Melbourne must still be cheating the cap

[Wato]

Similarly i'd like to see Manly actually face a decent team and beat them before coming to any conclusions about them. They're virtually the same team as last year with Cherry-Evans in for Hodkinson and Stewart back. They haven't beat a decent team yet imo.

True I think when Manly and Melbourne face each other the winner will be the one to challenge Saints as both teams are yet to test themselves against Saints. I think the footy style of Manly and just the way they have gone about doing things make them the best equipped team to challenge Saints. The main thing going against the Storm is the play that grinding style similar to Saints and you won't be able to out grind Saints. To beat Saints you have to use the footy Brisbane proved that, Manly have shown they can do that more often then Melbourne have. At the moment I think Manly are ahead of Melbourne but niether have faced Saints who are the benchmark of the comp these days.

 

[thommo4pm]

So you signed more than one player?

Thank you for being honest.

Now who did you re-sign?

I did say player of note. Penese was a 20's player from Penrith who is leaving us at the end of this year.
Gower was a Tigers lower grade player.

Can't recall who re-signed last year, there was quite a few in 2009, and we have done quite a few this year also.
Think Weyman may have re-signed last year, but can't recall others sorry.

 

[Stormerz]

True I think when Manly and Melbourne face each other the winner will be the one to challenge Saints as both teams are yet to test themselves against Saints. I think the footy style of Manly and just the way they have gone about doing things make them the best equipped team to challenge Saints. The main thing going against the Storm is the play that grinding style similar to Saints and you won't be able to out grind Saints. To beat Saints you have to use the footy Brisbane proved that, Manly have shown they can do that more often then Melbourne have. At the moment I think Manly are ahead of Melbourne but niether have faced Saints who are the benchmark of the comp these days.

Yeah fair point. I know the Storm had a stronger roster but they taught the Saints a grinding lesson last year (no sexual innuendo ). It's possible that they can do it again. I actually think the Storm have a better chance against the Dragons than Manly personally but Manly have less of a chance against the Dragons than Melbourne...if that makes any sense what so ever. Just the way the teams match up.

 

[Big Pete]

You did thommo, but then you eagerly informed us he signed cheaply. Why bring up a cheap signing such as Cuthbo and not Penese and Gower? It's not as if those latter two players didn't come in with any wraps either.

Thank you for your attempt at my last question.

 

[thommo4pm]

You did thommo, but then you eagerly informed us he signed cheaply. Why bring up a cheap signing such as Cuthbo and not Penese and Gower? It's not as if those latter two players didn't come in with any wraps either.

Thank you for your attempt at my last question.

Fair enough, didn't mention the other 2 as I didn't think many people would know who they were if I did say their names.

Just simply pointing out that we signed Gaz, but also lost a lot of players of quality in doing so.
Your point is taken about the upgrades or contracts being extended.

No problem about answering your question.

 

[ceagle]

Similarly i'd like to see Manly actually face a decent team and beat them before coming to any conclusions about them. They're virtually the same team as last year with Cherry-Evans in for Hodkinson and Stewart back. They haven't beat a decent team yet imo.

These are still big improvements from last year, but our team is also playing with a better attitude this year, and there are no 2nd half fade outs. IMO our current roster is more impressive then our 2008 one.

 

[Wato]

Yeah fair point. I know the Storm had a stronger roster but they taught the Saints a grinding lesson last year (no sexual innuendo ). It's possible that they can do it again. I actually think the Storm have a better chance against the Dragons than Manly personally but Manly have less of a chance against the Dragons than Melbourne...if that makes any sense what so ever. Just the way the teams match up.

Yea Storm have a good set of backs and some good forward leaders but I think Manly have the forward pack to go the distance with St George and have some quality backs to finish off in Hopa,Lyon,Stewart etc. I think Melbourne's greatest strength in there backs may struggle to get good space due to their forwards against Saints. I think Manly are more balanced but I really like the centre pairing for Melbourne with Blair who runs hard and looks like breaking the line often and Nielsen who is a quality player.Good finishers on the wings too plus the strength of the spine. I would really love to see the Storm to throw the ball around get guys like Blair one-on-one with his opposite and see how dangerous they can be. Where the storm really probably have manly covered is in their kicking game and that will be a great asset come finals time, going to be a great finals series. and a great match when these two teams play each other later this year.

 

[Evenflow]

What? For 20 odd minutes of an 80 minute game they lost him for? It was 12-4 when he went down and it was still 12-4 when it finished so once again like many in this thread it was a pointless point.

You clearly want to talk down the performance of the Storm no matter how geniused your reasoning but you conveniently forget to mention it was only their third win at the venue in 10 outings. I'm not for one second saying we'll win the comp this year and reckon we'll have more chance next year, but it's still fun looking at numpties like you talking down their achievements so regardless of how well they're going and after more than likely writing them off at the start of the season.

 

[Stormerz]

These are still big improvements from last year, but our team is also playing with a better attitude this year, and there are no 2nd half fade outs. IMO our current roster is more impressive then our 2008 one.

Hodkinson was great last year. Just as good as Cherry-Evans has been this year imo. Forgot about Hopoate, he's been impressive as well. Taking round 1 as a non indicator of either team (both were horrible, don't think the players Manly had out made a difference to how badly they played), you could say both teams haven't really been tested. Actually, at this stage of the year, the best 4 teams or so (bar St.George) haven't really had any gruelling matches- it's probably an indicator of how weak the comp is more than anything imo.

 

[Wato]

What? For 20 odd minutes of an 80 minute game they lost him for? It was 12-4 when he went down and it was still 12-4 when it finished so once again like many in this thread it was a pointless point.

You clearly want to talk down the performance of the Storm no matter how geniused your reasoning but you conveniently forget to mention it was only their third win at the venue in 10 outings. I'm not for one second saying we'll win the comp this year and reckon we'll have more chance next year, but it's still fun looking at numpties like you talking down their achievements so regardless of how well they're going and after more than likely writing them off at the start of the season.

He was injured in the 51st minute and too play without your main playmaker for so long in such a close game is always going to be near impossible to overcome. All I have claimed as the Storm have not beaten another full strength top 4 side and they are yet to challenge themselves against the comps benchmark in Saints. How is that geniused reasoning? I have gone in previous posts to say Manly are in a similar situation but imo are just ahead of the storm at the moment.

 

[SingleSpeed73]

For the OP, you get no apology from me.. The Storm Cheated and the result of years of cheating is to keep the best spine in the game at your club for those years with exceptional depth and stock piling of player talent .
Proof that cheats dont always prosper .... a 40-0 thrashing the result

 

[ceagle]

Hodkinson was great last year. Just as good as Cherry-Evans has been this year imo. Forgot about Hopoate, he's been impressive as well. Taking round 1 as a non indicator of either team (both were horrible, don't think the players Manly had out made a difference to how badly they played), you could say both teams haven't really been tested. Actually, at this stage of the year, the best 4 teams or so (bar St.George) haven't really had any gruelling matches- it's probably an indicator of how weak the comp is more than anything imo.

:lol:.Please, I watched every Manly game last year, I can barely record him setting up any tries at all, he had the fewest touches per game out of any half in the game, he was average at best. Already Cherry-Evans has proven to be a more dynamic half in 14 games.

 

[Stormerz]

For the OP, you get no apology from me.. The Storm Cheated and the result of years of cheating is to keep the best spine in the game at your club for those years with exceptional depth and stock piling of player talent .
Proof that cheats dont always prosper .... a 40-0 thrashing the result

Without trying to get into the whole cheating argument, doesn't your point right there go with everything he has to say?

 

[B-Tron 3000]

Apart from the obvious benefit of keeping their best players when they would have lost at least Smith, and the continuation of a culture that was established only because they had those players, the cheating also helped them expand their game.

Last year, when they weren't playing for points, they started to throw the ball around and they - and their coach - realised that it could be done. And this year they are more expansive.

 

[SingleSpeed73]

No because i call that Karma for cheating. more like a try against the run of play.

 

[SingleSpeed73]

The point to make i think is Cheating made them practically untouchable during that time this year they are still good but def beatable

 

[Loudstrat]

Probably thought it would be more fair to give the top players the top dollars they deserve? Something the NRL needs to think about if it does not want to lose players to other codes. Which is a much more significant threat than other clubs because nothing is to stop them from offering more money which is exactly what professional athletes would go for given their careers don't last longer than 20 years.

It's still cheating the rules of the NRL and that's why they had to have the titles they "won" stripped from them. But these are rules the NRL needed to reconsider.

More fair? Not more fair to our non cheating club to be cheated out of a premiership - maybe you are happy we lost in 09 because Melbourne were being "fair".

The rubbish about "keeping them in our game" is only bought by idiots anyway. Should Brisbane have busted the cap by $2 million per year to keep cutie and Folau? And if they DID break the cap to keep them from another code - why keep players who dont want to stay in our game legally anyway? Our game is bigger than any one player. Or 4.

Mods please ban the trolls in here. This is meant to be a troll free thread.

Thanks in advance

I have never seen a thread where the OP has been removed. Might see one in the morning.

I reckon manly must have 'cheated' too. I mean if storm were so strong because of paying overs, then any team that beat them must either be cheating too or an extraordinary team.
Or maybe the payments had no effect whatsoever.

Pfft. With Smith out they lost, what, $600k worth of player? They probably represented a full strength legal club that day - and got slaughtered by the biggest margin in history. Clear evidence that if they DIDNT rort the cap, they probably would not have even made the top 8.

 

[maccattack]

Pfft. With Smith out they lost, what, $600k worth of player? They probably represented a full strength legal club that day - and got slaughtered by the biggest margin in history. Clear evidence that if they DIDNT rort the cap, they probably would not have even made the top 8.

So whoever was next in line (i cant remember) would have been beaten by what 100 - nil?

 

[Glen]

Melbourne is a significantly weaker team this year. It's a great effort to be on top of the comp with the side they have, although it is all predicated on their cheating bullshit of the last few years.

They will not make the grand final this year and if they do manage to, they will be slaughtered

 

[Stormerz]

More fair? Not more fair to our non cheating club to be cheated out of a premiership - maybe you are happy we lost in 09 because Melbourne were being "fair".

The rubbish about "keeping them in our game" is only bought by idiots anyway. Should Brisbane have busted the cap by $2 million per year to keep cutie and Folau? And if they DID break the cap to keep them from another code - why keep players who dont want to stay in our game legally anyway? Our game is bigger than any one player. Or 4.


I have never seen a thread where the OP has been removed. Might see one in the morning.


Pfft. With Smith out they lost, what, $600k worth of player? They probably represented a full strength legal club that day - and got slaughtered by the biggest margin in history. Clear evidence that if they DIDNT rort the cap, they probably would not have even made the top 8.

But they beat Cronulla the week before 28-0 without Smith and Smith. The same Cronulla team that finished in the top 3.