the off-season while Munster has only been involved in parts of training after a knee injury earlier in the pre-season.
But with Slater not having played since midway through last season, the Storm want to see how he feels before naming him to face the Dragons at AAMI Park.
The Storm's next best option at fullback, Munster, could still be a late inclusion in place of Slater or in the centres after not having played since injuring his knee at the Auckland Nines.
Advertisement
If both players miss out there are several candidates to fill in at fullback, including winger Young Tonumaipea.
Storm assistant coach Adam O'Brien said Slater had trained well this week but the club was being cautious.
"We won't make a call [on Slater] until Monday," he said.
"Billy has trained well this week and we are quietly confident but we will see how he pulls up."
While Munster wasn't named in the Storm's original side, O'Brien said Munster hadn't been ruled out yet but was "unlikely".
Centre Richard Kennar was originally named in the starting side but was listed as playing with reserve side Sunshine Coast Falcons on Sunday along with Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Curtis Scott and Ben Hampton making it unlikely any of them will play on Monday.
"Munster is unlikely, he has only trained in bits and pieces this week," O'Brien said.
"We have tried a number of options in that left-centre position during the trial games so we know we have guys who can fill in there."
The Storm kept several extra players in Melbourne this weekend as backups instead of sending them to play with Sunshine Coast or Brisbane Easts in the Queensland Cup on Sunday.
Storm winger Marika Koroibete will play his 50th NRL game on Monday night while former Storm back Kurt Mann is expected to make his debut with the Dragons after being named at fullback.
Mann will team with another former Storm star five-eighth, Gareth Widdop, and New Zealand star Benji Marshall.
"It's a little bit funny to see Kurt in a Dragons jersey," O'Brien said.
"He's still got those wonderful traits we appreciated ... being a diligent worker and strong for a young guy.
"He has impressed with what he has done at fullback for them and that's the type of guy he is he gives you everything and is a good pick-up."
With the NRL introducing rules to speed up play and reducing the number of interchanges, O'Brien said he was confident the Storm's fitness program would show up in how they perform against the Dragons.
The combination of the new rules and high temperatures for several earlier round one games saw teams heavily fatigued in the final minutes of their games.
"This weekend we have seen some teams not make their first change until the 20th minute or so and for some ruck players that would be tiring it would be an extra 10 minutes for some of them so it adds up," O'Brien said.
"Most of those hot games have opened up later on, but the good thing is both teams have to go through it."
The Storm host the Dragons at AAMI Park on Monday night at 7pm.
Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...gons-clash-20160306-gnbseu.html#ixzz427sLBghR
Follow us: @smh on Twitter | sydneymorningherald on Facebook
I doubt it.
Why wouldn't he be traveling with the team, regardless of injury. He won't play.
Late change, Frizz on the bench. Thompson out. ;-)
Wow. Who plays left edge??
Late change, Frizz on the bench. Thompson out. ;-)
JDB has been named there
What happened to Thompson? Hamstring again? If so, it's starting to get ridiculous. What is the use of having a player on the books whose hamstrings make Kyle Stanleys knees look like they are made of iron?
Wow. Who plays left edge??
Looking over the team lists those cheating purple devils have one glaring advantage. Not even Smith vs Rein or Slater vs Mann. In a 5x100m relay race I think their centres, wingers and fullback would lap ours.
Looking over the team lists those cheating purple devils have one glaring advantage. Not even Smith vs Rein or Slater vs Mann. In a 5x100m relay race I think their centres, wingers and fullback would lap ours.
Looking over the team lists those cheating purple devils have one glaring advantage. Not even Smith vs Rein or Slater vs Mann. In a 5x100m relay race I think their centres, wingers and fullback would lap ours.