I went to the Parra v Storm game tonight, as an independant observer invited to a box, no dramas, expecting a great game. Yeah, I got plenty of entertainment, actually really enjoyed the match.
However something I'm seeing when I watch the Storm is concerning me. I saw a bit of it in the Canberra vs Storm match and it looked to be really bubbling over tonight, that along with the heap of many dumb low percentage plays that the Storm were experimenting with.
The Parramatta crowd (all 7000 of them) were absolutely giving it to the Storm players, massive united crowd calls of CHEATS CHEATS (which fans are entitled to do), the fans were also hanging over the fence going bananas at the Melbourne bench, the pointing and berating of one fingered salutes at Bellamy in his glass coaching box. And you could see the Storm players were soaking it in big time. It's affecting them.
I've just got home, started watching the replay and you can hear it in Cameron Smiths voice, "Mate we've got nothing to play for, we can't win anything this year", and that's just it. It is starting to get dangerous. What is going to happen when the Origin Series is finished? How much crazy retaliation are the Storm players going to dish out then?
I've tried to imagine going to work every day knowing I was working for an absolutely wasted year. What my state of mind would be by the half way point... this could get really bad. I'm not sure the NRL are fully aware of the consequences of their decision making.
I reckon the Storm players are beginning to get close to breaking point, and that's my point. Yeah it's all fun playing touch footy at training because the seasons over. But when the players are in the game, in a real grinding arm wrestle and it hits the 50th minute and BANG the reality hits them... this is for nothing. The emotion could get really crazy. Adam Blair and Brett White are big enough and loose enough to cause some real carnage.
It's gripping viewing, I can't wait to see how this all plays out.