Sad News: Melbourne storm are set to be without some key star players due to..

Manly coach Anthony Seibold has highlighted the increased pace and duration of the NRL in 2024 as a key factor behind the recent surge in injuries across the league.

Ahead of his team’s Friday night clash with Melbourne, Seibold noted that Manly would be using their third-choice fullback, debutant Lehi Hopoate, due to the absences of Tom Trbojevic and Tolu Koula. The Storm, similarly affected, are missing three key players: Cameron Munster, Ryan Papenhuyzen, and potentially Jahrome Hughes.

 

Seibold pointed to the intensity of the game as the root cause of the issue. “There’s obviously a problem because so many players are out of the game,” he said.

 

“The game’s never been more intense. For example, last week’s game had 60 minutes of ball in play, which is extremely high—the highest in the past 18 months.

 

“The first half lasted 42 minutes, so there’s very little downtime between stoppages. With the six again rule, the game is continuous.

 

“We’re seeing numerous soft tissue injuries, ruptured biceps—like we saw with Matt Lodge last week—and ruptured pecs. The game’s never been more physical or intense.”

“The number of games we play is really high compared to some other sports, but that’s likely due to TV money, media, and support for the game.

 

I don’t know what the solution is, but the game has never been more intense, and we’ve probably never seen so many injuries.

 

We’re struggling with injuries ourselves, and Melbourne has a few key players out too. Across the entire competition, there are very few teams without injuries.

 

Our team contributes to this intensity, leading the stats for combined supports and passes per run, which makes our playstyle notably different from most other NRL teams.

 

This approach has yielded mixed results, with a 5-5-1 record through 11 rounds, leading to both statement wins and defeats when ahead.

 

We’re trying to utilize our strengths,” he said.

We possess speed and a roster of highly skilled players. Our aim is to maintain

our unique style of play rather than imitate others, a philosophy I’ve upheld since my arrival.

 

We strive to execute a brand of rugby characterized by high energy, dynamic support play, and quick passing. While

our style may not always translate into victories, I believe it captivates audiences. Despite a few setbacks, we

remain competitive in every match, with our five losses totaling a narrow margin of 23 points.

 

Our approach places significant defensive pressure on opposing teams. We tailor our tactics to leverage the s

trengths of our squad; if I were coaching a team lacking our skill and pace, I would adopt a different strategy.

 

Every team emphasizes their unique identity, and for us, it revolves around a potent kicking game and a roster brimming with fast, skilled athletes.

 

Though our recent form includes a three-match losing streak, we’ve remained competitive in each encounter, with our defeats typically by narrow margins.

Despite setbacks, we maintain confidence in our trajectory and view each match as an opportunity to demonstrate our capabilities.

 

While the scoreboard may indicate frustration, our focus lies on the performance itself. Against the Broncos,

we delivered a notably improved showing, dictating the pace for much of the game. Despite their resilience, the

Broncos’ defensive efforts prevented us from converting several scoring opportunities.

 

Ultimately, our performance against the Broncos represents progress, and we remain optimistic about our trajectory moving forward.

 

 

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