Storm v Bulldogs result

[Aucklander]

Storm 0 v Bulldogs 30

Bad time to play your worst game of the year.

I didn't think the Bulldogs were that good, but they fed of the Storms mistakes and made them pay dearly.

 

[LebaneseForces]

What great defence by the Bulldogs... That was not the worse game of the year by the Storm, they were forced into many of there errors by the Bulldogs, Canterbury didnt play that good too and won by 30... Bring On The Roosters... By Your Tickets Early.

 

[STORM007]

Congrats to the Bulldogs you were the better team on the day. The Storm have done their supporters proud this year to get so far when many people wrote them off. They will be a better team next year for the experience.

 

[Tamazoid]

Melbourne were very unlucky. Three times they went close and Robinson was line ball in the offside decision. Quite easily it could have been 19-18 with twenty to go instead of 19-0. First time Melbourne have been held to nil in history as well

 

[SonOfScray]

Dissapointing end to a great year. It was pretty obvious early that they just weren't switched on and the Bulldogs made us pay dearly. The lack of experience finally got exposed, the Bulldogs just applied the pressure and denied us all day; interesting performance from Slater- started off terribly, didn't really make amends but never backed out, he displayed some good fighting qualities. I think the squad is capable of taking it a few steps further in the next couple of years and will be better off for the finals experience.

 

[year of the roo]

as had already been said, it was a poor way to end such a good year. the storm were also very unlucky in the side of the finals draw they were on, would much rather play the warriors then panthers, instead of having to play the bulldogs and then roosters (if we made it that far).

anyway, i think today signified that slater really isnt a FB, has done an admirable job filling in there, but hopefully ross or even steve turner or junior langi could fill that position next year and let billy resume killing sides in the centres.
also, loving the look of matt king!! hopefully he can be the billy slater of this year, next year. seems to be getting better with every game.

all looks good for next year for the storm, will be interesting to see if they recruit any more players after missing out on keeping mitch.

 

[Catman]

We didn't deserve to end the season with a 30-0 scoreline but the Bulldogs were too good on the day and once again forced us into too many errors and you just can't make so many in a final against such a strong side.

Overall it was a great season and with another pre-season in the weights room and with the experience of finals under their belts it bodes well for a successful 2004.

GO THE STORM!

 

[Joffaboy]

Originally posted by LebaneseForces
What great defence by the Bulldogs... That was not the worse game of the year by the Storm, they were forced into many of there errors by the Bulldogs, Canterbury didnt play that good too and won by 30... Bring On The Roosters... By Your Tickets Early.

Yup - Go Doggies.

OK enough good humored trolling. Something serious.
RLwill only ever get popular in Melbourne if a few things take place.

1) Storm has to be heavily promoted. That costs money. Will Murdoch and the NRL put their hand in their pockets to promote it for as long as it takes. Like the Swans it could take a decade.

2) The Storm games must be on live. Sunday was great but it was because Nine had nothing else to put on. I enjoyed it but many first time League people may have given it short shrift.

3)Neds to look more professional. AFL is played almost exclusively in state of the art stadiums (excep Skilled and ex-Optarse). League tends to play in suburban stadiums that make it look a bit amateurish to the AFL fan.

League in Melbourne, like AFL in Sydney and Brisbane can form a good and sustainable niche market, if and only if the NRL bited the bullet and decides the Storm are a long term project. That means drip feeding the Storm money as per the AFL with Sydney for 15 years. It all depends on the poliics of RL. The Storm was a post Super League compromise mainly to placate Ribot and Murdoch.
If the RL is fair dinkum, it will promote it as a Melbourne Entity not as a "product" as Ribot calls it, and not as a potential money making excercise for News Crp.

 

[Hicham]

Agreed with everything you said Joffa. But about the stadiums - like traditions in the AFL, one of Rugby Leagues traditions are the Suburban Grounds. Yes, some are sub-standard (although some are and have been upgraded) and yes they do only have maybe a 18 - 25,000 capacity for most of them, but you talk to people who follow Sydney teams and most will pick their home ground/suburban ground over say Aussie Stadium any day. The Dragons moved back to Kogarah and it was a success, even attracting larger crowds at a smaller ground. If League is to use better stadiums, it is the suburban grounds that shoudl be upgraded - not a move to an already existing larger stadium. The home ground advantage is a major part of the sport, losing it would make the game not the same. each club loves to have its own place that it can call home. I think that in time as the game comes back from SL and crowds flock to the games in increasing levels, then the necessary upgrades will be made to those grounds accordingly. But I do understand your point. On the flip side, whenever there is an Aussie Rules game on TV, I only ever see it being played at 2 places, MCG and Telstra Dome. To a Rugby League fan it seems hollow with no home ground atmosphere as such and an identity. But these are the differences in our sports and things we both need to understand about each other.

Cheers.

 

[billy big ears]

Originally posted by Joffaboy
Yup - Go Doggies.

OK enough good humored trolling. Something serious.
RLwill only ever get popular in Melbourne if a few things take place.

1) Storm has to be heavily promoted. That costs money. Will Murdoch and the NRL put their hand in their pockets to promote it for as long as it takes. Like the Swans it could take a decade.

2) The Storm games must be on live. Sunday was great but it was because Nine had nothing else to put on. I enjoyed it but many first time League people may have given it short shrift.

3)Neds to look more professional. AFL is played almost exclusively in state of the art stadiums (excep Skilled and ex-Optarse). League tends to play in suburban stadiums that make it look a bit amateurish to the AFL fan.

League in Melbourne, like AFL in Sydney and Brisbane can form a good and sustainable niche market, if and only if the NRL bited the bullet and decides the Storm are a long term project. That means drip feeding the Storm money as per the AFL with Sydney for 15 years. It all depends on the poliics of RL. The Storm was a post Super League compromise mainly to placate Ribot and Murdoch.
If the RL is fair dinkum, it will promote it as a Melbourne Entity not as a "product" as Ribot calls it, and not as a potential money making excercise for News Crp.

You are pretty spot on .But until RL has a presence in the schools and local clubs that provide local stars in Melbourne it has no hope of becoming more than a novelty sport.
The sporting culture of the Melbourne AFL clubs involves becoming a member and having a sense of belonging to the tribe and until a club like The Storm can get that going it has little hope of getting the Melbourne sporting public to embrace it

 

[Catman]

The NRL keep on claiming that the Storm is part of their future, well if they are true to their word they should start spending some money developing the game down here. As has been said, once they start promoting the game down here they will certainly carve out a niche, which they sort of have now, except the following down here has evolved from little promotion with most of them been there from the start.

The ball is in the NRL's court.

 

[I_LUV_AFL]

Just on the suburban grounds. I think the NRL has listened to the fans on this one. St.George were playing out of the SFS but the club bowed to pressure from the fans and now play out of Kogarah Oval. They even had a group totally dedicated to campaigning for the ground to be re introduced.
Souths are considering a return to Redfern, the Dogs have fielded suggestions from fans, players and the business sector as to a return to Belmore.
I think this was the fans call and I hope it stays. I love nothing better then a good ol' suburban ground.

 

[Tamazoid]

Originally posted by Tutaki
Just on the suburban grounds. I think the NRL has listened to the fans on this one. St.George were playing out of the SFS but the club bowed to pressure from the fans and now play out of Kogarah Oval. They even had a group totally dedicated to campaigning for the ground to be re introduced.
Souths are considering a return to Redfern, the Dogs have fielded suggestions from fans, players and the business sector as to a return to Belmore.
I think this was the fans call and I hope it stays. I love nothing better then a good ol' suburban ground.

I love going to Henson Park and watching the Jets play in PL.

 

[Joffaboy]

Originally posted by Tutaki
Just on the suburban grounds. I think the NRL has listened to the fans on this one. St.George were playing out of the SFS but the club bowed to pressure from the fans and now play out of Kogarah Oval. They even had a group totally dedicated to campaigning for the ground to be re introduced.
Souths are considering a return to Redfern, the Dogs have fielded suggestions from fans, players and the business sector as to a return to Belmore.
I think this was the fans call and I hope it stays. I love nothing better then a good ol' suburban ground.

But that is the point. The whole cultures b/w Sydney amd melbourne and their respective codes have changed. I am not having a go at suburban grounds, I used to love Belmore, but the AFL has moved on to almost exclusive state of the art grounds, compared to suburban type grounds, and to ask supporters to revert back to 1980's type conditions after getting used to C21 conditions is another huge hurdle the RL faces

 

[thewhippersnapper]

Originally posted by Joffaboy
But that is the point. The whole cultures b/w Sydney amd melbourne and their respective codes have changed. I am not having a go at suburban grounds, I used to love Belmore, but the AFL has moved on to almost exclusive state of the art grounds, compared to suburban type grounds, and to ask supporters to revert back to 1980's type conditions after getting used to C21 conditions is another huge hurdle the RL faces

The NRL has no money because people dont even go to these surburban grounds. So they cant make any good grounds for the league. The only real good one is Stadium Australia.

While all the AFL grounds can fit over 40,000, Except Skilled Stadium and Optus Oval.

 

[Pantsless]

Suburban grounds are good if you don't give a sh*t about the lack of facilities, comfort, and are just worried about beer.

For instance, I live a stone's throw from Brookvale. I love going to Brooky because I go with my mates have a few beers and have a good time.

But if it was raining, I wouldn't take my kids there and I think alot of families think the same way.

Why would you take your family out in the middle of June and sit out in the open in the rain and watch 26 blokes, knocking on for 80 minutes.

Our houses are better than they were 40 years ago.
Our cars are better than they were 40 years ago.
Our RL stadiums aren't much better than they were 40 years ago.

I can see why the Bulldogs want to move back to Belmore. Although I've never been it seems that the Showgrounds are a fairly ordinary place to watch league.

 

[dr nick]

Originally posted by Pantsless
For instance, I live a stone's throw from Brookvale. I love going to Brooky because I go with my mates have a few beers and have a good time.

No kidding?? where abouts do you live?

PS: suburban grounds are the only venues where a 10,000 crowd can have a decent atmosphere. since there isnt any real hope of the vast majority of games going past 15,000, if the games were played at 40-80k stadiums it would be a graveyard atmosphere.

Basically, Brookvale will stay the way it is for some time yet, until the crowds warrant increasing the capacity. If the oval was say upgraded to a 30k capacity, and the hill removed, you'd practically hear the echo.