Storm lash out at rival clubs

[gong_eagle]

Storm lash out at rival clubs

15/08/2007 5:25:10 PM
John Clark

Sportal



http://sportal.com.au/default.aspx/league-news-display/storm-lash-out-at-rival-clubs-33410

Melbourne heavyweights have lashed out at critics of the Storm and vowed to come out swinging at those who pot the competition front runner.
Coach Craig Bellamy and chief executive Brian Waldron launched a scathing attack on those condemning the club in the latest grapple tackle controversy.
A number of rival coaches - including Brisbane boss Wayne Bennett and his Parramatta counterpart Michael Hagan - claim the Storm use the outlawed technique more than any other club.
At the club's Melbourne headquarters on Wednesday afternoon, the furious Storm pairing declared war on those out to disrupt the top-place club's run to the finals.
Bellamy claimed opponents were using the issue as an attempt to heighten the awareness of officials overseeing Storm games.
"My problem is our referees and match officials live in the same world as us. They see newspapers, they see the news on TV and it's hard for them not to be affected by that," he said.
"I think there has been some evidence in the last few games where the match officials' focus has been on us and not the opposition. We don't want any favours, we don't need any favours, we're a good enough footy team to play without any favours."
"We're just looking for an even playing field here."
"If you want to go through Brisbane's games, if you want to go through Parramatta's games, I am sure they're as guilty of being around the head and neck as we are. We don't want to start pointing the finger at other clubs, but if you're going to live in a glass house you shouldn't be throwing stones."
Bellamy said the rise in 'gang tackling' across the league had led to more players being caught around the head and neck.
However, he said his players were not directed to 'twist, turn or jerk back anyone's neck'.
And the coach said his players would not be instructed to change their ways.
A clearly riled Waldron said he was fed up with challengers to the premiership favourite trying to destabilise the southern club.
"When players came out and point the bone at us they better be very damn careful moving forward. And if coaches come out and do it they want to be very careful, too.
"Let us play, let us play fairly. If we play unfairly we will cop our whack. But I am sick and tired of it. We've got a premiership to win, we've got games to win.
"If they want to try and derail us let them try and do it on their own terms. But we will punch them back just as hard off the field moving forward if we need to."
Waldron showed signs of the aggression at the press conference that his players have done on the field in 2007.
"It's about time people shut up, it's about time they look after their own backyard and we'll look after ours. We will continue to play football as fiercely and with as much determination that has given us success in our recent years," Waldron said.
"We look forward in the ensuing weeks doing exactly the same."

 

[Dani]

I'm just about embarrassed to call myself a Storm supporter at the moment.

This is getting way out of hand.

 

[gong_eagle]

Lol they had to call a press conference to complain that everyone is picking on them

 

[Ridders]

talk about a club in a need of a lot of tissues

 

[Fast Eddie]

Poor Storm.


.....

 

[LESStar58]

I knew the GT issue would rear its ugly head closer to the finals.... it really is getting out of hand. But hey, the Broncos were caught on tape doing it as well.

maybe now that players can be cited by the judiciary for these offenses maybe it'll stop the rot!

 

[Mr Saab]

Siege mentality

 

[JW]

Come on Brian and Craig, let's all cry with Hoffy.

 

[CJG 182]

Come on Brian and Craig, let's all cry with Hoffy.

Watch out Storm fans.... we've got a comedian ...

 

[JW]

Meh. I try.

 

[oneeyedeaglesman]

Ooh,I'll scratch your eyes out!
Seriously,they might be getting some unwarranted criticism but is stirring the pot going to help?

 

[hybrid_tiger]

They deserve all the criticism they get.

Most clubs employ these tactics, but Bellamy started them, and the Storm are quite clearly the best and most prevalent at it.

 

[El Diablo]

Bellamy looked like he was going to cry at their press conference

 

[LESStar58]

Come on Brian and Craig, let's all cry with Hoffy.

Mate, I was feelin' his pain let me assure you.... would have been interesting to see what woulda have happened if the Broncos had lost. Maybe "webbie" mighta cried. Either way, it takes a man to actually cry in public. I still remember feeling sorry for Lance Thompson in 1999....

Anyhow, tears of joy for Hoffy come September 30th hopefully ;-)

 

[Southernsaint]

How much does Brian actually know about footy, given his AFL background??

 

[realredhillboy]

Come on Brian and Craig, let's all cry with Hoffy.

you bastard

 

[JW]

Mate, I was feelin' his pain let me assure you.... would have been interesting to see what woulda have happened if the Broncos had lost. Maybe "webbie" mighta cried. Either way, it takes a man to actually cry in public. I still remember feeling sorry for Lance Thompson in 1999....

Anyhow, tears of joy for Hoffy come September 30th hopefully ;-)

Yeah, he certainly was shattered. I was sitting a long way from him at the time, and despite myself everyone around me jumping around, yelling and carrying on (as you do when you've just won the comp! ), a number people mentioned the lone Melbourne player balling his eyes out.

It was quite good for a laugh, especially on the night. But i'm always greatful that i've never had to experience a Grand Final loss. It would suck balls massively.

 

[Holla if ya hear me]

Site every single one and let the judiciary sort em out

 

[dragonfire]

Yeah, he certainly was shattered. I was sitting a long way from him at the time, and despite myself everyone around me jumping around, yelling and carrying on (as you do when you've just won the comp! ), a number people mentioned the lone Melbourne player balling his eyes out.

It was quite good for a laugh, especially on the night. But i'm always greatful that i've never had to experience a Grand Final loss. It would suck balls massively.

It would be terrible to lose a grand final. Probably something to leave you feeling empty and hollow inside, but its not the kind of thing to make someone react in such a way in my opinion. Perhaps he thought that they were certainties and already had the win planned out or something.

BTW on the original issue, I love it how the Storm fans and now club's stance on the grapple tackle issue is to say that everyone does it so why single them out, well they were the ones who brought it into the game and are the ones who seem to use it the most. Why not come out and say that you are looking are trying to curve it out of your club and players and set the challenge for the rest of the clubs to follow suit?

 

[LESStar58]

How much does Brian actually know about footy, given his AFL background??

Your names not Peter Parr by any chance is it? ;-)

You'll find Waldron was hired due to his intimate knowledge of the Melbourne sporting market. He was the CEO of St Kilda and thus had a good working of the market.

For instance, Mortgage house were st kilda sponsors when waldron was there and obviously he used that relationship to get a sleeve sponsorship last year at storm.

In any case, Waldron has to speak on behalf of what he thinks is in the best interests of his club. He may not know much about football but with one of the best admin teams in the comp (Bellamy, Lance et all) he can concenrate on running the club and maintaining a positive image for the club down here.

John Ribot was/is the boss of the QLD Roar isn't he? How much can he possibly know about soccer?