Ok...
These 2 teams have played each other twice this year...
In the first game, the Storm won 12-6. I watched that game very close as i had Dogs +6.5.
In that game in melbourne...Storm forward, Vavai KNOCKED the ball on into a dogs player and came straight back into his arms. Very next play the ball, storm scored...
Down 12-6, Josh Reynolds was over all money, he got tackled into the post. The goal post literally stopped him form scoring. Anywhere else on the field, he scores.
Apart from a bad refereeing decision, the scores would have and should have been level, and only some bad luck prevented us from winning.
At that time, the storm were in the middle of there hot start where no team especially at home could get near them. We were still a new team, evolving into Des' style....
In the second match up. We won 20-4. In that game, the thing that sticks out for me is not the 108 metre try we scored, rather, when we defended 7 sets in a row against the storm...ALL ON OUR TRY LINE...Even Smith mentioned that today. That day, we got a little bit lucky. Barba scored off a kick that went off the post, Inu i believe scored a iffy try off a bat back....But we also constructed 2 tries in that game. Melbournes only try came off a kick...
However, in that game, there was no Billy Slater...We were playing well in that period. But we are more of a complete team now more than at any other stage in the year.
We play a brand of football where we dont really depend on anyone.That is why we are hard to beat..Rather, we play as a team. You cant look at anyone and say, shut him down and you win...There isnt that with us like Melbourne, You shut Smith down, you win.
You could say Barba, but last week, he didnt do much at all, rather, just backed up and put another kick through for a Wright try.
The storm are seasoned, but they have had a very very soft run lately....
If the dogs come out and drop the ball for no reason like Manly did and Souths did in the last 2 weeks against them, i will be convinced Bellamy has a voodoo doll....
Dogs ML for me...