NRL 2012 Melbourne Storm Thread

[storm fan]

Line up for trial against Easts Tigers:

Melbourne Storm Trial 1 Squad

1 - Denny Solomona
2 - Shea Moylan
3 - Mahe Fonua
4 - Will Chambers
5 - Sisa Waqa
6 - Maurice Blair
7 - Luke Kelly
8 - Michael Greenfield
9 - Slade Griffin
10 - Siosaia Vave
11 - Tohu Harris
12 - Anthony Quinn
13 - Kenny Bromwich
14 - Mitch Garbutt
15 - Matt Zgrajewski (Brisbane Easts player)
16 - Damian Sironen
17 - Kirisome Auva’a
18 - Leon Panapa (Brisbane Easts player)
19 - Rory Kostjasyn
20 - Matt McGahan
21 - Young Tonumaipea
22 - Ryan Pooley

http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/de...le=storm-v-easts-trial-match---team-selection

Typical trial side.

 

[Aucklander]

Family day this sunday at Gosch's Paddock. 2-5

Link to details.

 

[meltiger]

Just out of interest, are any of those boys in the trial side Victorians?

 

[storm fan]

Mahe Fonua and Young Tonumaipea are Victorians.

The thing I find interesting is that Anthony Quinn has been named in the second row.

Tohu Harris is a player to look out for.

 

[meltiger]

So a couple of them, that's good.

Would love to know from the TC watchers what they think of them and their first grade prospects.

 

[storm fan]

I have huge wraps on Mahe Fonua. I have been talking about him all of last year to people I know. He was one of the two stand out centres of the NYC for me last year, along with Konrad Hurrell from the Warriors. He is a certain first grader in the future and may end his career in the back row.

I expect to see a influx of Victorian juniors into the Melbourne Storm in the next 2-3 years if the SG Ball side is anything to go by.

 

[azza29]

Just got a text to say my membership pack is 'in the process of being fulfilled'. About time... signed up in November and supposedly it would all be delivered before Christmas!

 

[tugga]

Just got a text to say my membership pack is 'in the process of being fulfilled'. About time... signed up in November and supposedly it would all be delivered before Christmas!

Yep, me too. Weak as piss...again. Will this club ever get their membership woes sorted out. Seems to happen every year.

 

[azza29]

Yep, me too. Weak as piss...again. Will this club ever get their membership woes sorted out. Seems to happen every year.

At least memberships were on sale nice and early. The club just need to be more transparent about delivery times - if they can't send stuff out before Christmas, they shouldn't promise to. End of story.

 

[tugga]

At least memberships were on sale nice and early. The club just need to be more transparent about delivery times - if they can't send stuff out before Christmas, they shouldn't promise to. End of story.

I renewed in between Christmas and New Year so i wasn't expecting it be rushed to my door or anything, but an end-Feb or early March delivery is unacceptale. I guess as long as it arrives before the first home game.

 

[CooperCronk]

Line up for trial against Easts Tigers:

Melbourne Storm Trial 1 Squad

1 - Denny Solomona
2 - Shea Moylan
3 - Mahe Fonua
4 - Will Chambers
5 - Sisa Waqa
6 - Maurice Blair
7 - Luke Kelly
8 - Michael Greenfield
9 - Slade Griffin
10 - Siosaia Vave
11 - Tohu Harris
12 - Anthony Quinn
13 - Kenny Bromwich
14 - Mitch Garbutt
15 - Matt Zgrajewski (Brisbane Easts player)
16 - Damian Sironen
17 - Kirisome Auva’a
18 - Leon Panapa (Brisbane Easts player)
19 - Rory Kostjasyn
20 - Matt McGahan
21 - Young Tonumaipea
22 - Ryan Pooley

http://www.melbournestorm.com.au/de...le=storm-v-easts-trial-match---team-selection

Typical trial side.

Chambers makes strong Storm return
23:02 AEST Sat Feb 4 2012

Code-jumper Will Chambers made a eye-catching return to rugby league on Saturday night with a fantastic start in Melbourne Storm's 36-8 trial win over Brisbane Easts at Langlands Park.
In his first match back for his old NRL club, Chambers scored the first try with a powerful burst and then set up the Storm's second for winger Mahe Fonua.
The former Queensland Reds three-quarter, who has returned to Melbourne after a short stint with Irish rugby club Munster, played more than half the game for the slick Storm outfit.
Young halfback Luke Kelly was a stand-out with a pin-point kicking game for Melbourne, who crossed for seven tries to two.

Not mentioned in this article but it looks like Slade Griffen has done his knee and will be out for 12 months.

Poor kid.

 

[pantskyle]

Good signs.

Pity about Griffen.

 

[CooperCronk]

Jason Ryles set to make Melbourne Storm debut

• by: Melissa Woods
• From: The Daily Telegraph
• February 09, 2012 12:00AM

MELBOURNE halfback Cooper Cronk believes former Test prop Jason Ryles could give the Storm the physical edge they've been missing this NRL season.
Ryles, who has joined from the Sydney Roosters, will play his first match in Storm colours in the club's second pre-season trial game against Canberra in Albury on Saturday.
And Cronk said he was keen to see what the 33-year-old could offer after putting in a strong pre-season effort.
"He's getting on in age but he's training really well," he said.
"He's a big body, he's something that we were missing the last couple of years.
"I was just speaking to him and he's really keen on being a part of the scene for the next 12 months."

With the departure of star forward Adam Blair to Wests Tigers, the Storm are looking to Ryles and Ryan Hoffman, who has returned after a season away playing with Wigan in the Super League, to bring experience and muscle to the pack after being ousted from the finals by the physical Warriors outfit.
Much interest also surrounds Ryles progress in Melbourne given coach Craig Bellamy's reputation for giving ageing forwards a new lease of life.

 

[pantskyle]

Should be another good pick up for us. Not a bad player.

 

[storm fan]

Australian Rugby League Commission grants Melbourne Storm $26.5 million

THE Australian Rugby League Commission has guaranteed $26.5 million over the next six years to Melbourne Storm to keep the game thriving in Victoria.

The eight-man independent commission to run rugby league was launched yesterday on what inaugural chairman John Grant called a "historic day for the game".

As part of its agreement to hand over its control of the National Rugby League to the commission, News Limited, publisher of the Herald Sun, retained ownership of Storm and negotiated the funding arrangement.

Full article: http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/n...torm-265-million/story-e6frfgbx-1226268305286

 

[pantskyle]

Very happy with this.

 

[CooperCronk]

Now lets just pray we get live coverage of Storm and rugby league games into Victoria in the next tv rights deal to make sure we keep growing.

 

[storm fan]

Some pictures from the Tassie Tussel trial match

 

[CooperCronk]

A great turn out to watch this game and apparently made all the news for the whole week in Hobart but from my perspective, not too much was made of this at NRL headquarters.

However, the Storm are seriously looking at taking a game down there to play a home and away game in the future if next year's trial is also successful.

I'm sure Tasmanians love their sport and would want to watch a game of rugby league or an alternative code as well, not just afl.

 

[azza29]

However, the Storm are seriously looking at taking a game down there to play a home and away game in the future if next year's trial is also successful.

Would be a good move for the club - only have to look at Hawthorn's success with this strategy to see that Tasmanians are all too keen to see some first-class sport in the state.

Not a bad excuse for a trip over the strait either...

 

[meltiger]

I hope it isn't against the Tigers but pretty much it's similar to what I said a few weeks back, but hopefully the Storm can build a nice little niche fan base down there.

 

[storm fan]

A great turn out to watch this game and apparently made all the news for the whole week in Hobart but from my perspective, not too much was made of this at NRL headquarters.

However, the Storm are seriously looking at taking a game down there to play a home and away game in the future if next year's trial is also successful.

I'm sure Tasmanians love their sport and would want to watch a game of rugby league or an alternative code as well, not just afl.

It has been noted by the ARLC. Rugby League has never had a history of over boosting small milestones and I hope that doesn't change, however the ARLC are watching closely.

 

[azza29]

I hope it isn't against the Tigers but pretty much it's similar to what I said a few weeks back, but hopefully the Storm can build a nice little niche fan base down there.

I suspect it will be a lower-drawing game, probably against the Titans, Knights, Panthers or Sharks. Maybe hold one trial and one regular season match down there each year, with the games alternating between Launceston and Hobart.

 

[CooperCronk]

I suspect it will be a lower-drawing game, probably against the Titans, Knights, Panthers or Sharks. Maybe hold one trial and one regular season match down there each year, with the games alternating between Launceston and Hobart.

I beg to differ and think the opposition should be a popular team (as were the Broncos) for e.g. Dragons (for a trial) and the Rabbits (for a home and away round).

At this stage we need to keep playing teams like the Warriors, St, George, Manly, Tigers, Parra, Broncos at AAMI Park for obvious reasons.

I do agree with you re alternating between the 2 cities eventually, but keep them in Hobart to show some loyalty.

 

[tugga]

North Hobart Oval is just a sublime place to be, except when the wind is coming from the south. Have spent many a winter's day there watching the Demons go round.
They won't want to share it with the north. Leave it at one place.