One-year deal
Brett Finch has signed to play for the Melbourne Storm for the 2013 season, the NRL premiers have announced.
Finch will return from a two-year stint with Super League side Wigan Warriors to join the club he won the 2009 grand final with on a one-season deal.
After stints with the Canberra Raiders, Sydney Roosters and Parramatta Eels the 257-game NRL veteran joined the Storm for the 2009 and 2010 seasons before linking with Wigan.
Melbourne have been installed as favourites to win next years comp at $5.50 with Can’terbury on the next line at $8, then Manly at $9 and Cowboys at $11. I think Melbourne and Can’terbury will be the teams to beat again next year. They have not lost any players of note and Can’terbury have gained Tony Williams.
Penrith are the longest odds to win next years comp at $41 whch means they will be favourites to win the spoon next year, just as I predicted. lol A few Penrith fans, namely Panthers Girl think Penrith will go well next year, Panthers Girl even thinks Penrith are top 4 material next year. lol She must really think that the bookies have got it wrong. She should back them to make the top 4, she will be getting good odds. lol
Saints and Parra are 2nd longest odds at $26, but that doesn’t suprise me at all. Not many Saints fans have been predicting us to go that well next year. But if we did happen to get Marshall and possibly Matt Scott as the Insider and Fred from Bexley have said could happen then our odds will come in and we could go OK.
If Wests do happen to loose Marshall and or even Farrah their odds will blow out and they could even rival Penrith for wooden spoon favourites.
I don’t mind the panthers but I don’t like the people running the club for example fool Gould what a idiot.
how are manly that short theyve lost a couple of players and they have a shit coach
What has this got to do with Finch?
@Chalkie of Cronulla and It has got nothing to do with Finch. I don’t see Finch playing much first grade next year, unless they have injuries or at SOO time.
It does have to do with Melbourne, who have been installed as Premiership favourites.
devout saint i’m a dragons fan and to be honest your an embarisment to our kind you come on here and give someone crap when they havn’t even said anything on a topic and you go on about TAB’s favorites for the premiership and wooden spoon the same geniouses who listed wests as premiership favorites last season and you argue its relvence to finch joining storm, since when did anyone care about odds if someone did care they would go check it out online just keep it on topic and keep your persornal vandettas off this site.
@Chucky Cheese.
If you are embarrissed that is your problem.
What am I suposed to wait until there is an artical about Penrith? or wait for Penrith fans especially Panthers Girl to hijack an artical that has nothing to do with Penrith and make it about Penrith?
I have priviously predicted that Penrith would start the season as favourites for the wooden spoon after Panthers Girl talked up how well they will go, even saying that they will make the top 4. So now that the odds are out for next season and Penrith are the dispised outsiders lol which would make them favourites for the spoon, I just wanted to let Panthers Girl know. Now she doesn’t even have to look up the odds for herself.
Chill out Chucky. It still has to do with footy.
I’d like to remind everyone that the Panthers were at greater odds than that to win the premiership in 2003, when they surprised everyone. I think saying Penrith will win the spoon next year just because they have the longest odds to win the premiership is incorrect. Just because they aren’t going to win the big prize, doesn’t mean they’ll get the spoon. Warriors would be my best bet, with a new coach and without James Maloney, they are looking in hot water.
The tigers well get the spoon next year
@Jasper
That is so true. Remember Devout Saint, the Panthers had a horrible year this year, that is not in dispute, however, the Panthers have bought some experienced players and players who are young.
The experience players add experience and the younger players have potential and could develop into anything.
You lost your best player in Luke Lewis, you also lost Gordon and there are still rumours of Jennings going. I have never put money on a team to win the spoon, but I might just have some on Penrith next year to win it just so I can get some cash if I am proven correct, but they won’t be paying too much. lol
I think your throwing stones in a glass house by bagging the panthers for next year.
Your ceo is as stingy as they come and your coach is rubbish.
Good luck next year saints but seeing as your so big on betting put a bet somewhere between 10 and 16 for the dragons.
I have never said that I expect us to make the 8 next year. I don’t disagree with anything you said.
I do agree panthers girl is really annoying, she gives us panthers fans all a bad name.However i don’t know why we are faves for the spoon.The tigers, warriors and parra should be faves for that.Next year i think we will not get in the Top 4.But we will be the most improved side next year.7-10 IMO next year.Dragons 7-10 as well.And in 2003 we were $35 to win the comp so you never know what will happen i guess.Back on topic i wonder if laurie will pick him for halfback next year for origin.Definitely something interesting to think about during off-season.Guess we will have to see how he goes at melbourne i guess.
I meant 10-12 for the dragons.
Melbourne, manly, bulldogs, sharks, cowboys, broncos, rabbitohs, knights, raiders, roosters, titans, warriors and even the tigers all have better rosters than the panthers so keep dreaming with 7-10 finish muppet
14-16 for the panthers
Your team have never won a premiership so your opinion is invalid.SHOW US YOUR TROPHY you stupid cronulla retards.
Penrith 7-10 so how about you shut you stupid muppet.Cronulla to choke next year very bad.
At least we will be in a position to choke unlike the wooden spoon favourites the Penrith PUSSYcats haha.
LMAO at your invalid comment it got me in stitches. Premierships don’t invalidate my comment about roster strength PUSSYcat boy. But thanks for the laugh..
Where does this list come from, I’d like to see.
@Devout Saint who gives a f*ck about prices, also what has this got to do with finch?
All of the people who like to gamble on footy, especially their team and as I previoulsy said, I predicted that Penrith would be favourites with the bookies for the spoon and I am correct. I understand that you don’t care as you are not going to back Penrith to win the comp or to win the spoon.
@Devout Saint mate im not a gambling man so i dont give a rats about what team prices should be, i dont care if you rip penrith off(im not going to have a argument like panthers girl lol) because we will just have to prove you guys wrong and i think we will improve next season but im not saying we will make the 8 though.
Manly at $9? I wouldn’t be on them @ $99. They are ageing, let go some of their young forwards e.g. Lussick & even the Stewart brothers faded by the end of the season. Matai’s a liability (& Watmough) etc…where’s the improvement coming from?
Compare that with the Cowboys-really good young forwards starting to shine, J.T. etc..
Reasonable player although Bellamy will probably get him firing. Has the luxury of playing in a very good side again.
So where will that leave Widdop if Finch has signed for the Storm?
Coz Cronk will be a definite in the halves and im assuming Finch will be the other standoff but i reckon the Storm should stick with Widdop coz he improved alot this year and he played well in the GF against the Bulldogs
He’s a back up to the halfves who wouldn’t have cost much.. Reckon Cronk and Widdop are one of the premier halfves combinations.. Funny though how many players have left Mel then returned, Hoffman, Finch, Chambers- I think too..!
Cronk & Widdop will be the halves next year. They only signed Finch as cover for origin and injuries. He would be on a second tier contract and best option for them would to play him off the bench. If they went with putting Finch as starting 5/8 then they are only undoing all the hard work put in over the last two years
spot on, if storm have the match won with 15-10 min remaining expect cronk to take a break and finch to play the remainder of the game at halfback
i cant believe desperate bennett did not sign him for the knights?
Finch has never played for Saints. Bennett only signs Saints players or ex Saints players.
Finch can always fill in whenever Widdop, Smith, Cronk, Slater, and Hinchcliffe are injured or have State of Origin Duties. Finch can play at the halves, hooker, and could give him a go at lock
What happens then to Gareth Widdop if they play finch at five-eighths then would widdop play on the bench then
widdop will go to wigan with soward as they have no halves at the moment just a thought
easy hinchcliff will take Todd Lowrys starting spot seems his gone and finch will take his bench utility spot
As most of the major signing are done i reckon the top 8 for next year in no order i will be Storm, Bulldogs, Manly, Bunnies, Cowboys, Sharks. 7th and 8th spot is hard to tell and will be out of knights, warriors, titans, broncos, raiders. The teams that definately won’t make the 8 i reckon are roosters, eels, panthers, tigers and dragons.
I think any team can make the 8 except Penrith.
And the Titans for that matter.
Are u upset because we spanked titans at home killing off 2012. Suprise you have another fat overpaid flop on the way for 2013.
The eels will be big improves next year under Stuart and a heathy J.Hayne
What if the tigers happen to get Mose Masoe and Michael Jennings?
Masoe will be a good signing. Jennings will only make them worse.
Masoe has resigned with the chooks for another two years.
He is allowed to join another club…
If he wants to go to another club, why did he re-sign?
$5.50 – Melbourne
$7.00 – Canterbury
$8.00 – Souths
$9.00 – Manly
$11.00 – Cronulla
$11.00 – North Queensland
$13.00 – Newcastle
$17.00 – Wests
$17.00 – Warriors
$21.00 – Gold Coast
$21.00 – Brisbane
$21.00 – Sydney
$21.00 – Canberra
$26.00 – St George
$26.00 – Parramatta
$41.00 – Penrith
I’d have the titans above the warriors and tigers. And panthers at $1001. Haha
Broncos above them aswell
lol
Id bet on a three legged rocking horse over cronulla to win anything. It doesnt matter who you guys sign its just overcompensating for many more years of falling short.
Dr Dragon. People in glass houses shouldnt throw stones get rid of the shit on your door step before you start on ours
Nothing on my door step, if Hasler had coached Manly this year they probably would have been the first to go back to back in a long time. Can’t you handle an honest opinion?
Finch will partner Cronk in the halves. Widdop will be used as interchange player.. Can play lock, dummy half, half, 5/8, fullback.
Perfect utility player
I want penrith to be $1001 so we can shut everyone up.
And then sit back and watch the mighty Panthers roar next year.
hey guys