2008 Melbourne Storm season

The 2008 Melbourne Storm season was the 11th in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2008 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season as minor premiers before reaching the grand final in which they were beaten by the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 40-0, the largest margin in grand final history. The minor premiership won by the Storm in 2008 was later stripped by the NRL in 2010 when it was revealed the club had been in breach of salary cap rules.

2008 Melbourne Storm season
NRL Rank1st
Play-off resultGrand Finalists
2008 recordWins: 17; Draws: 0; Losses: 7
Points scoredFor: 584; Against: 282
Team information
CEOBrian Waldron
CoachCraig Bellamy
Captain
StadiumOlympic Park Stadium
Top scorers
TriesGreg Inglis (17)
GoalsCameron Smith (77)
PointsCameron Smith (170)
< 2007 List of seasons 2009 >

Despite losing seven games, Storm managed to finish in top spot on the NRL ladder for a third successive season. They had to wait until the final game to do it though, defeating South Sydney 42-4. A loss to the Warriors in the Qualifying final meant Storm had to do it the hard way and they did just that, defeating the Broncos and Sharks on the road. That tough road eventually caught up with Melbourne in the decider, which they lost to Manly.

Matt Geyer became the first Storm player to reach 250 games while Billy Slater followed on from Cameron Smith the previous year, earning the Golden boot award as the best player in the world. [1]

Fixtures

Pre Season
MatchOpponentResultMel.Opp.DateVenue
Trial MatchManly-Warringah Sea EaglesWin561015 FebBluetongue Stadium
Trial MatchHalifax Blue SoxWin261022 FebShay Stadium
WCCLeeds RhinosLoss41129 FebElland Road

Regular season
MatchOpponentResultMel.Opp.DateVenue
Rd. 1New Zealand WarriorsWin321817 MarTelstra Dome
Rd. 2Cronulla-Sutherland SharksLoss161723 MarOlympic Park
Rd. 3Sydney RoostersLoss61029 MarSydney Football Stadium
Rd. 4Brisbane BroncosWin2884 AprOlympic Park
Rd. 5Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesWin26411 MarOlympic Park
Rd. 6Canberra RaidersWin231621 MarCanberra Stadium
Rd. 7North Queensland CowboysWin121026 AprDairy Farmers Stadium
Rd. 8BYE
Rd. 9Newcastle KnightsWin18412 MayOlympic Park
Rd. 10St. George Illawarra DragonsLoss123617 MayANZ Stadium
Rd. 11South Sydney RabbitohsWin151024 MayBluetoungue Stadium
Rd. 12Canterbury BulldogsWin46031 MayOlympic Park
Rd. 13Gold Coast TitansLoss0189 JuneSkilled Stadium
Rd. 14BYE
Rd. 15North Queensland CowboysWin482021 JuneOlympic Park
Rd. 16Parramatta EelsLoss222429 JuneParramatta Stadium
Rd. 17Canberra RaidersWin30146 JulyOlympic Park
Rd. 18Wests TigersWin301814 JulyCampbelltown Stadium
Rd. 19St. George Illawarra DragonsWin26021 JulyOlympic Park
Rd. 20New Zealand WarriorsLoss6827 JulyMt Smart Stadium
Rd. 21Gold Coast TitansWin4441 AugustOlympic Park
Rd. 22Manly Sea EaglesWin16108 AugustBrookvale Oval
Rd. 23Sydney RoostersWin30615 AugustOlympic Park
Rd. 24Penrith PanthersWin40625 AugustPenrith Stadium
Rd. 25Newcastle KnightsLoss161730 AugustEnergyAustralia Stadium
Rd. 26South Sydney RabbitohsWin4247 SeptemberOlympic Park

Finals
MatchOpponentResultMel.Opp.DateVenue
Qualif. FinalNew Zealand WarriorsLoss151814 SeptemberOlympic Park
Semi FinalBrisbane BroncosWin161420 SeptemberSuncorp Stadium
Prelim. FinalCronulla SharksWin28026 SeptemberSydney Football Stadium
GRAND FINALManly Sea EaglesLoss0405 OctoberANZ Stadium

Ladder
Team Pld W D L B PF PA PD Pts
1 Melbourne 2417072584282+30238
2 Manly-Warringah 2417072645355+29038
3 Cronulla 2417072451384+6738
4 Sydney Roosters 2415092511446+6534
5 Brisbane 2414192560452+10833
6 Canberra 24130112640527+11330
7 St. George Illawarra 24130112489378+11130
8 New Zealand 24130112502567-6530
9 Newcastle 24120122516486+3028
10 Wests Tigers 24110132528560-3226
11 Parramatta 24110132501547-4626
12 Penrith 24101132504611-10725
13 Gold Coast 24100142476586-11024
14 South Sydney 2480162453666-21320
15 North Queensland 2450192474638-16414
16 Bulldogs 2450192433782-34914

2008 Coaching Staff

2008 Squad
No. Nat. Player Pos First match with Club Previous club
18 Matt Geyer WG 1998 Perth Reds
55 Cameron Smith (c) HK 2002 Melbourne Storm
58 Dallas Johnson LK 2003 Melbourne Storm
60 Billy Slater FB 2003 Melbourne Storm
62 Ryan Hoffman SR,LK 2003 Melbourne Storm
68 Antonio Kaufusi PR 2003 Melbourne Storm
72 Steve Turner WG 2004 Penrith Panthers
73 Cooper Cronk HB 2004 Melbourne Storm
74 Jeremy Smith LK 2004 Melbourne Storm
76 Brett White PR 2005 Melbourne Storm
79 Greg Inglis CE 2005 Melbourne Storm
83 Michael Crocker SR 2006 Sydney Roosters
86 Adam Blair PR 2006 Melbourne Storm
90 Jeff Lima PR 2006 Melbourne Storm
92 Israel Folau WG 2007 Melbourne Storm
93 Anthony Quinn WG 2007 Newcastle Knights
95 Sam Tagataese PR 2007 Melbourne Storm
96 Russell Aitken HK 2007 Cronulla Sharks
97 Scott Anderson PR 2007 Melbourne Storm
98 Will Chambers CE 2007 Melbourne Storm
99 Sika Manu SR 2007 Melbourne Storm
101 Clifford Manua PR 2008 Brisbane Broncos
102 Aiden Tolman PR 2008 Melbourne Storm
103 Brett Anderson WG 2008 North Queensland Cowboys
104 Liam Foran HB 2008 Melbourne Storm
105 Dane Nielsen CE 2008 Cronulla Sharks
106 Kevin Proctor SR 2008 Melbourne Storm
107 Sam Joe WG 2008 Melbourne Storm
108 Joseph Tomane WG 2008 Melbourne Storm
109 Sinbad Kali SR 2008 Melbourne Storm
- Aidan Guerra SR Yet to Debut Melbourne Storm
- Lucas Miller FE Yet to Debut Melbourne Storm


Awards

References
  1. "History Melbourne Storm". melbournestorm.com.au. Retrieved 9 January 2017.
  2. "NRL Honour Board". melbournestorm.com.au. Melbourne Storm. Archived from the original on 28 September 2013. Retrieved 10 February 2014.
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