Round 5 | Storm 34-22 Knights @ AAMI Park | Fri March 30 @ 7.30pm

[Jobdog]

1. Billy Slater 2. Mat Duffie 3. Dane Nielsen 4. Will Chambers 19. Anthony Quinn 6. Gareth Widdop 7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith (c) 10. Bryan Norrie 11. Sika Manu 12. Ryan Hoffman 14. Ryan Hinchcliffe

Interchange: 13. Todd Lowrie 15. Kevin Proctor 16. Siosaia Vave 17. Jason Ryles

1. Darius Boyd 2. James McManus 3. Junior Sa'u 4. Timana Tahu 5. Akuila Uate 6. Kurt Gidley (c) 7. Jarrod Mullen
8. Kade Snowden 9. Danny Buderus 10. Richie Fa'aoso 11. Chris Houston 12. Zeb Taia 14. Alex McKinnon

Interchange: 13. Neville Costigan 15. Adam Cuthbertson 16. Joel Edwards 17. Zane Tetevano

Referees
Matt Cecchin and Adam Devcich
Sideline Officials: Jeff Younis and Grant Atkins
Video Referee: Sean Hampstead


Related Matches
Toyota Cup R5 - Storm v Knights @ AAMI, Fri 5:15pm
QRL ISC R4 - Burleigh Bears (GLD) v Easts Tigers (MEL) @ Pizzey Park, Sun 2:10pm (Ch 9)
VB NSW Cup R5 - Manly Sea Eagles (MAN) v Newcastle Knights (NEW) @ Brookvale, Sat 3:00pm
​

 

[perverse]

i can't see us beating them whilst they are in the form that they are. if we turn up and play like we did against the Dogs we'll give them a good match, though. it will be nice to have Aku back, but i don't know where you put Cuthbo after last week.

 

[Joker's Wild]

Much more confident about this game than I was last week

I reckon there will be no more than 4 points in it

 

[Matt23]

The purple filth should still be too strong for us...too early for Hugzy ghost dance?

 

[Jobdog]

Prior to yesterday I'd have given us a snowballs chance in hell. But after seeing the commitment shown yesterday it gives me just an ounce of confidence we might be able to pick up another win.

It'll have to be a similar effort to yesterday and the five-day turnaround certainly won't help. But then again it's the same turnaround as them.

 

[Rod]

It's hard to gauge where the Storm are at. They're in great form no doubt but they've beaten 3 teams who are looking pretty bad (excluding the Raiders, who after tonight are looking ok and should really have beaten the Storm).

If our defence around the ruck is as tight as it was against the Bulldogs that will go a long way as the Storm make a lot of busts up there.

 

[Nuffy]

Knights by 4.

 

[Yosh]

It's gonna be even for a long time but the test will be in the final 15 or so minutes. We'll defeinitely give them a run for their money but if we lose steam, we might let in 3 or 4 tries at the end.

 

[Misanthrope]

I don't think we've got it in us to topple them just yet, but it's hard to judge. They've steam-rolled through some not very good sides. Remains to be seen how they match up against a quality squad.

 

[Chicken_Hunter]

Historically after a great win we would then generally have a pretty poor game the following week. Hopefully the bennett factor has put a stop to this and we can build momentum.

We have always struggled down in melbourne, and this is the game I dread the most every year as it is normally a guaranteed loss for us.

There is no telling what the Bennett factor will be able to do for us this week. If our guys go in confident and keep the ball away from slater at all costs then we can win this. If mullen's kicking game is even slightly off we are screwed as slater will cut us to shreds.

 

[docbrown]

50/50 in my opinion.

 

[Stick]

They have to lose eventually. May as well be to Newcastle.

 

[The Showstopper]

This one is about the Performance over 80 minutes rather than the result. If we go with them with a defensive verve we can be confident of winning a very tight game. If it comes
down to Slater pulling a rabbit out of a hat as the difference we can walk away knowing we are definitely a chance this year. It is a very important match for the boys to really know just where they are at but more to the point where they can be come september.

 

[Big Tim]

Tough matchup for our middle against Barba last week, but we came out on top. This is an entirely different level for them to go against.

Middle will be key.

 

[Jobdog]

Teams and refs added

 

[NoSchitSherlock]

If we come out firing, get early points and hold it together we can win this. Us by 8 after a Storm comeback after we lead.

 

[shane1970]

I can't for the life of me work out HOW they are playing so god damn well - there's enough nuffies in that team for them to be NOT playing to the standard they currently are - so that ingrains a slight idea that they have gotta play to their potential at some stage - and I hope it's this weekend!

 

[Zoidberg]

Six being in brassy, have to watch damn broncos live (again), then wait to see the good game at 9.30

 

[Joker's Wild]

Same. Im gonna record it and watch it the next day, f**k sitting through all those ads

 

[Rolla]

I can't for the life of me work out HOW they are playing so god damn well - there's enough nuffies in that team for them to be NOT playing to the standard they currently are - so that ingrains a slight idea that they have gotta play to their potential at some stage - and I hope it's this weekend!

I can think of three reasons. Four if you include being well coached.

You are right though, as far as rosters go there are plenty of weakness' in there.