Round 11
Bulldogs 26 d. Melbourne Storm 10

2009 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Bulldogs give Storm reality check
Sun May 24, 2009
Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

The Bulldogs have shown the competition what needs to be done to be considered premiership favourites with a 26-10 win over the Storm at Bluetongue Stadium.

The Storm didn't have the same energy or flair as they did against the Raiders while the Bulldogs played hard and committed football.

The first 15 minutes went as expected with neither team showing any particular weaknesses.

The talk about tactics came to the fore with Brett Kimmorley kicking the ball dead to prevent Billy Slater's kick returns and Greg Inglis putting a big right arm fend on Jamal Idris in the first 10 minutes.

Kimmorley went off in the 12th minute after sustaining a corked thigh in a tackle on Brett White, but it didn't hinder the Bulldogs as much as expected.

Daniel Holdsworth picked up the slack and Idris and Luke Patten were creating havoc down the left wing.

The first try of the game came in the 18th minute and went the way of the Bulldogs.

Idris collected a grubber kick from Cam Smith and carried it 50 metres. The Storm didn't help themselves by conceding a penalty, putting the Bulldogs in an attacking position from which Anthony Ryan scored.

Michael Ennis had a chance to consolidate the try minutes later but lost the ball in contact with Ryan Hoffman.

The Storm defence was looking less than convincing, particularly down the left side and whenever Idris had the ball.

Soon after, Smith and Slater created Melbourne's first real try-scoring opportunity as Slater off-loaded to Smith on the break. Smith only had Patten to beat and had supporting runners on the right side.

Smith went left and uncharacteristically found no one running with him.

The bad luck continued for the Storm when it started pouring with rain and the Bulldogs made another break down the left side.

Cooper Cronk was forced to make a premature tackle on Bryson Goodwin to prevent a try and was consequently sin-binned.

Goodwin ended up scoring from the resultant penalty and when Hazem El Masri converted it was already 14-0.

After another error from the Storm almost cost them a try on the stroke of half-time, Brett Finch could be heard over the referee's microphone yelling at his team mates to pick up their game.

Inglis responded by giving the Storm their best scoring chance for the half, putting it on the boot and chasing it down to the in-goal area but he was denied by Goodwin and the video referee.

It was a rough half of football for the Storm. They were being beaten around the rucks and with 14 missed tackles, they weren't making things any easier for themselves.

The second half began with the Storm steadying in defence. The run of play and lady luck was still with the Bulldogs but the Storm don't always need luck.

Hard work got Will Chambers over the line in the 51st minute. It was nothing like the flashy tries of last week, with quick in-close hands and strength earning Chambers the try.

The Storm fought for the ascendancy, but just couldn't control the tempo or wrestle the game away from the Bulldogs.

The forward pack was missing the presence of Adam Blair who was ruled out with a hairline facial fracture.

Sika Manu was a shining light in the second half but didn't have enough of his teammates helping him out.

Tries for the Bulldogs in the 59th minute by Daryl Millard and in the 70th minute by Gary Warburton put the game beyond doubt.

Chambers scored a consolation try in the 72nd minute but it wouldn't make the trip home any easier for the Storm.

The bye-week will give the Storm a chance to regroup and they will no doubt be itching to make up for their below-par performance against the Broncos on June 5 at Olympic Park.

Bulldogs 26 (Tries: Ryan, Goodwin, Millard, Warburton; Goals: El Masri 5) def. Storm 10 (Tries: Chambers 2; Goal: Smith) at Bluetongue Stadium.

NRL: Bulldogs 26 v Storm 10 Scores & Stats
NYC: Bulldogs 30 v Storm 54 Scores & Stats
Bulldogs v Storm Forum
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Preview: Bulldogs v Storm - NRL Round 11
Sat May 23, 2009
Given the sudden return to form of the Melbourne Storm, the Bulldogs might be ruing the decision to play this match at a neutral venue.

It was, naturally, a revenue-driven decision to play at Gosford's Bluetongue Stadium, but Bulldogs coach Kevin Moore would be a little uneasy at surrendering any advantage against a team as potent as the Storm.

And Melbourne showed exactly how potent they can be in their 46-6 demolition of the Raiders last Monday night. Admittedly the Bulldogs are a class above the Raiders on current form, but the precision of the Storm's play was an ominous sign for their upcoming opponents.

It appears that the Storm's leading stars such as Billy Slater, Cameron Smith and Greg Inglis are timing their run for the representative season and all three have noticeably stepped up a gear in recent weeks.

The Bulldogs were hard done by against the Dragons last Friday night and there will be plenty of desire among the players to reclaim the two points they felt were theirs for the taking at Kogarah.

Melbourne have dominated the Bulldogs in recent years, winning the last five encounters, and their record at Bluetongue Stadium is also impressive.

Consider a Bulldogs try as First Scoring Play ($2-35) and a Bulldogs/Storm ($6-50) or Storm/Bulldogs ($7-50) outcome in the Half/Full Double.

For First Tryscorer consider Jamal Idris ($11), Bryson Goodwin ($11) or Daryl Millard ($17) for the Bulldogs or Steve Turner ($11), Billy Slater ($9) or Greg Inglis ($9) for Melbourne.

Saturday May 23, 2009
Bulldogs vs Melbourne Storm at BlueTongue Central Coast Stadium, Gosford, Central Coast (NSW)

Bulldogs
1 Luke Patten, 2 Hazem El Masri, 3 Daryl Millard, 4 Jamal Idris, 5 Bryson Goodwin, 6 Ben Roberts, 7 Brett Kimmorley, 8 Ben Hannant, 9 Michael Ennis, 10 Michael Hodgson, 11 Greg Eastwood, 12 Andrew Ryan (c), 13 David Stagg. Subs: 14. Gary Warburton, 15 Yileen Gordon, 16 Chris Armit, 17 John Kite, 18 Daniel Holdsworth (one to be omitted).

Melbourne Storm
1. Billy Slater, 2. Steve Turner, 3. Will Chambers, 4. Greg Inglis, 5. Joseph Tomane, 6. Brett Finch, 7. Cooper Cronk, 8. Jeff Lima, 9. Cameron Smith (c), 10. Adam Blair, 11. Matt Cross, 12. Ryan Hoffman, 13. Dallas Johnson. Subs: 14. Ryan Hinchcliffe, 15. Sika Manu, 16. Aiden Tolman, 17. Brett White, 18. Hep Cahill (one to be omitted).

Date: Sat May 23 2009, 7:30PM AEST GMT+10 [Sat May 23 2009, 9:30AM GMT]
Referee: Shayne Hayne, Gerrard Sutton

Predictions:
Matthew O'Neill: Bulldogs by 2
Dennis Righetti: Storm by 8

OVERALL:
Total Games: 22
Bulldogs wins: 12. [Pts: 458]
Melbourne Storm wins: 10. [Pts: 463]
Draws: 0

Biggest wins:
Bulldogs: 46 pts: 2003 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 22 - [View] Sun Aug 10: Bulldogs 50 d. Storm 4 [Crowd: 9819]
Melbourne Storm: 46 pts: 2008 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 12 - [View] Sat: Melbourne Storm 46 d. Bulldogs 0 [Crowd: 12251]

Biggest Crowd: 2004 NRL Telstra Premiership - Semi-Final - [View] Sun Sep 19: Bulldogs 43 d. Storm 18 [Crowd: 23750]

Last 50 games against each other form line (most recent matches at end of line):
Bulldogs: WLLLLWWWWWWWWWLWWLLLLL
Melbourne Storm: LWWWWLLLLLLLLLWLLWWWWW

Last 10 games:
2008 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 12 - [View] Sat: Melbourne Storm 46 d. Bulldogs 0 [Crowd: 12251]
2007 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 24 - [View] Fri: Bulldogs 6 l. Melbourne Storm 38
2007 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 9 - [View] Mon: Melbourne Storm 38 d. Bulldogs 14
2006 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 16 - [View] Fri: Storm 16 d. Bulldogs 12 [Crowd: 10373]
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 17 - [View] Sat: Bulldogs 6 l. Storm 33 [Crowd: 7414]
2005 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 11 - [View] Sat: Storm 16 l. Bulldogs 26 [Crowd: 8438]
2004 NRL Telstra Premiership - Semi-Final - [View] Sun Sep 19: Bulldogs 43 d. Storm 18 [Crowd: 23750]
2004 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 24 - [View] Sun Aug 22: Storm 22 d. Bulldogs 12 [Crowd: 9973]
2004 NRL Telstra Premiership - Round 18 - [View] Sun Jul 11: Bulldogs 25 d. Storm 18 [Crowd: 7252]
2003 NRL Telstra Premiership - Semi-Final - [View] Sun Sep 21: Bulldogs 30 d. Storm 0 [Crowd: 19367]

NRL: Bulldogs v Storm Live Scores & Stats
NYC: Bulldogs v Storm Live Scores & Stats
Bulldogs v Storm Forum
TAB Sportsbet Website
RleagueBetting.com

Fri May 22, 2009
• Bulldogs to help Victorian Busfire victims
  
Fri May 22, 2009
• Storm Round 11 Game Notes v Bulldogs
  
Tue May 19, 2009
• Kite in for Hickey as Bulldogs prepare for Gosford trip
  
Tue May 19, 2009
• Bellamy names 18-man squad for Bulldogs clash
  

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