Storm Coach Issues Ultimatum After Disappointing Loss
After a 50-10 defeat to the Panthers, Storm coach Craig Bellamy has made it clear to his players that they need to step up their performance. The loss marks the third in a row for the Storm, and while there is some relief that skipper Harry Grant’s knee injury isn’t serious, the team faces a tough road ahead.
Grant was taken off during the second half after suffering a knock to his knee. Initial assessments suggest he has bone bruising, and he is expected to be fit for the next game against the Warriors. “It’s fine. I just got a knock and jolted the knee,” Grant said at the post-match press conference. He noted that the physios acted quickly, which would not have been the case if the match had been closer. “If it was a tighter contest then they’d probably assess me on the run and then go, but they sort of took me off and assessed me. It’s fine.”
Despite the injury being minor, the loss to the Panthers is a major setback for the Storm. The team managed to complete 94% of their sets, but they missed 41 tackles, marking their heaviest loss since the 2008 Grand Final. Bellamy emphasized that missing key players wasn’t an excuse, and he warned that training will be more intense going forward.
“We just go a little bit harder,” Bellamy said. Players like Shawn Blore and Jack Howarth are hoping to return from their injuries, but Bellamy made it clear that those who don’t want to push themselves can consider playing reserve grade. “If they don’t want to go harder then they can go and play reserve grade and we’ll bring some young blokes up. That’s how we’ve always handled these situations.”
The coach also highlighted the importance of learning from the loss. “The disappointing thing for me was our defence. You don’t have to be a brain surgeon to be a good defender – you just have to work hard and be determined.”
Panthers Continue Dominance
The Panthers continue to dominate the competition, with their latest victory marking another impressive win. Conceding 50 points means the Storm can no longer realistically compete for the premiership, but even if they could, the Panthers seem unstoppable. They are the first team in history to win their opening five matches by more than 20 points, with winger Tom Jenkins already scoring a record 12 tries.
This is a team that previously won four consecutive premierships before the streak was broken last year. However, this current squad is showing signs of being even stronger than any previous version. “It’s about leaving your ego at the door and trying to get better,” said star halfback Nathan Cleary when asked about the team’s motivation.
Cleary added that the focus is on the present rather than past achievements. “At the end of the day, we didn’t win the premiership last year so it’s there on the table. Once you start the year, everyone starts on zero again and there’s a new premiership to be won, so what’s happened in the past has happened in the past. When we’re all old, we can tell our grandkids about it. But for now, it’s why not chase after it?”
The Panthers’ performance shows no signs of slowing down, and they are proving to be a force to be reckoned with in the league.
