Lowrie blown away by passion of Storm fans

[Renee]

Lowrie blown away by passion of Storm fans


© Melbourne Storm Lowrie has been an ever-present in the Storm line-up since his arrival

Injury is a bitter pill to swallow for any athlete, and watching your side compete while condemned to the sidelines is frustrating to say the least.

For Melbourne Storm players, there is added angst when considering the hard work, dedication and luck required to reclaim a position in the starting squad.

Anthony Quinn and Beau Champion have been victims of late, and Todd Lowrie is hoping he doesn’t suffer a similar fate.

A calf injury forced Lowrie to miss Storm’s 28-18 win against the Bulldogs, and with Head Coach Craig Bellamy naming an unchanged line-up for this weekend’s clash against the Raiders, he’ll need to fight hard to get back in the team.

“I think our depth was something everyone thought we’d struggle with this year, that our first 17, 18, 19 would be pretty strong but then any depth issues we would struggle with,” Lowrie said.

“But I think that hasn’t been a problem at all, and the players that have come in when blokes have been injured have done a fantastic job.

“The calibre of those players that can’t get a start at the moment just shows that the blokes coming in are doing a fantastic job, and I really think that’s been a strength.”

Despite not playing in Adelaide, the back-rower was a keen observer and proud of the team’s performance.

Watching the game as a spectator, however, is not something he plans on becoming familiar with.

“I haven’t missed too many games since I’ve been here,” he said.

“It’s a little bit tough to watch, but I did watch it on Saturday night with pleasure – it was a game I think we needed to win, against the Dogs, and the boys went really well.”

With skipper Cameron Smith starting the match on the bench, it was evident the representative season was beginning to take its toll on Storm’s Origin stars.

But with an extra few days rest earlier this week, Smith, Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater are rejuvenated and ready to focus on Storm success.

This spells danger for the Green Machine on Sunday afternoon at Canberra Stadium.

“I don’t know whether it’s because they’ve been there a long time now or what it is but when they come back into the team after they’ve been away with Origin, they have a real sense to lift and to get us boys to lift as well,” Lowrie said.

“They really do want to win for the Storm and it was evident the week they missed – against the Roosters – when we all got texts from everyone of them saying, ‘Woohoo, well done boys, congrats.’

“They were really rapt that we’d won the game without them and I think that just shows their attitude towards the team.”

Media spotlight during the Origin period often focuses on the ability of players to back up for their NRL team and recover in short timeframes.

Often forgotten is the background work undertaken by coaching staff and players at training who are preparing for matches without knowing which players will be available come game day.

Though other teams certainly stuttered during this period, Melbourne managed to maintain a winning streak and Lowrie attributed the team’s solid form to quality preparation and training methods.

“We’re not a club that just puts it [Origin season] to one side and doesn’t address it,” Lowrie said.

“We take the view during the weeks that we don’t have the Origin boys to prepare as if we don’t have them, so everybody else has got to pull their weight a bit, and I think it’s worked really well and that shows on the table I guess.”

Lowrie, who today (Thursday) celebrates his 28th birthday, has had a memorable campaign in 2011 and recently celebrated the birth of his first child.

Originally from Scone in country NSW, the former Eel moved to the Storm after the 2009 season and played his 100th first-grade match in just his second game for the club.

What surprised him in those early days was the cult following the club enjoyed in such an unparalleled sporting landscape.

“I was very shocked – when I moved here almost two years ago – with the amount of support that we do have, and I was a bit blown away to be honest with the core fans,” said Lowrie.

“We do have that core group that come down and follow us everywhere, and I’m sure our crowds at home are a lot better than some of the Sydney clubs average.

“It’s fantastic and it certainly gives the players a lift.”

The side will need all the support it can muster in Canberra this weekend, with the players determined to take the two points and make amends for the last result between the two teams.

“Canberra in Canberra is one of the toughest road trips you can get,” Lowrie said.

“I know that last time – when we did get beaten by the Raiders – it was a pretty sour week or two afterwards, so we’ll be definitely looking to get some revenge, that’s for sure.”

Source: melbournestorm.com.au