Current Stars Dominate Storm's Team Of Decade

The Age

Saturday June 23, 2007

By Stathi Paxinos with AAP

THE strength of the present Melbourne Storm squad that has been shaped by Craig Bellamy was on show last night when eight current players and the coach himself were inducted into the team of the decade at a gala dinner to celebrate the club's 10 years.

At the event, attended by a host of past players and identities, Billy Slater (full-back), Matt Geyer (wing), Matt King and Greg Inglis in the centres, Cameron Smith (hooker), Ryan Hoffman (second row) and Dallas Johnson and Cooper Cronk on the bench were named in the team chosen by a four-man selection panel that included club stalwart Greg Brentnall and founding executive director John Ribot.

All except the injured Slater (facial injuries) and Cronk (ankle) will line up against St George Illawarra tomorrow at Olympic Park.

But there was plenty of nostalgia, with retired legends Marcus Bai (wing), Glenn Lazarus (prop and captain), Robbie Kearns (prop), Stephen Kearney, Tawera Nikau (lock) and Rodney Howe (bench) and three others playing at other National Rugby League clubs - Scott Hill (five-eighth), Brett Kimmorley (half-back) and David Kidwell (bench) - rounding out the team.

Bellamy, who is regarded as having one of the best football minds in the business, was chosen over foundation coach Chris Anderson, who guided the team to the 1999 premiership.

Brentnall, who has been at the club since its inception, said yesterday the selections were a tough process and involved some debate but the result was a top-class outfit. Brentnall said 1999 premiership full-back Robbie Ross was probably the unluckiest to miss out on being named.

"I still remember the tries that he scored off Stephen Kearney and, watching the footage of 1998 and 1999, he was a super player and scored plenty of tries then," Brentnall said.

"It's always hard with these and it's different opinions. I think probably with the Storm, he had two good early years but the last three years he was here, he didn't play much footy and that probably swayed the choice in the end. But you can't argue with Billy Slater with what he's done in the last few years."

? Storm prop Garret Crossman yesterday declared he would not follow the lead of former teammates Ian Donnelly (Gold Coast) and Matthew Bartlett (North Queensland) and ask to be released despite not having received an offer from the Storm to stay beyond this season.

But despite the insecurity as the Storm determines if it can fit the front-rower under next year's salary cap, Crossman said he would not jump the gun and would play out his contract regardless of whether he ends up playing elsewhere next season.

"I'd love to stay. It's a good club and a good set-up here. I've just got to wait and see what my options are but I'd definitely like to stay," Crossman said. "I'm just playing footy and enjoying where I am at the moment . . . and I intend to see out the remainder of my contract."

? Prop Petero Civoniceva, who returned to training yesterday, may have to take even less than the $300,000 a season originally offered if he wants to stay with Brisbane next season.

Civoniceva's management rejected a $900,000 three-year package and it has emerged that no other club has the $400,000 a season the forward is chasing. Broncos chief executive Bruno Cullen admitted any revised offer could be less than what was put on the table originally.

? The New Zealand Warriors crushed the Panthers 54-14 at Mount Smart Stadium last night, while the Bulldogs outplayed Manly 27-8 at Brookvale Oval. -- With AAP

MELBOURNE STORM

TEAM OF THE DECADE

1. Billy Slater

2. Matt Geyer

3. Matt King

4. Greg Inglis

5. Marcus Bai

6. Scott Hill

7. Brett Kimmorley

8. Glenn Lazarus (c)

9. Cameron Smith

10. Robbie Kearns

11. Ryan Hoffman

12. Stephen Kearney

13. Tawera Nikau

INTERCHANGE

14. Rodney Howe

15. Dallas Johnson

16. David Kidwell

17. Cooper Cronk

COACH Craig Bellamy

© 2007 The Age

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