Rd1: 405pm Parra v Storm GAME DAY THREAD in Melbourne 9/3/25

[Matty Bhoy]

I still think we have a lot to offer this season.
This was just one game. A disappointing start no doubt, against the most professional club in the NRL.
It might sound strange, but my "glass half full" attitude towards anything in life actually saw quite a few positives out there today.
Call me delusional, but I could actually see more optimism in the future than I have seen for years.
Melbourne are the benchmark with a spine like they have and the best coach in the history of the game. They also shit me to tears with the way they f**king cheat the laws of the game on the field and get away with it constantly.
If that is what it needs us to become, well I hope Ryles can bring that to this club. Nice guys are never winners.

Suity, I’m with you completely. I was seething when all we had to do was complete that set of six after scoring and get into the sheds and Kelma forced a pass leading to another Storm try. Don’t get me wrong the game was already done by a long way but try and make the best of a bad situation.

The second half has me up and about. There’s a glimpse there of where we are going. Add in a few of the players missing, clearly Moses in particular, and I think we are heading in the right direction.

Bizarrely, the end score is kind of what I figured it would be. I just thought we’d show more resolve earlier in the game and run out of gas late.

If the Storm turn up like that most weeks the scoreline at half time isn’t a hell of a lot different. Not quite as bad as it was today, but game over none the less.

On to next week!

 

[Eelogical]

I still think we have a lot to offer this season.
This was just one game. A disappointing start no doubt, against the most professional club in the NRL.
It might sound strange, but my "glass half full" attitude towards anything in life actually saw quite a few positives out there today.
Call me delusional, but I could actually see more optimism in the future than I have seen for years.
Melbourne are the benchmark with a spine like they have and the best coach in the history of the game. They also shit me to tears with the way they f**king cheat the laws of the game on the field and get away with it constantly.
If that is what it needs us to become, well I hope Ryles can bring that to this club. Nice guys are never winners.

We have a lot to offer, but we won't be challenging for the GF, that's for sure. JR will re-group and make changes with 2026 in mind. I'm happy to let the death riders have their day. It's what they do.

 

[Soto]

It's going to take time boys.
The squad in 2 years time will be completely different.
Melb way too clinical and we were way way way off the pace. Everything they did in the 1st half turned to gold...
Between our 1 and 7...6 first grade games.
Plus 2 debutantes...did I expect better..f**k yeah.
That's not good enough in 1st grade. It's clear there is a real weak mentality with some of the older players.
We need leaders and Paulo is not one of them
When you think who is missing then that really sends a message
Moses
Simonsson
Ado Carr
Lane
Cartwright
Matterson
Moretti
Well over a thousand games of 1st grade experience.
Not saying we would've won but there are blokes like Tago, Tuilagi, Volkman who really should be no where near 1st grade.
I like Ryley Smith. He will take over from Hands as the hooker.
Russell and Penisini can stand tall.
Jack Williams went well.
Guymer tries but I think he's overrated.
Volkman may be alright. Its a lot of responsibility and he hasnt played for almost 18 months. Tuilagi too many chances and has been a major disappointment with his defence and game awareness.
We definitely need 2 backrowers. Will Latu looks a good prospect.
Doorey is a good whole runner. Can't shirk his work rate. If he can stay injury free and improve on his defence he is worth persevering with and won't cost a bomb either.

 

[Avenger]

Sounds fair but who else would you throw the 7 jersey at while Moses is parting the Red Sea?

Hawkins.

 

[Chipmunk]

Yes It wouldnt surprise me if we have a Bulldogs like 2023 season under Ciraldo.

I recall a pretty average knights side put 66 on them midway through the year at homebush.

Without Moses unfortunately we have one hand tied behind our backs atm even though it's not an excuse.

We have a lot of deadwood to clean out.

Ryles made some tough calls clearing out RCG and Gutho.

Still has a few more to do

With RCG gone we now have zero genuine starting Front Row Middles in the joint.

Paulo is only useful for 15 minute stints either side of half time.
Joffa is a No 17 you give 20 minutes a week to, as are Moretti, Greig, and Guymer
Matterson is ideal for the 40 minute stint in the middle of the game. Lane is also suited to this role.

Williams I think showed enough that we should give him one starting front row spot, but we're that light on for edge backwaters that a bloke who has been little more of that No 17 player in the team prior is now the best forward in the team and we need him to play 4 positions!!!

We urgently need another starting Front Row Middle and two Edge Forwards, and a 9.

 

[Barry O'Speedwagon]

Arthurs was never in charge of recruitment in his 11 years apparently, so why cry about him not having a say/control over a squad at any time in his tenure?

What has that got to do with my post? Look at what I was responding to. Don't make up shit I've never said.

 

[Soto]

The stark reality is that if one your halves is on 900k and is still playing, that the likes of Volkman and Hawkins should be able to just come in and do their job. But, the issue is that the bloke we're paying 900k is nothing more than a standard 400k side kick as a half.

We're totally f**ked without Moses.

Don't disagree but let's see next few weeks
I was adamant that Dejearn Asi was leading the team around the park at the back end of last year and outplaying Dylbro..
If Knights are seriously offering Dylbro $1.3m he should drive up to the Hunter tonight and sign as there is no way he's in the top 50 players

 

[Chipmunk]

Don't disagree but let's see next few weeks
I was adamant that Dejearn Asi was leading the team around the park at the back end of last year and outplaying Dylbro..
If Knights are seriously offering Dylbro $1.3m he should drive up to the Hunter tonight and sign as there is no way he's in the top 50 players

Neither Volkman or Hawkins are going to play any better than Asi did.

 

[Avenger]

Phil Gould’s ugly Eels sledge as Storm make NRL history in Parramatta shellacking​

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/phil-goulds-ugly-eels-sledge-as-storm-make-nrl-history-in-parramatta-shellacking/news-story/2b7e697e3482e6781008086f17341ec9

 

[strider]

We got the 2nd best winger in the game....

Yeah, he showed himself an elite player on the wing .... i would prefer we play him there .... Simmo centre, Lomax wing when simmo is back ... cos simmo is better at centre too

 

[King-Gutho94]

With RCG gone we now have zero genuine starting Front Row Middles in the joint.

Paulo is only useful for 15 minute stints either side of half time.
Joffa is a No 17 you give 20 minutes a week too, as are Morettie, Greig, and Guymer
Matterson is ideal for the 40 minute stint in the middle of the game. Lane is also suited to this role.

Williams I think showed enough that we should give him one starting front row spot, but we're that light on for edge backwaters that a bloke who has been little more of that No 17 player in the team prior is now the best forward in the team and we need him to play 4 positions!!!

We urgently need another starting Front Row Middle and two Edge Forwards, and a 9.

Yes spoke to the old man at fulltime.

He mentioned how small our packed looked compared to there's. No wonder they were steamrolling us very easy.

Even our outside backs.

Joffa and Paulo have slimmed down but never had elite mobility.

Williams is probably more of a middle.

Hopgood looked short of a gallop first competitive game in 9 months and had an interrupted pre season. Think he will be better for the run.

 

[Joshuatheeel]

We will improve and get better....

- need to find another edge option, so Williams can go back to the middle
- thought smith did good. Interesting he got 53 mins or so
- attack looked ok at times (considering who we had). Looks like we are going move the ball more from one edge to the other rucking it out. We did it a few times
- Spine will be better for the experience. Very inexperienced. Volk will get better
- not sure Drown could do a lot more considering our field position and possession.
- reckon the Lomax centre option may not last to long.
- desperately need JAC/Simonson back to add some speed
- wouldn't surprise if Lane ends up back on the edge
- the rookies did good
- our ruck defence cost us big time

 

[Hindmarshisgod2]

I just don't understand how we can't develop some above average jnrs to compliment the players we need to buy. There needs to be a balance if you want to compete for a premiership....unless you can manipulate the cap...

The best we can come up with is Russell and penisini??? What has happened to this club that was once a powerhouse in development???

All these hyped up jnrs coming through are pretty shit in my eyes.

 

[strider]

Phil Gould’s ugly Eels sledge as Storm make NRL history in Parramatta shellacking​

https://www.news.com.au/sport/nrl/phil-goulds-ugly-eels-sledge-as-storm-make-nrl-history-in-parramatta-shellacking/news-story/2b7e697e3482e6781008086f17341ec9

Who the f**k wrote that ... it was a perfectly reasonable thing to say

 

[Jake the snake]

I just don't understand how we can't develop some above average jnrs to compliment the players we need to buy. There needs to be a balance if you want to compete for a premiership....unless you can manipulate the cap...

The best we can come up with is Russell and penisini??? What has happened to this club that was once a powerhouse in development???

All these hyped up jnrs coming through are pretty shit in my eyes.

you are talking about a club that cannot identify first graders. How the hell will they identify any juniors ?

 

[Eelogical]

We will improve and get better....

- need to find another edge option, so Williams can go back to the middle
- thought smith did good. Interesting he got 53 mins or so
- attack looked ok at times (considering who we had). Looks like we are going move the ball more from one edge to the other rucking it out. We did it a few times
- Spine will be better for the experience. Very inexperienced. Volk will get better
- not sure Drown could do a lot more considering our field position and possession.
- reckon the Lomax centre option may not last to long.
- desperately need JAC/Simonson back to add some speed
- wouldn't surprise if Lane ends up back on the edge
- the rookies did good
- our ruck defence cost us big time

Too much commonsense in one post. I don’t know if a lot of merkins will be able to digest it in one hit.

 

[senior]

The best we can come up with is Russell and penisini???

I agree with Russell but penisini is a good player and was probably our best today

 

[King-Gutho94]

I agree with Russell but penisini is a good player and was probably our best today

Penisini didn't drop a ball today.

I consider that an improvement

 

[Soto]

you are talking about a club that cannot identify first graders. How the hell will they identify any juniors ?

The sad thing is as much as I dislike Gould, he is probably a person we've needed to right so many wrongs with our club.
We've needed someone with influence, nous, footy smarts. I don't think we've had one for a very long time...
It's deplorable on the 1st weekend in March to talk about how garbage we are. Let's hope it's onwards and upwards from here

 

[JohnStoppafarty]

That was poo. Poostick level poo. We should be renamed the Pendle Hill Poosticks.