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http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/take-this-storm-thieves/story-e6frexnr-1225874737316
PERHAPS the only thing that infuriates Neville Maroon more than the Melbourne Storm is Eels boss Paul Osborne ordering Parramatta fans to temper their emotions ahead of tomorrow night's grand final rematch.
"I don't give a damn what Paul Osborne says," Maroon, 35, fumed.
"It's OK for him to tell us to be nice and calm, but we've been waiting for a premiership since 1986 and it was taken from us last year by a team that cheated. They stole our premiership and I won't be silenced.
"Every passionate Eels fan has been waiting for this moment for a long time, and no matter what Paul Osborne says, it's not going to stop us from venting our feelings."
And so Maroon - an otherwise mild-mannered office worker from Leichhardt - began to vent yesterday by torching a poster of the 2009 Melbourne team and ripping apart a commemorative Storm football.
"I know lots of Parra fans feel this way," said Maroon. "I reckon I can safely speak for 200 fans who'll be there [tomorrow] that I've met over the years.
"To us, the Parramatta Eels are like family. So hurting the club, is like hurting family. We've been talking about a few ideas, but I don't want to give too much away."
Osborne sent an email to the club's entire membership on Monday pleading for fans to give the Storm "nothing more" than a typical reception for visiting teams.
But judging by Maroon's rage and special chants already devised by the blue and gold army, his entreaty appears to have fallen upon deaf ears.
The Daily Telegraph was yesterday emailed a chant sheet with ditties about the Storm's rorts, with one aimed at former Eels pivot Brett Finch. It's understood the sheet will be distributed to fans before kick-off.
Also wary of the tinderbox that awaits, the Parramatta Stadium Trust has held special meetings about the game, hired additional security and imposed a "no-tolerance" policy on bad behaviour.
A Storm spokesman last night said the players were expecting a "cauldron-like atmosphere" for their first match in Sydney since the salary cap scandal erupted.
Melbourne players were heavily abused three weeks ago at Canberra Stadium and are braced for another hostile reception tomorrow.
But the club won't stand for anything that crosses the line or imperils the safety of its fans.
"We'd like to think that our fans should be able to go along to this game and watch in safety," the Melbourne spokesman said.
PERHAPS the only thing that infuriates Neville Maroon more than the Melbourne Storm is Eels boss Paul Osborne ordering Parramatta fans to temper their emotions ahead of tomorrow night's grand final rematch.
"I don't give a damn what Paul Osborne says," Maroon, 35, fumed.
"It's OK for him to tell us to be nice and calm, but we've been waiting for a premiership since 1986 and it was taken from us last year by a team that cheated. They stole our premiership and I won't be silenced.
"Every passionate Eels fan has been waiting for this moment for a long time, and no matter what Paul Osborne says, it's not going to stop us from venting our feelings."
And so Maroon - an otherwise mild-mannered office worker from Leichhardt - began to vent yesterday by torching a poster of the 2009 Melbourne team and ripping apart a commemorative Storm football.
"I know lots of Parra fans feel this way," said Maroon. "I reckon I can safely speak for 200 fans who'll be there [tomorrow] that I've met over the years.
"To us, the Parramatta Eels are like family. So hurting the club, is like hurting family. We've been talking about a few ideas, but I don't want to give too much away."
Osborne sent an email to the club's entire membership on Monday pleading for fans to give the Storm "nothing more" than a typical reception for visiting teams.
But judging by Maroon's rage and special chants already devised by the blue and gold army, his entreaty appears to have fallen upon deaf ears.
The Daily Telegraph was yesterday emailed a chant sheet with ditties about the Storm's rorts, with one aimed at former Eels pivot Brett Finch. It's understood the sheet will be distributed to fans before kick-off.
Also wary of the tinderbox that awaits, the Parramatta Stadium Trust has held special meetings about the game, hired additional security and imposed a "no-tolerance" policy on bad behaviour.
A Storm spokesman last night said the players were expecting a "cauldron-like atmosphere" for their first match in Sydney since the salary cap scandal erupted.
Melbourne players were heavily abused three weeks ago at Canberra Stadium and are braced for another hostile reception tomorrow.
But the club won't stand for anything that crosses the line or imperils the safety of its fans.
"We'd like to think that our fans should be able to go along to this game and watch in safety," the Melbourne spokesman said.
