NRL Match Thread Round 14 Sunday matches All games played

[Futtocks]

Not a good night for the champions - Keary's lying on the sideline in what looks like serious pain.

[Futtocks]

A try to Tuipulotu on his debut avoids a nilling for the Roosters.

[Graham]

Keary gone down the tunnel

[Graham]

24-6 Storm

[Graham]

Luke Keary to hospital in an ambulance

[Graham]

Storm 40/20 there!

[Graham]

Clear win for Storm against a Roosters side who collected more injuries in this.

FULL TIME

Sydney Roosters 6 - 24 Melbourne Storm

[Graham]

So the Storm system works, as if we ever doubted it.

Without the twin Cams, Storm surged through this game.

Worrying for Roosters:

they never really sustained ay sort of pressure or were able to worry Storm.

On top of that they added to their injury woes.

It's great to see the Storm looking fit and confident.

That's 8 out of 8 wins for them then... and all away from home!

[Davo5]

The chooks are busted and look a tired outfit,SBW to the rescue ??

[Graham]

33 minutes ago, Davo5 said:

The chooks are busted and look a tired outfit,SBW to the rescue ??

At 35 he'll be the third oldest player in the NRL

He won't be as physically superior to virtually everyone as he was years ago.

All eyes will be on him when he does make the Roosters team.

Roosters fans will be hoping for the SBW of old.

The NRL have bent over backwards bending, some say breaking, their rules for him.

Will he be worth it?

It would take any player coming back into the NRL after a big break some time to get back up to speed.

With such a lot expected of him and invested in him by Roosters and the NRL they will be hoping this pays off for them.

In other words, I'm not so sure! 

 

 

[Graham]

Friday's Round 14 matches:

UK times

Here's the rest of the round, including the Friday games with kick off times in Australia (AEST):

[JohnM]

Any news on Keary? Suggestion of internal injury. 

[Graham]

The speculation seems to be an internal injury, fearing a ruptured spleen.

Time will tell. 
Best wishes to him.

[Graham]

Costly game this has been

Medic in the back room at Storm reckons Vunivalu has a broken jaw. There’s no swelling but the bloke says he believes there’s a break.

Then there’s Jahrome Hughes who has some sort of a groin strain.

[DavidM]

Yes they had injury and disruption but I can’t recall the Roosters being that poor.

[Graham]

I didn’t predict that result, or the clear dominance of one team over the other.

Roosters were poor in the face of a relentless Storm.

As I said during the game, Easts made too many errors with the ball in hand. Then there were the gaps in defence and a lack of go forward from their big men.

Storm by contrast made very few mistakes, their defence was better and their forwards played with power and belief. 
Roosters seemed to have lost their system while Storm’s system looked as good as ever. 

[Clogiron]

The Roosters have numerous injuries granted but as a club they should be able to cope with that however with no back up competition's we are seeing clubs having to bring in player's who have had little or no match practice this year and it's showing in team's cohesion and performance. Granted the Storm have players out too but the Roosters looked well off the pace.

Penrith in particular and the Eels have been fortunate with keeping a settled squad on the pitch hence their league positions, wether they can maintain that is the intriguing question.

[Graham]

FRIDAY

First up:

Top Team v Anything Could Happen

Final team lists:

[Graham]

Warriors have won their last two games - Wests Tigers, Manly

Panthers have won their last five games - Sharks, Cowboys, Titans, Manly, Raiders

[Graham]

Warriors 

Unavailable: Jackson Frei (Injured), Bunty Afoa (Injured), Nathaniel Roache (Injured), Taane Milne (Injured), Lesson Ah Mau (Injured), Leivaha Pulu (Personal Reasons), Agnatius Paasi (Personal Reasons), King Vuniyayawa (Personal Reasons), Ken Maumalo (Personal Reasons), David Fusitu’a (Personal Reasons), Jack Hetherington (Suspended)

Panthers

Unavailable: Kurt Capewell (Injured), Brian To’o (Injured), Dean Whare (Injured), Charlie Staines (Injured)

Panthers have a shorter injury list than most other clubs.

[Graham]

Warriors come into this game having played probably their best so far this season last week beating a Manly.

This though is a big test for them. Penrith have won their last eight games. Warriors will hope for an upset win for them against the ladder leaders today.

Most of us have gone for a Panthers’ win. They have been playing top class footy and are expected to outclass their opponents today.

Still most of us picked Roosters to beat Storm, and as Barney says, rubbing it in, how did that go?

[Graham]

Almost kick off time...

[Graham]

It’s the Pink Panthers today.

Noticed an umbrella or two up.

You know what that means...

[Graham]

Nathan Cleary is another player who seems to have had a cheap haircut. They only cut the bits he could see. The hair at the back is a wilderness.

[Graham]

Warriors defence being tested relentlessly 

They have held out well