Let’s get started with a statement of just who we are:
For decades, if you asked rugby league fans which team they detested most, the answer would usually be Manly, the silvertails from the northern beaches. There was even an unofficial ‘ABM Club’, anyone but Manly. Well, I reckon that we, the Melbourne Storm, ‘the purple haze’, have taken over that mantle. Everyone hates us, accuses us of all kinds of atrocities, and generally wishes we’d just go away.
Basically, they hate us because we’ve been so successful. Yes, they might have cheered back in ’99 when we rolled the Dragons in that epic Grand Final. Remember big ‘Lazo’ doing cartwheels? But once we really got into our stride from about 2006 after Bellyache arrived everyone turned on us. Down here, away from the self-absorbed bureaucrats and media maniacs of the rugby league in crowd, we just get on with the task. We’re tight, disciplined, determined. And we’re winners! Yes, we’ve had our share of superstars over the years, Smith, Slater, Cronk, Inglis, and we’ve got a new crop now – Grant, Munster, Hughes, Papenhuyzen – but we’ve also taken in many journeymen and turned them into premiership winners. And we’ve got Craig Bellamy, arguably the greatest coach in the history of the code.
We’ve been a top 4 side right through this year, we deserved our place in the finals and we’ve seen off two very good opponents in the Bulldogs and the Sharks to get to Sunday’s Grand Final. We’ve overcome a pile of injuries to get just about our best side on the park this weekend. There’s no way anyone can begrudge those cold, hard facts. Now here’s why we’ll win.
We’ll start with Bellamy. Just look at his record, that’s all you need to do. Enough said.
We’ve got the best spine going around – Grant, Hughes, Munster, Papenhuyzen. All champions, all very experienced, each and every one a match winner.
Our wingers, Coates and Warbrick, are the match of anyone – big, fast and strong, great in the air and with huge abilities in both defence and attack.
Our pack works as a unit to attack with or without the ball. Did you see the job they did on the Bulldogs big boys, then the Sharks and their star AFB? In the old days they would have said that this group ‘gets down and dirty’ to provide starch and grunt in the middle, and they’re not scared of anyone.
Our outside backs are steady and strong, and often don’t get the praise they deserve for being solid in defence and enterprising in attack.
Our bench is the envy of every club! Strength, speed, energy. And look at our list of Reserves – most of these blokes would be walk-up starters in most clubs.
Brisbane? Yes, they’ve done well to get here and they’ve got some class players in the likes of Haas and Carrigan, Reynolds and Hunt, and a good coach in Maguire. But they’re ‘flash Harrys’, full of swagger and theatrics but they haven’t got the grunt, drive and determination to challenge us. They’ll put up a good fight for maybe 65 minutes but they’ll use up so much gas that we’ll take over and win comfortably. I’d say by 10 or more.
‘We are the Storm’!
Image: en.wikipedia.com
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