Storm 3,2,1's

[jiorl]

We are back in the GF!!

3. Tupou - a stellar year, and literally carried the team out of trouble
2. Crichton - explosive from the bench, in prime form when we need it most
1. Morris - had a hand in some crucial catches, runs and tackles. A performance that probably will be underrated by the media, but not me

Stuff to mention:
JWH suspension now a blessing in disguise
Cooper Cronk's 50th game as a rooster in the GF
Will Friend play and is it the right decision?
I think Keary will get off as well, the tackle wasn't that bad and is a cleanskin when it comes to ill-discipline

Easts to win!

 

[stryker]

Cordner was best on field.

 

[Tommy Smith]

So many inspirational performers.

3. Toops. Trys were at a premium and he set one up with a moment of genius.
2. Cordner. An absolute warrior from start to finish.
1. Cronk. Incredible in D and so composed in the big moments. Set up the game winner.

Huge special mentions to Angus (he deserves points, as many as 3), Joey, SST, BMoz, Teddy...

The whole team was great. Not a bad player.

 

[Valheru]

3 toops
2 Cordner
1 cronk

Great defensive performance. If we defend like that I can't see Canberra scoring a point.

Back to back is within reach, if we aim up we don't lose. We just can't be complacent ala 2003

 

[Valheru]

So many inspirational performers.

3. Toops. Trys were at a premium and he set one up with a moment of genius.
2. Cordner. An absolute warrior from start to finish.
1. Cronk. Incredible in D and so composed in the big moments. Set up the game winner.

Huge special mentions to Angus (he deserves points, as many as 3), Joey, SST, BMoz, Teddy...

The whole team was great. Not a bad player.

Can you imagine the main forum if godner does lead us to back to back

 

[Captain Apollo]

Keary charged, but will be free to play - https://www.nrl.com/news/2019/09/28/week-3-finals-charges-soliola-charged-papalii-cleared/

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

Cordner was best on field.

This
3. Cords
2. Toops
1. Angus

I reckon Robbo should get Finchy in to talk to the boys about the mistakes leading into 03 GF. We will have a fresh and pumped up Jared next week too. We can do this merkins!

 

[Valheru]

This
3. Cords
2. Toops
1. Angus

I reckon Robbo should get Finchy in to talk to the boys about the mistakes leading into 03 GF. We will have a fresh and pumped up Jared next week too. We can do this merkins!

There is a lot of comparisons being made with 03 due to us being a clearly superior side on paper and favourites etc. but for me the comparison doesn't hold up for the following reasons

1. Penrith were minor premiers and had beat us earlier in the season
2. Raiders finals form really hasn't been too impressive to me. They were fortuitous to score the match winner in week 1 and 2 of their 3 tries against souths were flukey

They will need to put 20 plus on us to win which I don't see happening.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

There is a lot of comparisons being made with 03 due to us being a clearly superior side on paper and favourites etc. but for me the comparison doesn't hold up for the following reasons

1. Penrith were minor premiers and had beat us earlier in the season
2. Raiders finals form really hasn't been too impressive to me. They were fortuitous to score the match winner in week 1 and 2 of their 3 tries against souths were flukey

They will need to put 20 plus on us to win which I don't see happening.

Agree with all that but there’s always a risk of complacency no matter how small. And as an old chooks fan, I’m a natural pessimist

 

[Headless Chook]

3. Cords
2. Angus
1. Toops

The key for us winning is we have to start well and put on 2 or 3 tries in the first 20 mins without giving them a sniff of going with us. Tipping the Raiders will have a fair bit of stage fright too and the game might be gone before they even realise.

 

[Captain Apollo]

I reckon Robbo should get Finchy in to talk to the boys about the mistakes leading into 03 GF. We will have a fresh and pumped up Jared next week too. We can do this merkins!

He won't need to get Finchy in. He has two people on staff at the club who can talk about it first hand - a Mr C. Fitzgibbon and a Mr A. Minichiello.

 

[Babyface O'reilly]

He won't need to get Finchy in. He has two people on staff at the club who can talk about it first hand - a Mr C. Fitzgibbon and a Mr A. Minichiello.

Lol how could I forget that

 

[horrie hastings]

3- Tupou ( by a country mile )
2- Cordner
1- Cronk ( took control beautifully)

Special mention to Angus, BMozz, Manu and Teddy.

 

[Captain Apollo]

3 points: Daniel Tupou. Got through a mountain of work hitting the ball up, great grab for the first try, and pulled off some great tackles.

2 points; Boyd Cordner. Inspired captain's knock.

1 point: James Tedesco. Had to give him a point for some of his last ditch defence to deny the Storm points. May not have had the impact in attack he usually has, but he still ran for over 200 metres with ball in hand.

 

[H.H]

3 - Toupo
2 - Cronk
1 - Cordner

The 2003 thing has worried me for a couple of weeks. It's not just the underrated opponents, but the whole run in.

We're defending premiers, finished second, been favorites all year, won our first semi easily (but clocked off second half like against Newcastle in 03), beat what was meant to be our GF opponents in the prelim and now face someone we supposedly can't lose against.

Hope the lessons have been learnt.

 

[jiorl]

3 - Toupo
2 - Cronk
1 - Cordner

The 2003 thing has worried me for a couple of weeks. It's not just the underrated opponents, but the whole run in.

We're defending premiers, finished second, been favorites all year, won our first semi easily (but clocked off second half like against Newcastle in 03), beat what was meant to be our GF opponents in the prelim and now face someone we supposedly can't lose against.

Hope the lessons have been learnt.

there were a lot of things against us though, such as Fittler being injured

 

[Valheru]

3 - Toupo
2 - Cronk
1 - Cordner

The 2003 thing has worried me for a couple of weeks. It's not just the underrated opponents, but the whole run in.

We're defending premiers, finished second, been favorites all year, won our first semi easily (but clocked off second half like against Newcastle in 03), beat what was meant to be our GF opponents in the prelim and now face someone we supposedly can't lose against.

Hope the lessons have been learnt.

There are similarities but key differences too.

1. We played the perfect game in the 03 prelim, not sure that was the case this year and we can get better.
2. Panthers were 1st, raiders 4th so the favouritism is justified this time round.
3. Todd Byrne
4. Chris walker
5. The weather looks far better this year.

Having said all that we played quite well that day and if this team brings the same effort and loses so be it.

I maintain 2004 was a way higher choke than 2003.

 

[H.H]

Right you are - thanks .

Agree on 2004 too - still not really over that one.

 

[Headless Chook]

Right you are - thanks .

Agree on 2004 too - still not really over that one.

Right you are - thanks .

Agree on 2004 too - still not really over that one.

its cold comfort, but I still convince myself the El Masri try had more than a whiff of double movement about it. Unlike 2010 when Morris’s foot was in row 8 from the sideline. That was just bad.

 

[Captain Apollo]

there were a lot of things against us though, such as Fittler being injured

Fittler injured? Not in 2003 he wasn't. It was 2004 he was carrying an injury which he picked up playing the Raiders in Canberra about 2-3 weeks out from the semis.

Fact is 2003 the Panthers just outplayed us. I was at the players only function after the game and every player said that we were just outplayed in that game from start to finish.