S27E16 Preview – Expansion packs

Red Fish on the hook

Jun 19, 2024

With only one previous match played between the Storm and the Dolphins, there’s not much ground to cover between these two teams.

Everyone else seemingly has a view on where the NRL should put an 18th team (and eventually 19th and 20th teams), so as a fan of an expansion team, why not put in my two cents…

NRL expansion 2024 edition

It’s interesting sitting on the sidelines of the current expansion chat in both the NRL and AFL. It almost feels like both codes realise that the only way to significantly increase their revenue from the next round of broadcast rights is to have more content and having ten games a weekend is the way to go about it. There’s also a whiff that there’s a prestige battle going on between the two organisations about which sport will get to 20 fully professional clubs in the fastest, yet most sustainable way possible.1

From the Victorian perspective, the 19th AFL team going to Tasmania makes perfect sense, but to expand without a pairing 20th team on the horizon seems silly. There’s absolutely no pressing need for a Melbourne club to fold, merge or relocate; so to not have a plan to fast track a 20th team is an odd gambit by an organisation that usually has plans in place to ensure their domination of the news cycle.2

For the NRL though, they apparently have an expansion plan. Well maybe, depends who you ask. The Dolphins have done what the Brisbane rugby league community was always going to be able to do — support a team that wasn’t the Broncos. I still think they would have been better off as a Sunshine Coast based team playing games in Brisbane until after the 2032 Olympics, but the current strategy is working for the Red Fish. Relocation is apparently off the table with each of the suburban shitholes of Sydney seemingly maintaining their NRL venue status despite their increasingly decrepit facilities that actively stunt growth.

As for expansion, I know one thing that needs to be drummed into the tiny brains of those in the Sydney media and at League Central — The North Sydney Bears (and Newtown Jets) are dead. Enough with the brain worms of “bringing back the Bears.” They’re a member of the Dead Club Society and DNR was marked on their admission cards. If Perth is the answer for team 18/19/20 don’t burden them with the IP of a dead team from The Bad Place. Let them forge their own identity and make their own history. Let them play all their home games in Perth and make ties with the WA sporting community.

That said, my choice for team 18 is any of the groups putting together a bid for a South Island team in New Zealand. Give the (Auckland) Wahs a rival. Play at Christchurch’s fancy new stadium so that there’s a game in New Zealand on almost every Friday evening at 8pm local (aka that silly 6pm time slot). There’s more than enough talent to go around 18 teams, especially given the continuing decline of Yawnion in Australia.

If not New Zealand 2 Electric Boogaloo, then Perth. Again, that extra time slot choice comes into play with Perth home games at 9:30pm Melbourne time on Saturday nights or 6:15pm on Sunday nights. Either one, just get it done. Don’t burden them with the costs of travel like what killed the Western Reds back in the ARL and Super League days. Give them a fixture that has them two weeks at home and consecutive away trips so that they don’t have to continually fly east.3

That covers options for teams 18 and 19 — that is pick one for 18 and then the other group has a couple of years to get their ducks in a row for the next round of expansion to be added with a 20th team. From there, the PNG idea is one of the worst brain farts ever to be concocted. There’s a multitude of reasons why it won’t work and none of the reasons proffered as to why it is even a thing stand up to any critical thinking. The same goes for any further NSW teams being added to the competition.4

Instead, another Queensland team is the obvious answer. As long as they have some kind of geographic hub to call home, a team in the west of Brisbane will likely garner enough fan and corporate support to thrive. Alternatively, there’s a vast geographic swathe of the Queensland coast that might be able to make a team work, certainly better than PNG could. I’m not suggesting a team out of the Fraser Coast or Bundaberg region, but maybe digging up that old Central Queensland bid based around Rockhampton with potential games in Mackay could work if there’s no appetite for another Brisbane team in the lead up to the Olympics.5

S01E14 – Melbourne Storm vs Adelaide Rams

Couldn’t resist a quick reminisce this week though, with the Storm’s one and only match against the Adelaide Rams popping up in my brain. Playing for the Southern States Cup6 on a cold Saturday night in June, Melbourne were sitting in second on the NRL ladder coming into this match, which wasn’t broadcast on television. There was a video referee using the stadium feed, but in a rarity for Melbourne Storm matches, referee Moghseen Jadwat had in-goal judges to assist with decisions.

PNG winger John Wilshere made his Storm debut in what was his only match for the club in the NRL.

Team list from Big League — Aaron Moule and Rodney Howe didn’t play, with Paul Bell moving into the centres. Wayne Evans and John Carlaw came onto the bench.

Only very limited highlights exist for this one on the old Storm Strikes VHS tape which had short snippets from each match of the 1998 season. In a sign of the times back in 1998, the Sunday Age didn’t carry a match report, and neither did the Monday edition. The Sun-Herald in Sydney did have Jacquelin Magnay’s words:

What’s missing from that report is that Glenn Lazarus chose to run into The Graveyard’s strong wind in the first half, which set the stage for Melbourne’s domination. Also, that try scored by Graham Appo definitely should have been called back, but never mind.

Melbourne – 24 (Hill (2), Bai, Roarty tries; Wilshere 3/4, Kimmorley 1/1 goals)

Adelaide – 4 (Appo try; Williamson 0/1 goals)

The bigger story at the time in June 1998 was steroid and other performance enhancing drugs being taken by NRL players. 1997 ARL premiers Newcastle was the focus of an emerging scandal with a number of players implicated, and the spotlight would soon focus on Melbourne prop Rodney Howe who would later be suspended for 22 matches.7

Stat attack

Melbourne have played three times before on 21 June, winning at Olympic Park against North Queensland (48–20 in 2008) and Wests Tigers (14–22 in 2009), but losing 14–12 to the Broncos at AAMI Park in 2015.
After starting the season in last place, the Dolphins haven’t been outside the top eight so far this season. They jumped to the top of the NRL ladder in round 4, meaning it took 31 competition rounds for the Dolphins to do what Melbourne did in 15 rounds in 1998.
Melbourne spent the entire 1998 season in the top ten finals positions on the NRL ladder, and the entire 1999 season in the top eight. It wasn’t until round two of the 2000 season that Melbourne fell to last place in the 14-team competition.
Wayne Bennett has come up against Craig Bellamy coached teams on 40 previous occasions, with Bellamy’s team coming up winners 30 times.
The last time a Wayne Bennett coached team defeated Melbourne was when the Broncos won 26–16 at AAMI Park in 2016. Since then his teams have lost 11-straight times to Melbourne.

Team line-up

Ryan Papenhuyzen
Will Warbrick
Grant Anderson
Nick Meaney
Sualauvi Fa’alogo
Tyran Wishart
Jahrome Hughes ©
Tui Kamikamica
Bronson Garlick
Josh King
Shawn Blore
Eliesa Katoa
Trent Loiero
Jack Howarth
Christian Welch
Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Joe Chan
~~Reimis Smith~~
~~Dean Ieremia~~
~~Lazarus Vaalepu~~
Chris Lewis
Kane Bradley

Referee: Liam Kennedy (Bunker: Grant Atkins)

Preview

~~Redcliffe~~ Dolphins vs Melbourne Storm
— Suncorp Stadium, 8:00pm Friday 21 June 2024

Guess who’s back? Papi’s back. Tell a friend.

After injuring that surgically repaired leg back in round 9, Ryan Papenhuyzen has been named to resume at fullback. That has pushed Sua Fa’alogo to the wing in place of the absent Xavier Coates, while Bronson Garlick gets his second start of the season in place of Harry Grant. So while club captain Grant is swanning around with the Maroons, Jahrome Hughes will be deputising as captain for a third time.

Will Warbrick is also back on his wing, meaning there’s a bit of a shuffle in the backline. Reimis Smith has been named on the extended bench with Dean Ieremia, so there could be further changes yet… who knows it’s #wrongpriorities season where the competition falls victim to meaningless exhibition matches. Huzzah!

The forward pack is more settled this week, as long as the Queensland camp releases Trent Loiero in time after he was selected for the Maroons as a reserve. It was a surprise to be sure, but a welcome one, to see Loiero named by Billy Slater. Hopefully the week away from Storm training won’t be a distraction from the good form he’s been showing in 2024.

The Red Fish also have a couple of players missing this week, with their best attacking weapon dropping the hammer for Queensland, joined by Storm player #164 making the Maroons squad again. There will be a few familiar faces still out there for the Dolphins though with the Bromwich Bros. now forming the front row combination, and Mark Nicholls hiding on the bench. Joining him there are a couple of ghosts from Christmas past — Ray Stone and Tevita Pangai Junior.

Nominally this match is first versus fourth. It probably deserves to be played outside of the middle of June, so it’s nice that the Red Fish will be travelling down to AAMI Park in August for their first visit south of the Murray. For this edition though, Melbourne coming off short rest and international travel have their excuses ready should the Dolphins get the win. Coming on the back of their win at The Swamp last weekend, it wouldn’t surprise me if the home team have enough confidence to get over the top of the Storm. I can’t see them making the same mistake as the Warriors did to let the Storm back into the match if a similar start pops up like it did at Mt Smart.

That back five, even without Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow looks rather potent. Melbourne’s points against (average 19.77) puts this iteration of the Storm on the outside looking in come the end of the season, so if that is to be fixed, defence is key from here on out. If the Red Fish score their average of 26+ points, Melbourne will struggle to keep up on what is forecast to be a fine evening at Lang Park.

My suspicion is that the Storm get rolled this week. But I was wrong last week, so take that with a pound of salt.

What else is going on?

As someone with large clodhoppers, Rugby League Eye Test's Boot Watch is required reading should I ever decide that running on grass is a good idea again.8 Looks like I would be in the minority though with my current blue swooshes. Love this series though, if only more players would remember that #RealFootballersWearSocksUp.

Read this piece recently from Jason Oliver over at Rugby League Writers. Always happy to promote quality analysis like this.9

The U19s Origin is on Thursday night (Women’s match at 5:45pm, Men’s at 7:45pm) and there’s a few Storm names to watch — Stanley Huen played last year in this fixture and returns at five-eighth for Queensland. Potentially joining him is Amare Milford who was originally named as a reserve, with a famous name in Cooper Bai, the 18-year-old son of Storm legend Marcus Bai. Brad over at Rugby League Observer may have a preview in time for kick off.

The Falcons are back in action on Saturday (5pm) against the Clydesdales and need a win to stay in touch with the top four. The Jersey Flegg Cup squad are in Fiji on Saturday morning, while in the Super Netball it’s a must-win for the Lightning on Sunday (4pm) against the Giants.