Match Discussion: Round 13 vs Storm @ AAMI Park

[League Unlimited News]

NRL 2017 - Round 13
Melbourne Storm v Newcastle Knights
AAMI Park, Melbourne (TICKETS)
Friday 2 June 2017

Gates 5pm / NRL 6pm

1. Billy Slater 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. William Chambers 4. Cheyse Blair 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Cooper Cronk 8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Tim Glasby 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Tohu Harris 13. Dale Finucane
Interchange: 14. Jordan McLean 15. Joe Stimson 16. Kenneath Bromwich 17. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 18. Young Tonumaipea 19. Slade Griffin 20. Brandon Smith 21. Mark Nicholls

1. Dane Gagai 2. Ken Sio 3. Joe Wardle 4. Peter Mata'utia 5. Nathan Ross 6. Brock Lamb 7. Jaelen Feeney 8. Daniel Saifiti 9. Danny Levi 10. Josh Starling 11. Sione Mata'utia 12. Mitchell Barnett 13. Luke Yates
Interchange: 14. Sam Stone 15. Josh King 16. Tyler Randell 17. Jacob Saifiti 18. Brendan Elliott 19. Cory Denniss 20. Trent Hodkinson 21. Lachlan Fitzgibbon

Referees: Adam Gee, Gavin Reynolds
Sideline Officials: Ricky MacFarlane, Jon Stone
Video Referees: Jared Maxwell, Luke Patten

NYC - Sat 11am at Sunshine Coast

ISC (Storm) - Falcons host Ipswich (Broncos) at Sunshine Coast, Sat 2:30pm, Easts away to Pride (Cowboys) at Barlow, Sat 5:30pm

ISP (Knights) - host Warriors at Cessnock, Sat 4:45pm​

 

[Glendale]

Melbourne, like Canberra, are our bitches.

We got dis easy.

 

[Pedge1971]

On paper Melbourne wins easy but we just have this knack of running them close every time. A lot will depend on what they do with Smith and Cronk after origin.

 

[Burwood]

It was interesting that Brown noted earlier in the year that he really saw big improvement in the squad during and after the bye rounds of 2016 because those weeks off have the team the extra opportunity to work on key elements of their game. Hopefully the same happens this year and we can jag a win or two from games that perhaps earlier in the season we just weren't quite up to.

 

[Hello, I'm The Doctor]

Why the f*ckery is Gags still at FB?!?!?!

I really hope Elliot comes in before Kickoff

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Elliott doesn't deserve to be left out.
I'd rather risk Gagai at centre and have him covered by Wardle than to have Gags at fullback.
Hopefully we can use the excuse that Gags can't back up to not play him.

 

[Glendale]

Didn't think I'd say this is relation to a first grade match, but I hope Lachy Fitzgibbon is alright to play this week. He really impressed me against the Raiders.

Don't want Lamb and Sione's combination to be messed with, so Fitzy in, Yates back to bench. Stone to drop out. Very much doubt Gagai will back up given he's leaving.

 

[Caped Crusader]

Cronk and Smith will want to erase the anal raping they received from NSW by giving us a raping in return

Cant see the Knights getting within 20

 

[mozza91]

Can Brown please stop naming Hodkinson in the 21? I'm having nightmares throughout the week.

 

[Swarzey]

Cronk and Smith are apparently in big doubt to play. I wouldn't be surprised if Bellamy does rest them given it's us of all teams. Would rate our chances without them tbh.

 

[Sydney Knight]

Reports this morning indicated Chambers was suspended for a week but this has been converted to a $1,550 fine.

http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...pension-for-knights-game-20170601-gwi1mc.html

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

Can Brown please stop naming Hodkinson in the 21? I'm having nightmares throughout the week.

It's worse when you see Facebook posts like :
"Brown should be sacked. Doesn't he realise we have a first class half in Hodkinson playing in reserves. We need the experience. Feeney sucks".
I'm losing more and more hair.

 

[PhilGould]

Can Brown please stop naming Hodkinson in the 21? I'm having nightmares throughout the week.

Hodkinson & Denniss have dropped off the extended bench so you can rest easy tonight

 

[Spot On]

It's worse when you see Facebook posts like :
"Brown should be sacked. Doesn't he realise we have a first class half in Hodkinson playing in reserves. We need the experience. Feeney sucks".
I'm losing more and more hair.

That's an easy one....

It's Hodko writing that.

A Knights fan who actually watches Knights games would never, ever write that.

Brown has said Gagai will play and he expects him to "play well" as "you rarely see blokes come out of origin, play and not compete well'.

He damn better compete like he did last night.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

Cameron smith, Cooper Cronk and Will Chambers will be given til the last minute to decide whether or not they will play tonight.

I thought the NRL introduced a rule this year that each team is to name a 19 man squad 24 hours from kick off and their 17 man squad 1 hour before kick off. Special permission is then to be sought to make additional changes only in exceptional circumstances like an injury during the warm up.

So how can 3 players be given until the last minute? Their decision should have been made yesterday prior to the squad being cut to 19.

Anyway... obviously I hope they don't play.

 

[alexwilliams_66692007]

Cameron smith, Cooper Cronk and Will Chambers will be given til the last minute to decide whether or not they will play tonight.

I thought the NRL introduced a rule this year that each team is to name a 19 man squad 24 hours from kick off and their 17 man squad 1 hour before kick off. Special permission is then to be sought to make additional changes only in exceptional circumstances like an injury during the warm up.

So how can 3 players be given until the last minute? Their decision should have been made yesterday prior to the squad being cut to 19.

Anyway... obviously I hope they don't play.

Because it's the Storm and Smith and co have always had special treatment over the rest of the competition.

 

[adamkungl]

Cameron smith, Cooper Cronk and Will Chambers will be given til the last minute to decide whether or not they will play tonight.

I thought the NRL introduced a rule this year that each team is to name a 19 man squad 24 hours from kick off and their 17 man squad 1 hour before kick off. Special permission is then to be sought to make additional changes only in exceptional circumstances like an injury during the warm up.

So how can 3 players be given until the last minute? Their decision should have been made yesterday prior to the squad being cut to 19.

Anyway... obviously I hope they don't play.

What are you on about. They're in the 19 man squad. They have to decide 1 hour before kick off. That's the last minute.

 

[Glendale]

Absolute joke that Chambers is allowed to play anyway.

 

[adamkungl]

Absolute joke that Chambers is allowed to play anyway.

No arguments there.
How does a nothing shoulder charge or punch get auto 2 weeks but knocking a bloke out with a high tackle get basically nothing.

 

[Hardcore_Fan]

What are you on about. They're in the 19 man squad. They have to decide 1 hour before kick off. That's the last minute.

If all 3 decide not to play then they have to bring someone from outside the 19 man cut. There are 17 players in a team in case you weren't sure. And last minute is just before kick off m7.