OPINION
I watched the Storm play last Friday and with 10 minutes to go in the first half, the Broncos had all the run but were only ahead 6-0.
I thought it was classic Melbourne, they were absorbing plenty of pressure without letting the score get away from them.
However, that’s only half of what Craig Bellamy’s sides are renowned for in finals football. The other half is after they’ve defended their guts out, they then take their chances in attack.
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But that simply wasn’t happening at Suncorp last week and I think it’s because they were lacking strike power in the centres, which they’ve always had over the years.
Where were Justin Olam and Reimis Smith?
They both played in the Storm’s Round 27 win over a second-string Brisbane side, but they were left out for the rematch in the first week of finals.
On their day, Olam and Smith are world-class centres. Olam was named the 2021 Dally M Centre of the Year.
I’m definitely not questioning Bellamy. My question is why aren’t they playing? Because nobody has mentioned anything.
In the big games, when you absorb pressure you then need to be able to make the opposition pay.
Look at Kalyn Ponga and Dom Young against the Raiders on Sunday, the Knights had 43 per cent of the ball but when they got their chances they took them.
I don’t know the reasons why Olam and Smith aren’t playing but if they’re fit and Bellamy thinks they’re mentally in the right space, then they should play.
Bellamy is a coach who can challenge them and then get two or three performances in response.
They need those types of players with speed and power and finishing ability to cause a threat against the Roosters.
If they’re not in the team purely due to form reasons then they’ve let their teammates down.
Speaking of guys who should have been in Melbourne’s starting side last week, I cannot understand the decision to play Ryan Papenhuyzen as a middle off the bench.
It’s easy to say in hindsight, but Papenhuyzen is a $1 million player coming back from a serious knee injury and playing him in the middle was almost asking for trouble.
Nick Meaney has probably been the most overperforming value-for-money player this season, but Ryan Papenhuyzen is Ryan Papenhuyzen.
If the plan was to play him for 50 minutes in the middle then surely he was fit enough to start at fullback. He’s a Ferrari but they were driving him like a RAV4.
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BRONCOS AND KNIGHTS MUST STRIKE NOW
It’s not quite now or never for the Broncos and Knights, but their respective premiership windows won’t stay open long.
Sometimes guys play so far above their value that it puts a club into a premiership window that they just weren’t expecting to be in, but just as quickly as it opens it can shut.
That’s because those players have to get paid and it becomes impossible to fit everyone under the salary cap.
Bradman Best is playing at an extremely high level and his price tag will only increase. The same goes for Greg Marzhew, Leo Thompson, Phoenix Crossland and Tyson Gamble.
These guys are playing so far above their value that Newcastle’s window is now.
It’s a similar story in Brisbane, I look at guys like Reece Walsh, Ezra Mam, Billy Walters, Jordan Riki and Brendan Piakura.
Next year the Broncos lose Tom Flegler and Herbie Farnworth to the Dolphins, so you sit back and think ‘wow this is a great team but they need to win it all now’.
The incredible form of Ponga, Walsh and Adam Reynolds means the water level rises and everybody goes with it.
Brisbane and Newcastle have big catchment areas but they still don’t have the production line of talent coming through to sustain their success for years like the Panthers.
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HYNES OVERPLAYED HIS HAND
I read that Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes had over 40 touches in the first half against the Roosters in their elimination final.
Unfortunately, it’s more about making your touches count.
Nicho was trying so hard that it looked like he was trying to shove a peg into a square hole and at times he just looked erratic out there.
Tedesco told foxsports.com.au last week that he fell into a form slump this season doing the same thing, trying too hard instead of playing on instinct.
Nicho was going a million miles an hour against the Roosters when he needed to put the whip away and just relax.
Look at Broncos halfback Adam Reynolds – he picks his moments to inject himself into the game, puts people into position, gets the field set strategically.
I believe Hynes was trying to do it all himself because he didn’t have Will Kennedy, Matt Moylan, Teig Wilton… so he thought if nobody else is going to do it I’m going to do it myself.
I’ve seen him do that against the average teams and it works, but against the quality sides you need to bring your teammates into the game and make them better.
Cleary already amongst the GOATS? | 02:15
SEMI-FINALS PREDICTIONS
Storm-Roosters
The Storm will win because their performance for 30 minutes against the Broncos showed enough signs to say they’re semi-final ready.
Their best players had an off night and they were still in the game for a period. They’ll make some small changes and the bounce back effect will supercharge their star players.
Melbourne also never plays two bad games in a row.
Warriors-Knights
The Knights have won 10 straight and it’s a sign of a good footy team when you don’t play your best and still win like they did against Canberra.
Don’t underestimate the pressure of playing in Newcastle in front of a sellout crowd, an away game this week will be special for this side.
They get to go to New Zealand together and just focus on the game.
My best memories are playing semi-finals on the road, it’s two days away instead of one like the regular season and no expenses are spared.
There’s a real peacefulness around their preparation because you’re not nervous, you’re confident because you’ve made the eight and know you’re there for a reason.
The bullets are loaded and ready to shoot, that’s how I felt.
Raiders lacking a game winning player? | 01:21
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