2000 Melbourne Storm season

2000 Melbourne Storm season
NRL 6th
Play-off result Qualifying Final Loss
2000 record Wins: 14; Draws: 1; Losses: 11
Points scored For: 672; Against: 529
Team information
CEO John Ribot
Coach Chris Anderson
Captain
Stadium Olympic Park Stadium
Top scorers
Tries Matt Geyer (14)
Goals Tasesa Lavea (81)
Points Tasesa Lavea (190)
< 1999 List of seasons 2001 >

The 2000 Melbourne Storm season was the 3rd in the club's history. They competed in the NRL's 2000 Telstra Premiership and finished the regular season in 6th place, being eliminated in the first week of the finals. [1]

The Storm began 2000 with an easy win over St. Helens in the World Club Challenge was a great start for Melbourne, but overall the 2000 season was a disappointment. Major injuries to Marcus Bai and Robbie Ross, along with a lengthy suspension to Stephen Kearney, seriously disrupted the season.

It was made worse when the club was forced to negotiate its way through the trials and tribulations of twelve players coming off contract by the end of the year. Most distracting was the saga of Kimmorley as he travelled between Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane in search of his future (much to the bewilderment of the Victorian public who were not used to rugby league's mid-season mayhem).

With respectable home crowds averaging over 14,000 the Storm finished the 2000 season in 6th place, earning themselves a semi-final against the Knights in Newcastle. However, the defending premiers exited with a 30-16 loss on a wet and miserable afternoon. The season's undoubted highlight was the Grand Final rematch against the Dragons at the MCG where the Storm won by an incredible scoreline of 70-10.

Tony Martin (to London) and Brett Kimmorley (to Northern Eagles) were key losses for the club in the lead up to 2001 which were slightly off-set by the arrival of half-back Matt Orford and winger Junior Langi. [2]

Draw and Results

[3]

Round Opponent Result Mel. Opp. Date Venue
1Auckland WarriorsLoss 6 14 6 Feb Mt Smart Stadium
2Newcastle Knights Loss638 12 Feb Hunter Stadium
3Canberra RaidersLoss1216 19 Feb Bruce Stadium
4Penrith Panthers Loss2230 27 Feb Penrith Stadium
5St. George Illawarra DragonsWin7010 3 Mar Melbourne Cricket Ground
6Sydney RoostersWin4210 10 Mar Olympic Park
7Parramatta Eels Win1612 18 Mar Olympic Park
8Cronulla Sharks Loss 1426 25 Mar Endeavour Field
9North Queensland Cowboys Win 28 6 1 Apr Olympic Park
10Brisbane BroncosDraw1818 7 Apr QE2 Stadium
11Northern Eagles Win4418 15 Apr Olympic Park
12Bulldogs RLFCWin4422 25 Apr Stadium Australia
13Newcastle KnightsWin404 30 Apr Olympic Park
14Parramatta EelsLoss818 5 May Parramatta Stadium
15Wests TigersWin4010 12 May Olympic Park
16Brisbane BroncosWin 1612 21 May Olympic Park
17Penrith PanthersLoss 2023 27 May Olympic Park
18St. George Illawarra DragonsLoss450 4 Jun WIN Jubilee Oval
19Sydney RoostersLoss641 11 Jun Sydney Football Stadium
20Auckland WarriorsWin5610 18 Jun Olympic Park
21Cronulla SharksWin2216 24 Jun Melbourne Cricket Ground
22North Queensland CowboysWin2622 1 Jul Dairy Farmers Stadium
23Bulldogs RLFCLoss2231 8 Jul Olympic Park
24Northern EaglesWin3826 15 Jul Bluetongue Stadium
25Canberra RaidersLoss1620 21 Jul Olympic Park
26Wests TigersWin3626 29 Jul Campbelltown Stadium
Qualifying FinalNewcastle KnightsLoss1630 Aug 5 Hunter Stadium

Ladder

Team Pld W D L PF PA PD Pts
1 Brisbane 261826696388+30838
2 Sydney Roosters 2616010601520+8132
3 Newcastle 2615110686532+15431
4 Canberra 2615011506479+2730
5 Penrith 2615011573562+1130
6 Melbourne 2614111672529+14329
7 Parramatta 2614111476456+2029
8 Cronulla 2613013570463+10726
9 St George Illawarra 2612014576656-8024
10 Wests Tigers 2611213519642-12324
11 Bulldogs 2610115469553-8421
12 Northern Eagles 269017476628-15218
13 Auckland 268216426662-23618
14 North Queensland 267019436612-17612

Awards and honours

References