Which is completely the oppossite to what the players have said yesterday, and what the thread is all about.

The players have said they have been offered to share this prize money, and their mindset has been on this game. Eastwood said that all McClennan has gone on about since he arrived, is Melbourne, Melbourne, Melbourne. A little bit dissapointed in that from McClennan if true to be honest.

Furthermore stated that this is perhaps the reason why they have not been fully focussed on the last 4 games.

My point was that if this game was so important then you would have expected the players to be on top of their game in order to get the chance to play in it. I have not seen that from any player but JJB, and therefore I questioned whether the players are in a comfort zone of having their places guaranteed. By the responses of some on here, I would argue that is pretty much the case.

By the way who is this half a side left by Melbourne. By all accounts it is 3 players, and one of those would have been unlikely to have got in the side.

Just so we can validate this point at a later date, which are the players Melbourne have left behind in order for them to be fit for Round 1 in the NRL?

More to the point they are missing 5 players from their GF winning side. 4 of which have left the club.

Quinn is now available who would have been in the GF side had he been fit.

Now they have added new players including this over hyped future star of Widdup, who is here for Sunday.

Where is the half of team missing?

Starter for one Cooper Cronk

Yes, I knew about Cronk being unavailable for the WCC. We'll have to wait and see if he's back on the paddock in Round 1 also at this point.

Next?

Brett White - this could go on a while

You would be making players up if it did.

Quote: Serge A. Storms "Brett White - this could go on a while'" Why are we drip feeding the names one by one? Just name them alltogether. It'll be easier that way. Brett White doesn't sound hopeful of making Round 1 of the NRL season here: www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/m ... public_rss

Quote: Serge A. Storms "Brett White - this could go on a while'" Why are we drip feeding the names one by one? Just name them alltogether. It'll be easier that way. Brett White doesn't sound hopeful of making Round 1 of the NRL season here: www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/nrl/m ... public_rss

If Eastwood is only bothered about the money then his attitude is wrong. Back to the attitude of the 80s.

The more I hear the more disillusioned I get with the current state of the club.

Another player who didn't play in last years GF team.

David, excuse me, but that is rubbish.

The strongest hint is if they play as close as available to their GF winning side, which is of course the reason they got to play this game. As 4 players have left the Melbourne storm since then, Turner, Chambers, Johnsson, and Anderson it is quite obvious that 4 changes would need to be made straight away. Nobody on this forum is knowledgebable enough to know who the 4 players the club have chosen to replace those 4.

We also know that Quinn is here and he would have been playing in that GF team had he been fit.

The only thing for certain is that from that GF winning side, only Cronk and White are still at the club who have not made the trip. That is a million miles away from half the side been left back home. And 2 players missing is a regular occurance in any match including finals.

There is no getting away from the fact that from last years two respective finals teams that are still at the club, that Leeds are missing 2 players and Storm are missing 2 players. What's fairer than that?

Leeds will be missing Ablett, Donald and Lee Smith from last years' GF winning team.

Are we not taking this game seriously?

As I said earlier time will tell how seriously they are taking it when you compare the side that plays on Sunday to the side that plays round 1 of the NRL season. Comparing grand final teams is a red herring as well you know - are they fielding the strongest side available that is the question. Manley fielded an almost full strength side and we all saw what happened.

Just because they say how important the game is doesn't automatically mean that is the case. McClennan may be genuinely mistified as to poor form on the field and is pinning his hopes on this being the reason. Bellamy has been uncommitted as to the importance - only he would like to win.