2012 GF - Dogs v Storm - Discussion

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...

I thought dogs had it wrapped up a weeks ago but the more i think about it the more i worry, If the Storm are allowed to slow down the ruck then that nullifies a lot of the dogs attack. For the sogs to win they need a free flowing game and i'm not sure they will get one

Lean Melbourne, sorry

Storm to win

Reason

Surely its illegal for Inu,Wright and Keating to win a GF

I agree with parts of your write up.

i dont believe you shut down smith you win melbourne have 3 awsome players that are very hard to shut down on the dogs side shut down reynolds and.i think dogs will suffer (expect them to test out his shoulder)

i dont believe barber is half as good as slater and we again will see why billy is the best fullback in the.game at present.

i believe melbourne will put alot of pressure and try force errors.

kris keating,inu,wright they all know how to choke on the big stage

wont lock play till friday i wanna see where betting moves

Storm have an unbelievable record in Melb  but in Syd I don't think they cant match the same power and effectiveness of the bulldogs right now. Even though cooper and smith are so awesome and better their bulldogs counterparts, I think the metres made and the roll on the dogs will get will just be too much. As long as their halves don't have a bad day i say they have this in the bag 

I.think bulldogs could be first minor premiers to start grand final as outsiders is a while ???

Warriors 2001 by memory?

You have to lose a GF before you win one.

Melb GF exp to get them the win.

Just finished from the breakfast and the boys looked really relaxed...probably Reynolds looked the most  i would say, the rest looked really calm....

Looking from a macro approach, the finals series has been a really disspointing one in terms of closeness, they pretty have been blowouts all games except the 1st doggies Eagles game, the rest have been a shambles...

I think we are due for a really really close game, a real belter.

I think this game provides it. I agree with Lucky, if this game was played in Melbourne, i wouldnt give us much hope, but the fact that you can guarantee out of the 80k, i woul ddare say, 75k will be following the dogs....that is going to play a role no doubt.

I also think playing in front of 70k people last week with half of them being Souths supporters would have helped coming into this week...

Oh and Hirshfelder.....I sat next to 2 bookmakers from the TAB, my mate wasnt there, but i sat next to 2 and got to know of them..

Is that impossible? In your little world, did the press avoid TOny Abbott and Barry O'Farrell and went straight up to the bookmakers, apparently, knowing them is more of a bigger deal than knowing the opp leader and state leader.....

WOW, i was talking to and got to know a TAB bookmaker, i am about to duck down to church and thank my blessings for doing such a rare thing......

how many champagnes did you knock back? 

Loves the macro approach does the Rostos

LOL , none mate, just tucked into nice Bacon, Sausages, fruits , juices etc etc...

Matty Johns a very funny fella

im loving all the melb action. i really thought everyone would be on the dogs

ARE YOU REALLY SAYING WHAT I THINK YOU ARE.

Look at the 2 games these teams played this year. Billy there they win and without they lose by a big margin

Look at the Storm season when 1 of the so called big 3 are out they go to the shit and go on a 5 game lsoing streak or what ever.

WAT THE HELL  Statment could have not been more wrong really

mel ml.. keeping it small tho, just a homer bet. although i have been in Sydney for 8 years... I just like storm better as a team lol. flying back to ANZ stadium to get punched by doggie fans haha 

Same here.

I had this thought early in the season. Was Manly just being cheap in not giving Hasler a raise?

I'm so jelly of Rostos rubbing shoulders with the big wigs of the TAB and NRL world.

All in on Melbourne ML or your balls are raisins.

So you should be...Knowing a TAB bookmaker is bigger and better than knowing Obama........It is in fact, less believable than knowing Obama

The guys from the TAB were telling me how they went to the Brownlow earlier ...apparently that goes off BIG TIME.....

The woman they were saying.........

Yeah aye Melbourne footy slags, they go off bro

I cop 10 roots a day just from wearing a Brisbane Lions cap.

Didnt make the grand final breaky had to fly to brisbane.

got vip tickets footy show grand final there now

fatty vautin is a dickhead