MELBOURNE FIRST THEN DAYLIGHT.

[The Innovator]

Barring injury, the Melbourne Storm are going to romp in as the premiers for 2017.
Seriously the gap between them and the next batch is widening each week.
I've got them way out in front of : COWBOYS & CRONULLA. Next in line are CANBERRA, ROOSTERS & PENRITH. Then we have BRISBANE, MANLY, & PARRA.
Melbourne are so clinical it's scary. They have the best coach in the NRL by a long way, & easily the best defence. With Slater back, it's theirs to win.
Talk of the Roosters as joint favourites was absurd. They ran 15th last year and were shown up against Manly. They are still a work in progress.
Can anyone else see anything else but a Storm premiership ?

 

[south of heaven]

Few injuries, origin lack of confidence on a slump . only time will tell

 

[Indiandog]

peaking too early, thats all i can say

 

[nikgan123]

peaking too early, thats all i can say

A team like Melbourne don't peak too early

 

[Spoonman84]

Anything can happen remember last year when everyone was saying Cowboys and Broncos are so far ahead of everyone?
With luck going the other way the Broncos could have beaten them aswell as the Dogs.
The more I see of Penrith the more over rated they are, their attack in the oppositions 20 is very predictable.
They spread the ball and off load and just hope for the defence to make a mistake and against good defences they don't get that.
They have only beaten a Jason Taylor coached Tigers and Newcastle at home.

 

[Indiandog]

A team like Melbourne don't peak too early

every team in the comp can peak early. there is never a perfect run, if there was a prefect run for a team they would win 28 games straight.

 

[blueyedsamurai]

every team in the comp can peak early. there is never a perfect run, if there was a prefect run for a team they would win 28 games straight.

Not to mention we have origin coming up which anything could happen to either Smith,Cronk or Slater.

 

[Dognacious]

They are going well right now, and based on past years they should be in the mix come finals time, but a lot of sides havent hit their best yet, too early to call. Penrith have a long way to go to match their hype. They got smashed by raiders yesterday, and smashed 42-10 in round 1 by shitty souths. Where is all the media about their coach being sacked, they got beaten big TWICE this year already. Of course they dont have a forum that the media feed off. Probably why.

 

[Wolfmother]

I think Manly will win the premiership this year.

 

[Mr Invisible]

All it takes is Smith/Cronk to go down and they are fucked.

Over origin they'll take a hit, and JAC would be a NSW smokey.

Like Broncos they've got half a friggin international/origin side playing for them.

Remember this is a side we almost beat, with Holland and Hoppa and no working halves.

 

[Bulldog_4_Life]

The reason that Storm are so consistent is because of the simplicity of there game plan, its not some over complicated thing which can be found out, every player literally has their own role:

Fullback - Back up the play and make sure you catch every bomb.
Wingers - Use speed and strength to make as most metres as possible coming off your line and just put the ball down.
Centre - Be good defensively and make sure you pass to your winger if they are a better chance of scoring.
5/8 - Make sure you are good defensively and only leave majority of playmaking for the halfback.
Halfback - Kick and pass.
Hooker - Lead the team around and defend.
Prop - Head down and run.
Backrowers - Run lines and run hard.
Lock - Make every tackle you can and be a tough ****.

Literally thats all they do, nothing special. They don't have these hectic set plays or what not, just do your fucking job and we will win.

 

[Bulldog_4_Life]

All it takes is Smith/Cronk to go down and they are fucked.

Over origin they'll take a hit, and JAC would be a NSW smokey.

Like Broncos they've got half a friggin international/origin side playing for them.

Remember this is a side we almost beat, with Holland and Hoppa and no working halves.

They only have 2 players that have played origin and for australia the last 2 years and 1 kiwi international.

 

[Bob dog]

Everyone is pissing in the Storms pocket, the Panthers need a better last tackle option, they played like the Bulldogs.

 

[Alan79]

I hadn't seen them play this year. Unfortunately I slept through the game verse them, but they've got an aging spine. Decent backs and decent forwards. If Smith, or Cronk get injured they're probably in s bit of trouble. I don't knew that Slater will last the season either. With those three fit they are clinical, but keeping all three fit now that they're past 30 might be an issue. It remains to be seen if Bellamy is the supercoach he's talked up as. Their biggest assets outside of the three players commonly hyped up massively is their ability to innovate with new dirty tactics that the NRL have to ban. They are thugs with a talented spine and a history of overspending. They still pick up quality players every year. I wouldn't be surprised if they get caught cheating the cap again.

 

[coach]

peaking too early, thats all i can say

How do u know they have peaked, there win against Brisbane was scrappy as, they only put 12 on us.... I'd say no where near peaked

 

[FaceBreaker]

Storm are clinical but they always start the year with a bang.

Towards the end of the year the wear and tear of origin and big games take their toll and they look tired. The big three aren't getting any younger either.

 

[KiwiDog7]

Round 5 aye

 

[The Innovator]

No one has put forward a case for another team to challenge the Storm.
They absolutely demolished Penrith, one of this years fancies.
I don't think they've peaked. Far from it. Once they get Munster back, they'll be even more formidable.

 

[Bulldogz82]

Wayyyy too early to tell, last year after 5 rounds broncs n cowboys were way ahead of everyone too, in 2015 after 4 rounds a betting market was put up on tab betting on souths to go the year undefeated, they started that year awesome and we know how that turned out lol....its good to keep winning but after origin the standout teams will start there runs, same thing happens every year

 

[Mr Invisible]

They only have 2 players that have played origin and for australia the last 2 years and 1 kiwi international.

Only due to injuries.

Cronk (SOO/AUS), Smith (SOO/AUS), Slater, Chambers (SOO/AUS) + 3 Internationals (Kaufusi + both Bromwich brothers).
+ McLean and Finucane are City/Country.