NRL Report
STORM DEFEATED BY THE WARRIORS
What a major upset last weekend at Olympic Park for Melbourne Storm and their fans – the minor premiers were given a rude awakening by being narrowly defeated by the New Zealand Warriors in the dying stages of the match. The final score was 18-15.
This was a history creating win as it’s the first victory by an eighth placed side over a minor premiership team since 1999.
The Warriors now play the Roosters in a sudden death semi-final at Mt Smart Stadium on Friday night. The Warriors go into the match as favourites – they have won nine of their past eleven games.
Cronulla and Manly now have this week, while the Broncos and Melbourne Storm battle it out in the other sudden-death semifinal at Suncorp Stadium on Saturday night. The Broncos earned themselves a home final after coming from behind last week against the Roosters.
GREG INGLIS RENEWS CONTRACT WITH STORM
Greg Inglis signed a new four year deal with the Melbourne Storm, apparently the day of the Dally M Awards (although this was kept under wraps). This supersedes his contract which expired in 2010. The new deal is supposedly worth $450,000 a year.
THE MCINTYRE SYSTEM
The McIntyre System was brought into the NRL in 1999. The system has it’s critics around finals time. With the system, potentially 2 of the top 4 sides can play each other in a sudden death play-off in week 2 of the finals. That’s not happening this time around, but what it means, is that you can be on top of the rankings and this isn’t taken into account during the Finals series.
Warren Ryan who is an ex-NRL coach, has made big statements recently about the system. His calls for a change comes amid calls for the system to be changed to an AFL type system – where the top 4 teams and the bottom 4 teams are divided in the first round of the finals. The NRL don’t look like they will be changing to this system in a hurry though.
OTHER NEWS
· Former Rothmans medallist Ewan McGrady, now has a nephew playing for Cronulla, Jason McGrady. The 18 year old has signed a 2 year deal.
· Surprisingly, no charges were laid last weekend in week one of the finals. Some players came close to being charged though, including Roosters prop Mark O’Meley who figured in a couple of incidents in the match against the Broncos.
· Warriors second-rower, Simon Mannering has won the Player of the Year award at the NZ Warriors annual awards dinner in Auckland. Winger, Manu Vatuvei won the One Tribe Player award.
· The Prime Minister’s XIII was announced yesterday. The side, coached by Mal Meninga, will play Papua New Guinea in Port Moresby on Sunday, September 28. Parramatta’s Nathan Hindmarsh has been named Captain.
Finals Week 2:
Warriors vs Roosters: 8.30pm Friday
Broncos vs Storm: 7.45pm Saturday
Cronulla and Manly have a week off.
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