Has the Bubble burst in Melbourne?

[BunniesMan]

To be passionate about any team, that team needs to show some degree of success.

The Object of the game is to get Collingwood, Essendon, North Melbourne, St.Kilda, Melbourne, Hawthorne, etc etc fans to jump ship and start having an interest in Rugby League.

It's a bit impossible to start having an interest unless the team is doing well.

Moreover, how passionate can you be about a team of transplanted New South Welshmen, Queenslanders, Kiwis and Pacific Islanders if you're a Victorian?

That's why I believe it's important to have a junior development program for Rugby Leage in Victoria before you start an NRL team.

I myself am half-hearted about AFL, yet if there were Swans and GWS players that were actually born and bred in Sydney, I might take a greater interest.

Umm...there are.

 

[ethan tremblay]

Canterbury will be minor premiers. Melbourne could slide as far down as 3rd or 4th and not have a home final the first week.

I would not be surprised if they are out in straight sets.

They remind me of a Faberge egg. Pretty on the surface, but scratch the surface away and there's not much depth. They are 3 outstanding players surrounded by 14 ordinary players.

And those 3 outstanding players are getting very close to 30 all at the same time. Their ability to carry the team will diminish. Could be dark times for the Storm in about 2014.

so what you'r saying is i should go put my house on the melbourne storm for the minor premiership/premiership double .... i wish gambling was this easy all the time

 

[typicalfan]

When Smith and Slater move on they will have massive $$$ available and Widdop is a star in the making.

They might get GI back as well or Israel Folau, who knows.

 

[gUt]

400K + tuned into SOO3 and people are still questioning the Storm project?

 

[BunniesMan]

When Smith and Slater move on they will have massive $$$ available and Widdop is a star in the making.

They might get GI back as well or Israel Folau, who knows.

They won't get GI back. He comes off contract before Smith, Cronk and Slater do.

And about their big 3. They won't retire the moment they start to decline. There will be an ugly 2 or 3 years where they're on the books for a combined 2m+ but aren't worth half that.

And then when they do go you say they will have massive $. That's true. But players of Slater, Cronk and Smiths caliber don't come around every day.

They won the lotto when they got all 3 of those together at the same time and kept them together via cheating. That'll never happen again.

They'll lose the big 3, give Widdop a raise and buy some other star inferior to the talent they're letting go. Then they'll be a mere mortal team like every other team and they'll be in the 8 some years some years they won't like every other team.

You're delusional if you think they'll replace the big 3 with another 3 Australian rep spine players just like that.

When the big 3 era ends they'll be a regular non superman team like every other team.

400K + tuned into SOO3 and people are still questioning the Storm project?

The equivalent tuned in from WA and they don't have a team.

 

[Jono1987]

Not surprising the Scum from the south are struggling.

Aside from the vaunted '3' they have nothing.

Their pivotal players like C. Smith continually bend the rules, eventually they will be caught out.

Storm have no chance of winning the title.

 

[Sleep]

They'll be alright. Every team goes through bad patches and they've been without Slater, Smith and Cronk of late. Better to struggle now than peak too early.

Funny reading Bulldogs fans saying Melbourne can't win with their forward pack while they've got Kris Keating starting in their halves.

 

[some11]

Storm have no chance of winning the title.

Hyperbole, they'll at least make finals week 2.

 

[Ziggy the God]

Wow, great thread.

So Melb loses a few games and they will be broke soon?

Whomever that AFL moron is should be punted to the Fight Club Pronto.

To the others putting the boot in on ifs and buts, so you seriously think with a big TV deal coming that the IC would let them go to the wall?

Think before you post.

 

[Desert Qlder]

Does anyone want to throw a bit of credit to the teams that beat them?

North Queensland weren't half bad tonight.

 

[Loudstrat]

To be passionate about any team, that team needs to show some degree of success.

What f*cking rock do you live under? My team had a degree of success in the 1980's and apart from the odd sunny day since it's been largely bleak. This year we cheer if the team bus doesnt break down. Yet we are as passionate as ever. How do you think you get passionate Sharks, Bunnies, Raiders fans?

The Object of the game is to get Collingwood, Essendon, North Melbourne, St.Kilda, Melbourne, Hawthorne, etc etc fans to jump ship and start having an interest in Rugby League.

No its not. The object of the game is to service Melbourne with a RL presence and tap into the existing RL market. You aint going to convert AFL supporters just by winning games, except for the obviously passion-less supporter that chases the winners like you.

It's a bit impossible to start having an interest unless the team is doing well.

They have been doing well. They are currently equal first you f*cking clueless muppet!

Moreover, how passionate can you be about a team of transplanted New South Welshmen, Queenslanders, Kiwis and Pacific Islanders if you're a Victorian?

Easy. You'd cope with any talent playing for your team. I know of no one who checks passports of their players before they decide to support them or not for that week.

That's why I believe it's important to have a junior development program for Rugby Leage in Victoria before you start an NRL team.

Well its too late for that :roll:

I myself am half-hearted about AFL, yet if there were Swans and GWS players that were actually born and bred in Sydney, I might take a greater interest.

If thats all it will take then Id say you are already a boggerball fan. There are plenty of League players born and bred in Sydney - maybe if you were a fair dinkum League fan you'd realise this!

 

[Elektrik Shock]

Does anyone want to throw a bit of credit to the teams that beat them?

North Queensland weren't half bad tonight.

Agree

Yes Melbourne have been a little sloppy, but the credit must go to the other teams knockong us off, ofcourse we are better with Slater and Chambers and Neilsen and Cronk and Smith starting every week but tbh im not so sure they would have helped, Cowboys played very well as did Canberra. Our other losses were to the teams running 2nd and 3rd and we went down to the tigpies in a close one minus our origin stars. I wouldnt put a red line through us just yet though.

 

[jimmy_the_greek]

They will bounce back. Once Slater is back they will be okay, not sure if complacency is the issue...possibly they got too relaxed that at one stage they were comfortable leaders of the comp, they will pick up their act now that we are edging behind them on F/A.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

When Slater returns, the missing cog will be in place.

Cronk organises the attack (sets up 3 tries atleast)
Smith holds the defence together (3 tries saved atleast)
Slater provides support play both in attack an defence (scores/saves a net total of 3 tries atleast). He has the best cardio in the game.

I think we will return to form come finals time.

Not a big fan of Kostjasyn. Last i saw him play against Raiders, Just doesn't have quick thinking abilities at 4th or 5th tackle options.

 

[natheel]

we got storm next week at Parra. Best time to pounce on them, but also a good time to have Storm run into form haha

We have a good record against Melbourne we always tend to step up when we play them

 

[Loudstrat]

What is glaring is the salary cap. Add Inglis, Blair, Tolman, White et-al into that club............

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

What is glaring is the salary cap. Add Inglis, Blair, Tolman, White et-al into that club............

What is glaring is the wooden spoon sticking out of your oriface.

I have said it ad nauseam, the salary cap has little effect on a teams performance. Its related more to the brand power, marketing of players.

 

[chrisD]

You can say it all you want it doesn't the dopey dribble true.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

Not surprising the Scum from the south are struggling.

Aside from the vaunted '3' they have nothing.

Their pivotal players like C. Smith continually bend the rules, eventually they will be caught out.

Storm have no chance of winning the title.

Bool shiit, every players got a job to do.

 

[Cerne Abbas Giant]

You can say it all you want it doesn't the dopey dribble true.

???
Sandow proves my point.