RIP Melbourne Storm 2003-13

[hineyrulz]

Most consistent team of the past decade and have 1 premiership to show for it but I guess it's better than zero

1 more than they deserve.

 

[footy75]

gutted the way we went out

 

[Tigger Madness]

Ironic that people are saying Melbourne are past it because their stars are getting old. They just got beaten by a team whose best players include senior citizens Buderus, Mason and Jeremy Smith.

 

[BunniesMan]

Billy has been in great form the last couple of months.. out of the Big 3 he's been in the better form.

He offers nothing running the ball back anymore. He almost always gets stopped by the first defender. He is nowhere near as fast or agile as he once was.

Next year he turns 31 with no end in sight for his rep career. I just can't see him or Cronk with enough in the tank to deliver another premiership.

Cameron Smith has been the best of the big 3 all year.

Put it this way. I bet if Cronk or Slater do an ACL round 1 next year the Storm still make the 8. If Smith goes down you have no hope.

Slater is not elite anymore and Cronks success comes directly off the back of what Smith does.

 

[BunniesMan]

Ironic that people are saying Melbourne are past it because their stars are getting old. They just got beaten by a team whose best players include senior citizens Buderus, Mason and Jeremy Smith.

In Boyd in Leilua in Gagai in Uate in Roberts they have a set of very talented young players to make the most of the veteran leadership.

The Storm because they're paying so much more to their big veterans than teams like Newcastle they are unable to surround them with the same level of quality.

 

[de$$ie]

wtf lose a couple of games while half the team is carrying injuries and they're not a force?

maybe at your shitty club with its shitty culture, melbourne will be there again next year.

 

[BunniesMan]

wtf lose a couple of games while half the team is carrying injuries and they're not a force?

maybe at your shitty club with its shitty culture, melbourne will be there again next year.

So with the big 3 all another year older and no Widdop and a full rep schedule they'll be able to improve on this years effort? No.

 

[Snappy]

Just shut your massive chin bunnies gimp you have no idea. You make stupid bold wrong predictions every week but carry on when you manage to get one right. You've also been ragging DCE all year.

 

[de$$ie]

So with the big 3 all another year older and no Widdop and a full rep schedule they'll be able to improve on this years effort? No.

did i say theyd improve? age is nothing, everyone said manly wouldnt make the 8 because theyre too old, newcastle is dads army for christ sake. widdop isnt irreplaceable, infact theyve got that young hampton bloke who looks to be the goods.

if anything souffs will drop off after the hype is gone and you stop getting favors from the officials.

 

[POPEYE]

So with the big 3 all another year older and no Widdop and a full rep schedule they'll be able to improve on this years effort? No.

Maybe it's time Melbourne started poaching, contracts mean sfa so some Rabbitoh players might jump ship for the right money, maybe Folau and Inglis could return. If Wests can rebuild so can Melbourne and it certainly won't take 40 f**king years

 

[Noa]

Got me f**ked why Hampton didn't get more game time this year.

Wasnt ready physically to play 6.

 

[Tigger Madness]

In Boyd in Leilua in Gagai in Uate in Roberts they have a set of very talented young players to make the most of the veteran leadership.

The Storm because they're paying so much more to their big veterans than teams like Newcastle they are unable to surround them with the same level of quality.

Boyd and Uate dont fall into the category of young players who rely on senior guidance. Boyd in particular could almost be considered in the teams leadership group.

Melbourne are not without their own young potential stars including Waqa, McLean and O'Neill.

 

[Noa]

Boyd and Uate dont fall into the category of young players who rely on senior guidance. Boyd in particular could almost be considered in the teams leadership group.

Melbourne are not without their own young potential stars including Waqa, McLean and O'Neill.

Waqa isnt young, Maclean is OK but needs to show more mongrel and O'Neill is solid but wont live up to the early hopes.

Hymel Hunt will be a good addition to us next year.

 

[madunit]

They have a very ordinary and average pack.

However they have some real quality forwards with some size in the junior ranks coming through.

Thats all they need.

 

[BranVan3000]

Melbourne will probably win another Premiership, probably in 2015

 

[Noa]

They have a very ordinary and average pack.

However they have some real quality forwards with some size in the junior ranks coming through.

Thats all they need.

The likes of Lodge, Petterson-Robati, Asofa-Solomona are top shelf but are 2 to 3 years away, Lodge will play some first grade next year though.

 

[simostorm]

He offers nothing running the ball back anymore. He almost always gets stopped by the first defender. He is nowhere near as fast or agile as he once was.

Next year he turns 31 with no end in sight for his rep career. I just can't see him or Cronk with enough in the tank to deliver another premiership.

Cameron Smith has been the best of the big 3 all year.

Put it this way. I bet if Cronk or Slater do an ACL round 1 next year the Storm still make the 8. If Smith goes down you have no hope.

Slater is not elite anymore and Cronks success comes directly off the back of what Smith does.

I disagree. Slater's defence at the back is as good as its ever been, and probably his biggest strength. He still makes plenty of run metres per game. Storm's attacking structure as a whole has been poor last couple of months. At times, Slater's individual efforts have been the only thing that's kept them in the game. He's not as fast as he once was, but he's still fast enough.

Start of the season, They looked unbeatable.. after Origin they looked tired. Its simply the effect of Origin that's hurt them.
They'll bounce back and be better next season then what they were this season.

 

[dragon_around]

I feel sorry for Parra. Robbed of a premiership by these cheats.

 

[kia ora storm]

Don't count on it.

They got beaten by two quality footy teams - one that is riding a wave of belief and another who just played out of their skin. They weren't absolutely humbled and there is still plenty of talent there for them to challenge.

Some of the players they blooded this season will be better for the experience and they have some talented players coming through. The window is definitely starting to close but I still think they'll be in with a shot in the next couple of years.

Now if Smith signs with Brisbane, it's a completely different story but I get the impression that it's just managerial talk and I hope Smith retires a one club player.

The club will definitely go through a rebuilding phase but the most critical aspect is losing Bellamy who will not go on after this contract is finished.

Next year will be interesting...there will be two new assistant coaches as well and a new halves combo to build with Cronk and Hampton and from what I have seen of him Hampton is a rugged gutsy runner and exactly what they need to compliment Cronk. Widdop was too cutesy sometimes and hampered the backline.

In a way it would be good to lose one of the three soon...cap will be freed up to beef up the pack with a quality player or two to mentor Harris, Glasby and Maclean.

I think they will finish around 6-7 spot next year.

 

[Tigger Madness]

Waqa isnt young, Maclean is OK but needs to show more mongrel and O'Neill is solid but wont live up to the early hopes.

Hymel Hunt will be a good addition to us next year.

Waqa is the same age as Boyd.