How to beat Storm and Panthers?

[silvereagle]

A long way to go yet, but I think most of us are now quietly confident we can seriously challenge for the title.... THIS year. The nagging question in my mind however is how do you beat both the Storm AND the Panthers come end of year. That's what I think we will need to do to win the premiership this year given the likely draw for the semi's.

I am perhaps a little biased, but I do honestly think we have the best set of forwards and the best bench in the comp. Very confident we can roll both the Panthers and the Storm forward packs. Is that enough? If we stop their forwards, do we also stop / slow down Cleary / Luai for Penrith and Munster / Hughes for Storm. Most of their attack comes from these guys so mitigate / minimise / eliminate their time with the ball and I think you eliminate most of their attack.

So stop their forwards and you stop their halves and you stop their attack?

Thoughts?

 

[The better Robbo]

A long way to go yet, but I think most of us are now quietly confident we can seriously challenge for the title.... THIS year. The nagging question in my mind however is how do you beat both the Storm AND the Panthers come end of year. That's what I think we will need to do to win the premiership this year given the likely draw for the semi's.

I am perhaps a little biased, but I do honestly think we have the best set of forwards and the best bench in the comp. Very confident we can roll both the Panthers and the Storm forward packs. Is that enough? If we stop their forwards, do we also stop / slow down Cleary / Luai for Penrith and Munster / Hughes for Storm. Most of their attack comes from these guys so mitigate / minimise / eliminate their time with the ball and I think you eliminate most of their attack.

So stop their forwards and you stop their halves and you stop their attack?

Thoughts?

We will need to be fit and have our big guns firing at the business end of the season but there is certainly enough skill, toughness, speed and game plan to beat them.

 

[Brisbane Tragic]

Yep I am confident injury free with our big guns all there incl Schu and if we have Haumole on the other edge we are a huge chance of beating both. The team right now with Aloiai back and Schu back and we are right in the mix.

 

[maxta]

I think with Penrith they have a Super potent left edge and when this is shut down, have often lost potency....also a Must to pressure Cleary's kicking game all day and have recognition every time To'o is around the ball, as he is often 200m+ a game which is a big part of their Winning platform.
Personally have a feel that Penrith under pressure, will commit many errors and also in defence, any team with attacking ability will move the scoreboard....Penrith play best when in Full control and relaxed, or have nothing to lose and play "catchup footy"
In a high intensity game, they are definitely beatable, such as the GF in 2020, but if the opposition let them take control, are perhaps the hardest team to stop in the comp.
Storm are a juggernaut who especially in the big games, Bellamy will prepare to strangle the opposition.....everything about this side is textbook, so you need to play a little unconventional with offloads/2nd phase and support plays through them - nice and direct with Tommy T, Walker, testing in behing those A defenders, as they play a compressed defensive line to entice a false opportunity to play sideways, which they will slide and creat errors or land you in the 3rd row....don't get tricked into heading to the edges without battering down the middle first.
Defending them is slowing down the tempo, as they control the speed of the game 99% of the time and if the defence is not winning contacts and controlling the ruck, they are the 1 side who Will take advantage and put points on....then play the python game that strangles the opposition who start to break down with errors, drained energy...a slow death that is frustrating but effective.

 

[Waz13]

Just have a feeling the panthers will experience an injury crisis at some point that may derail them. Melb are the true threat imo as they are so seasoned. They can win at any time with any squad. In saying that we are a team that can often beat them and have a great rivalry. I think if there’s one team/coach Bellamy might worry about it’s us and old Dessie, especially if fully fit and firing. I think our game v storm in round 21 will be our best test to see where we are at. All this also hinges on keeping Tom on the field.

 

[SeaEagleRock8]

Can't be that hard. Eels and Panthers already figured out how to beat Storm.
And Tigers and Sharks showed how to beat Panthers (just make sure all their Origin players are out).

It's the Bulldogs I'm worried about.

 

[Dion Johnson]

A long way to go yet, but I think most of us are now quietly confident we can seriously challenge for the title.... THIS year. The nagging question in my mind however is how do you beat both the Storm AND the Panthers come end of year. That's what I think we will need to do to win the premiership this year given the likely draw for the semi's.

I am perhaps a little biased, but I do honestly think we have the best set of forwards and the best bench in the comp. Very confident we can roll both the Panthers and the Storm forward packs. Is that enough? If we stop their forwards, do we also stop / slow down Cleary / Luai for Penrith and Munster / Hughes for Storm. Most of their attack comes from these guys so mitigate / minimise / eliminate their time with the ball and I think you eliminate most of their attack.

So stop their forwards and you stop their halves and you stop their attack?

Thoughts?

I thought the dogs slowed them down a bit when they were kicking for touch at the end of their 6, can definitely challenge their middle 1/3 with aggression.

Haven’t seen a side constantly kick to Staines wing to make To’o work more to get the ball.

Edwards and Staines need to be put under pressure, errors in their games.

With the Storm play some unstructured footy and keep moving the ball about seemingly bothers them.

If we hold our share of possession and cut the errors out the side can challenge them.

 

[Shoe1]

All of the above, plus a little luck in the finals - it also helps if the frontrunner has a bit of an off day when it counts, a bit like Manly in 83, 95 and 97.

Also the roosters in the early 2000's lost 2 when they were clear favourites. It happens.

 

[40 nil]

The Storm are a very balanced & resilient team. They have a lot of depth and could probably win the competition even if one of Munster, Grant or Papenhuyzen was missing. Maybe Hughes is their single most important player?

In contrast, even though they also have a lot of depth, I doubt the Panthers could win without Cleary.

 

[Dan]

I've gone over this in a lot of detail, like over and over again and what I figured out was that the best way to beat the panthers is to wait until the game just before or after origin, that way they have half their team out and you have a better shot.

I know ground breaking stuff

 

[Scorpio]

A long way to go yet, but I think most of us are now quietly confident we can seriously challenge for the title.... THIS year. The nagging question in my mind however is how do you beat both the Storm AND the Panthers come end of year. That's what I think we will need to do to win the premiership this year given the likely draw for the semi's.

I am perhaps a little biased, but I do honestly think we have the best set of forwards and the best bench in the comp. Very confident we can roll both the Panthers and the Storm forward packs. Is that enough? If we stop their forwards, do we also stop / slow down Cleary / Luai for Penrith and Munster / Hughes for Storm. Most of their attack comes from these guys so mitigate / minimise / eliminate their time with the ball and I think you eliminate most of their attack.

So stop their forwards and you stop their halves and you stop their attack?

Thoughts?

I believe no one has won the comp from outside the top 4 in the NRL era... So the Eels, Rabbitohs and Roosters will need to lose a fair few more games than us even if we keep winning.

If (or once) we finish Top 4, anything is possible if we have all of our key players on the park and healthy - this is the key point.

Sooner or later someone will win the premiership from outside the Top 4 but I'd be very surprised if it happened this year.

 

[Dan]

I believe no one has won the comp from outside the top 4 in the NRL era... So the Eels, Rabbitohs and Roosters will need to lose a fair few more games than us even if we keep winning.

If (or once) we finish Top 4, anything is possible if we have all of our key players on the park and healthy - this is the key point.

Sooner or later someone will win the premiership from outside the Top 4 but I'd be very surprised if it happened this year.

I ran through a ladder predictor and the best I could place us was 5th

 

[Dee Why Eagle]

As said, someone will win GF from bottom 4 and with the rule changes & a bit of luck this is an opportune time.

Stumbling block will be beating BOTH storm AND panthers in the big games. Highly doubt we could do that. Hope is for results to fall such that Storm faces Panthers in final & winner gets battered enough to fall at our feet in the GF

 

[ManEagle]

One game at a time.
At the moment while we have had some cracker results, we are a team that can just as easily have a shocker ( newy, 1st half tits) as we can have a spectacular game.
To get with storm or riff we need more composure and control during the game to compliment the fire we bring.
Still plenty of games to go to fine tune, I am just enjoying the run we having.

 

[silvereagle]

I believe no one has won the comp from outside the top 4 in the NRL era... So the Eels, Rabbitohs and Roosters will need to lose a fair few more games than us even if we keep winning.

If (or once) we finish Top 4, anything is possible if we have all of our key players on the park and healthy - this is the key point.

Sooner or later someone will win the premiership from outside the Top 4 but I'd be very surprised if it happened this year.

Bound to happen sooner or later. Apart from the 2 winners of the top 4, anyone else would need to play 4 games to win that title. So there is the big advantage of finishing in that top 4 and winning the first semi.....one week off and only 3 games to play in total.

We can win 4 games at that business end with a bit of luck on injuries....and refs!!!

 

[The Wheel]

Knowing the NRL and the pinkies The Panfers and/or Storm will get all the 50/50s in a GF so whoever plays them will either need to be extremely lucky or play the very best they can on the day

 

[Moops]

Just have a feeling the panthers will experience an injury crisis at some point that may derail them. Melb are the true threat imo as they are so seasoned. They can win at any time with any squad. In saying that we are a team that can often beat them and have a great rivalry. I think if there’s one team/coach Bellamy might worry about it’s us and old Dessie, especially if fully fit and firing. I think our game v storm in round 21 will be our best test to see where we are at. All this also hinges on keeping Tom on the field.

Just like Parramatta suffered a few outs on the eve of the finals last year...great timing that was - haha!

Even the Tigers beat the Panthers with SOO players missing a few weeks ago. Some teams are due for sure...

 

[Moops]

Knowing the NRL and the pinkies The Panfers and/or Storm will get all the 50/50s in a GF so whoever plays them will either need to be extremely lucky or play the very best they can on the day

Not if they play the Eels!

 

[nightster]

I see Brandon Smith as a real dangerman for us ... his speed and nuggetty toughness anywhere in the 20 metre attacking zone can't be understated

 

[Moops]

I see Brandon Smith as a real dangerman for us ... his speed and nuggetty toughness anywhere in the 20 metre attacking zone can't be understated

Big Nelson is a beast as well. Paseka should take that contest personally when we play them! King Kong V Godzilla...