R1, Storm v Eels (Image produced by the Eels' Club)
Date/Venue: Sunday, 9 March at AAMI Park, Melbourne, 4:05 pm AEDT
Weather: Predicted to be fine
SportsBet: Storm $1.10 Eels $7.50
Referee: Wyatt Raymond (touch judges are Matt Noyen & Phil Henderson)
Bunker: Grant Atkins
The Storm are round one kings, with Bellamy never losing a season opener in 22 years. They have won the last four-straight against the Eels, and are set to create a record-winning sequence of five straight wins against the Moses-less Eels this Sunday. The last time the Eels defeated the Storm was in 2022.
Team Lists
|
Storm |
Eels 1. Isaiah Iongi 2. Sean Russell 3. Will Penisini 4. Zac Lomax 5. Jake Tago 6. Dylan Brown 7. Ronald Volkman 8. Joe Ofahengaue 9. Brendan Hands 10. Junior Paulo 11. Jack Williams 12. Kelma Tuilagi 13. J'maine Hopgood Bench: 14. Ryley Smith 15. Matt Doorey 17. Charlie Guymer 21. Sam Tuivaiti 18th Man: 20. Toni Mataele Cut: 18. Joash Papalii 16. Ryan Matterson 19. Jordan Samrani 22. Joey Lussick Head Coach: Jason Ryles |
Notes: Ryan Matterson has been cut (injury?) and replaced by Sam Tuivaiti who makes his first grade debut. Bailey Simonsson (knee - Rd 4), Josh Addo-Carr (suspension - Rd 3) and Shaun Lane (knee - Rd 2) are closing in on returns.
Stat Attack
During 2019-2024, when Moses plays the Eels have won 60.2% of games (winning 74/123 games at an average score of 23.5 - 20.2) and it drops to 33.3% when he did not play (winning 9/27 games at an average score of 21.5 - 26.7).
The Storm have won 22 consecutive Round 1 games - Craig Bellamy has never lost a Round 1 game as head coach of the Storm (2003-2024).
The Eels have conceded 142 points in their past 4 games against the Storm - over 35 points a game.
Storm hooker Harry Grant has scored 7 tries in his last 5 games against the Eels (from David Middleton).
Storm winger Xavier Coates has scored 29 tries in 27 games at AAMI Park (from David Middleton)
Individual Stats, 2024
Support Play - Keary, Jake Trbojevic, Cameron McInnes & Reuben Cotter all feature in the top 4 players in support play over 150. Will Penisini is the only Eels player with 112.
Analysis: This stat is telling; support play is a fundamental part of the game – half chances cannot go to waste!!
Missed tackles - Bryce Cartwright 66 from 20 games, Will Penisini 62 from 23 games played - Nick Meaney 80 missed tackles from 24 games.
Analysis: This an area the eels should be looking at exploiting, will targeting Nick Meaney be on the Ryles tip sheet? Jason has an intimate knowledge of storm systems and player weakness, interesting to see how this part of the unfolds.
Tackle breaks - Jahrome Hughes leads the way in this stat with 91, No Eels players feature in the top in this category
Ruck infringement’s - Trent Loiero makes the top 5 with 10 from 26 games
Errors – Zac Lomax takes 1st position with 50 errors 2in 1 games played, Will Warbrick makes 40 from 24 games ranked 5th
Handling errors - Lomax takes 1st position with 46 errors in 21 games played
Line break involvement - Dylan Brown ranked 7th with 13 from 24 games
Six Debutants; Ronald Volkman to steer the shop
Image produced by the Eels Club.
Zac Lomax, Isiah Iongi, Jack Williams, and Ronald Volkman, make their first appearance in Eels colours at NRL level, while Riley Smith and Sam Tuivaiti (in for Matterson) make their first grade debuts.
Volkman looked promising in the first trial next to Dylan. This kid is reliant! battling through shoulder injuries that required season-ending surgery at 2 different clubs.
Master v Apprentice
Although Jason Ryles will have his own style, and is building a Parra culture with a club and team first ethose, he's taken some of the basic work ethics from Bellamy - honesty, transparency, high standards, and damn hard work. We saw a glimpse of that in the trials: a fitter looking team, tackling hard, running hard. Let's hope it makes it's way on the field on Sunday.
All Eyes Will Be On ...
Image taken from WWOS.
Andrew Johns added his two cents to the Orr-ful saga surrounding Dylan, believing the Knights offer was too high for a five-eighth that wasn't a main game main manager. He also believed his manager had not done the right thing by Dylan, and Dylan's "word" or seven year commitment should have meant more.
I've worked with Dylan - great young fella, tough, trains hard... but whether he's got the tools to be a main playmaker I don't know.
All eyes, everyone in rugby league, is going to be watching Dylan (in round one) and having an opinion. I don't think it will affect him at all, he's a real laid back character... (but) come Monday there is going to be so much talk about Dylan and how he went without Moses.
Andrew Johns disagrees with Knights' powerbrokers that Dylan is a game-manager worth $1.3m a season
In the Brave New Era, Ryles will be working on creating more resilient defence, systems and character in the team. It will take time. This is the first major test. Without Moses we have struggled in the past. Over the last five years from 2019 we have lost 18 of 27 games (66.6%) when we play without Moses.
Replies
An extremely tough ask to beat Melbourne in Melbourne in round 1 with Moses let alone without him in the side. It's not impossible but extremely unlikely that the Eels will win. I'm just hoping it's not a thrashing as that will be an extremely deflating momentum going into a new season especially missing Moses for 6 weeks or longer. If it's a close loss great if the Eels can snatch a victory that give them extreme confidence going forward. The Eels do have to their credit a few possible unknown X factors that could potentially upset the Storm structure. If the Eels can compete with the Storm set for set and keep the score line even up until mid 2nd half then the Eels younger faster elusive players could upset the results in the Eels favour hopefully
Well we nearly have the same shit forward pack as last year and we seen how that went, we've got the same crappy wingers and the penis that I'm still waiting for him to play more then 2 good games a year so besides lomax not sure where the X factor comes from?? The fullback didn't play long in the first trial and not sure you can say he is first grade X factor as of yet.. yes he scored a descent try but so did blaze against Tommy turbo last but the bloke was a turnstile most also rated an X factor.
Hope Ryles has prepared them for the Harry Grant dummy and go near the line, he has got us before like this.
Very big game for Brown to step up and out perform Munster here.
Think eels can win 1-13
It's quite questionable why the Eels (fighting against wooden spoon) last year against West Tigers play Melbourne Storm (Grand Finalists) last year in Melbourne but the West Tigers play the Knights at home! Seems a bit unbalanced
A few coaching match ups...Ryles v Bellamy, Bennett v Woolfe.
I don't like our chances down there but in the same breath I'm hoping the boyz go down there and give it a red hot crack.What I don't want to see is us giving the Storm the easy way out by just rolling over in the middle not playing tough and just making error after error gifting field position and easy field position as then we'll get lapped.
Even though we are heavy underdogs doesn't mean you believe that and roll over and make it easy for the favoured team.If we do that it will tell me the mentality isn't there and we aren't in the right space to compete on a weekly basis,which basically spells trouble for the season.
You're right Coryn we face a difficult task tomorrow and understandably we are not given a chance by many without our main man.
We could have an edge though in Ryles who knows exactly how the Storm will be revved up by Bellyache, and will steel us to meet every challenge they offer.
We know all their ploys, slowing down the ruck..after hitting hard...fast line speed...using grubbers behind our line to get us off balance when we're defending well, Grant getting low and diving over...and Hughes putting the bombs over to his wings. They play smart-so if we can remain on our toes and be prepared for all their tactics we can give a good showing.
If we do that we'll gain a level of confidence.
huge pressure on the new fullback in defence and under the high ball.....could get messy ...throwing a few good out balls in a trial is one thing but Storm Rd 1 with the best 6/7 combination in the game ....yikes
playing against the big boys now Isaiah....best of luck this couls be season defining how he goes here...
Cyclone Vaccine Poetry
Our forwards are not feared
and our wingers live in terror
We will give a penalty
then make a fucking error
TCT: "The Best Preseason"
"Oh the boys are super fit"
It is only when we play the game we start to look like shit
Jesus says "Oh no no, but but"
"Ye shalt not have Moses"
So we cosplay as a urinal while other teams just hose us
...because...
Junior-Jnr flaps about a raincoat made of skin
(he got stuck in an entryway so they Ozempic'd him)
We chose our fine back-rowers from a Factory Seconds bin
So don't break down our front door; pls just knock, we'll let you in..
..we'll let you win....we'll let you in....we'll let you win...
5/8 wants to laugh-and-fuck-and drink and touch and tweet
While Moses, in a dentists chair, gets voodoo on his feet
and Greig plays 30 seconds then turns into bag of meat
We almost had good hooker, Yeh but nah, she chose the street..
..she chose the street....she had good feet....she chose the streets
Our Fullback is a superstar who has played zero games
Our Wingers are an off brand tin of bully-beef "No-Names"
We got Lomax for a rebuild
not a funeral and a wake
So Yeah, he moans our motto now....
"For Fucks Sake"
Brought to you by Catterson Neurologists(when the pain is your brain call Cattersons)
Very well done Randy. Something NRL related this season that finally brings a laugh to this old man. 👍
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