Storm beats Westen Sydney Academy in SG Ball match...

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Melbourne Storm  versus Western Sydney Academy in SG Ball match...

:

SG Ball Update

© Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm’s SG Ball team recorded their first victory of the season on Saturday with a convincing win over the Western Sydney Academy side.

The 44-26 result should provide a good confidence boost for the young Storm side who have suffered some heart-breaking losses after dominating large periods of every game this season.

The first-half was a fairly even affair with the Academy side scoring first after some poor discipline from the Storm.

The teams then matched tries with the score locked at 10-10 before Pride Petterson-Robati scored a great try just before half-time.

This gave the Storm some momentum heading into the second-half and they soon extended the lead with a series of tries early in the period to take the score out to 44-16.

A couple of late four-pointers to the Academy side saw the game finish at 44-26 to the Storm.

The most pleasing aspect of the game was the willingness of the players to play some patient footy for the first time this season. The completion rate was up significantly on previous weeks enabling the team to build pressure on the opposition.

Some excellent tries were scored and the team should now have a belief in what they are doing on the field.

DJ Solomona and Wayne Kennedy were the best for the Storm scoring five tries between them.

Strong performances also came from Pride Petterson Robati, Adam Millgate, Tala Titi and Tremaine Jensen.

Melbourne Storm 44 (Tries: DJ Solomona 3, Wayne Kennedy 2, Dane Chang, Pride Petterson Robati, Evander Jackson; Goals: Adam Millgate 6) def. WSAS 26.

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NZ Rugby league relocates Anzac test from Christchurch...

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NZ Rugby League relocates Anzac test from Christchurch..






..
http://anzacbloggersunite.blog.co.uk



The New Zealand Rugby League have decided to relocate the annual Anzac test due to the mounting death toll from Christchurch EQ...


Earthquake-ravaged Christchurch has lost out on hosting the Anzac rugby league test between New Zealand and Australia.

The test was scheduled to be played in the city on May 5 but the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) today decided to relocate the international due to the mounting death toll, which has risen to 163, and the serious damage inflicted on Christchurch's infrastructure by last week's magnitude 6.3 earthquake.

The match will instead be played at Skilled Park on Queensland's Gold Coast.

The NZRL said both it and the Australian Rugby League were committed to returning the Anzac test to Christchurch in 2012.

"The priority for them now is to somehow get their lives back together and the valuable resources they have on call need to be focused on trying to rebuild their city," NZRL chief executive Jim Doyle.

"By next year, hopefully, they will be looking for the tourism and the international exposure that this match can deliver, and we will be there to do everything we can to deliver that outcome.

"We remain committed to giving the people of Canterbury the chance to see the world champion Kiwis but unfortunately it is in everyone's interest that we wait for the right time.

"We are conscious that there are a lot of people hurting at the moment in Christchurch, as well as many in Queensland who are still coming to terms with the devastation of recent floods, and the test will certainly include a number of fundraising efforts."

To accommodate the venue change, the New Zealand Warriors' round nine National Rugby League (NRL) match against the Gold Coast Titans, which was scheduled to be played in Auckland, has been moved to Skilled Park. The corresponding match between the two teams in round 18 will move from Skilled Park to Auckland.

"The move has been agreed to by both clubs and reduces the impact of the venue change on the Warriors, players," said NRL chief executive David Gallop said today.

"There is tremendous sympathy for the people of Christchurch and we accept that the city is simply not in a position to host the match."

Acknowledgements: NZPA

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Warriors win pre-season game against Burleigh...

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Warriors win  pre-season game against Burleigh...

The New Zealand Warriors scored three tries in each half to beat Queensland Cup side Burleigh 30-0 in their National Rugby League trial at Toll Stadium in Whangarei today.

Fullback Kevin Locke dotted down twice in the first half and Krisnan Inu added another as the Warriors took a 16-0 lead into the interval.

After the break they added tries to Auckland Vulcans fullback Johnny Aranga, the speedy Glen Fisiiahi and hooker Alehana Mara to complete the scoring.

Earlier the Junior Warriors beat Otahuhu 34-28 in their third trial match.

Warriors 30 (Kevin Locke 2, Krisnan Inu, Johnny Aranga, Glen Fisiiahi, Alehana Mara tries; James Maloney 2 cons; Krisnan Inu con) Burleigh Bears 0. Halftime: 16-0 Warriors.

Acknowledgements: NZPA

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Aussie league - NRL site...

Image via Wikipedia History beckons: Semi-finals coming.


Wests will be hoping for a repeat of the 2005 preliminary final result when they meet minor premiers St George-Illawarra next Saturday. On Friday night, the Titans await their first ever preliminary final against the resurgent Roosters.

http://www.nrl.com/

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Relief for Storm assistant-coach Steve Kearney after audit into Storm's finaces...

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Relief for Steve Kearney after audit into Storm's  finances...






Relief for Melbourne Storm assistant coach Stephen Kearney following the findings of an audit into the NRL club's salary cap rort

 www.rugbyleague.co.nz









Stephen Kearney



The findings of an audit into the Melbourne Storm NRL salary cap rort have come as a relief to assistant coach Stephen Kearney.



Club owners News Limited have announced the Storm breached the cap by $3.87 million, more than 80 per cent higher than initially thought.



Kearney says the club now knows what it needs to do.



"As difficult as it (the audit finding) was, we know what we're dealing with now and have got to get the issue resolved."



Kearney says the circumstances have been very difficult and it has been tough dealing with a range of emotions from the players. He says the club has got to put a harrowing last few months behind them and move on.



The Storm are believed to be needing to shed just under $1.6 million of playing talent payments to be under the cap next season.









Acknowledgements: © 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

Melbourne Storm stripped of NRL premierships for breaching salary cap...

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Melbourne Storm stripped of their NRL Premierships for breaching the salary cap to the tune of $1.7 million

 Article from www.rugbyleague.co.nz



The Melbourne Storm have been stripped of their NRL Premierships, won in 2007 and 2009, for breaching the salary cap.



The club admits it secretly paid its players $1.7 million over the past five years, including $700,000 this year, without telling the NRL. The Storm have lost all of their eight competition points won this season and will not be awarded any more. They will have to hand back $1.1 million in prize money, as well as pay a $500,000 fine. The lost prize money will be split among the other 15 clubs.



NRL boss David Gallop says Melbourne has been operating two sets of financial books. Several people from the Storm have also been stood down from their administrative positions. Melbourne chairman Rob Moodie says he is not making any excuses. Former chief executive Brian Waldron has been named as the architect of the scam. He is now in charge of the Melbourne Rebels Super 15 team.

http://www.nzrugby/ league.com









Ackowledgements: © 2010 NZCity, NewsTalkZB

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Three Kiwi boys on a big jetplane over the Tasman...

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Three Kiwi boys on a big jetplane over the Tasman...



At 9am New Zealand time today three young Kiwi boys, two from the Hutt Valley and one from Taranaki, set out from Wellington International Airport for Melbourne in Australia.



From Melbourne Airport they were whisked away to the Melbourne Storm NRL Club headquarters to be welcomed and informed about what will be happening over the next six days. The boys will be staying in a flash hotel and receive three meals a day there.



One of the boys is my very talented young sportsman and rugby league playing grandson, 14 year old Pride Petterson-Ropati. Pride already has a six year contract withe the Storm, while the other two boys get their dream partially realised - a trial with the top rugby league club in Australia... and the world!



Pride will be put through some training programs to test him physically and mentally, and be given a training regime to follow back in New Zealand. He will return to Melbourne during each school holidays and be tested for his progress. He will move to Melbourne next year and will stay with a foster family and be schooled there.



Prides's future is now in his own extremely young and capable hands. It is planned for him to play under 16 year Grade football, and then progress to the Under 18 Grade. Eventually he will get the opportunity to play Under 20's and First Grade football. His contract covers a rising scale of payment during each grade.



The Melbourne Storm club will pay for all his living expenses and schooling and a weekly payment for expenses and pocket money.



The two boys who accompanied him to Melbourne will trial for similar contracts to Pride's. One of the boys is an older clubmate of his.


Acknowledgements: Peter Petterson

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