Match Highlights: Dragons v Storm
MATCH REPORT
Young guns shine to beat the Storm
Author
Dan Walsh NRL.com Reporter
Timestamp
Sun 27 Sep 2020, 07:46 PM
A fuming Craig Bellamy has declared suggestions Max King had "intent to injure" in a hip drop tackle as ridiculous, as the Storm's seemingly annual September wrestling drama overshadowed a 30-22 win by the Dragons on Sunday.
For 40 minutes the second-least experienced side in NRL history had the Red V on the rocks, but an ugly tackle in which Blake Lawrie twisted awkwardly landed King on report as St George Illawarra rallied against the Storm's second-stringers.
Tui Kamikamica may also face repercussions for a heavy, late shot on Dragons rookie Jayden Sullivan, which came before the Fijian was forced off with an ankle injury which has him in doubt for Saturday's qualifying final against Parramatta in Brisbane.
Panthers great Greg Alexander was scathing in Fox Sports commentary, claiming there was "an intent to injure" in King's tackle.
"I think that incident in itself is worthy of 10 minutes in the bin," Alexander said.
King placed on report for tackle on Lawrie
King placed on report for tackle on Lawrie
"That is foul play, that is obvious foul play. That has started this year (the hip-drop tackle).
"That’s got an intent to injure, that’s what that has got in it."
Bellamy bristled when told of Alexander's comments.
"That's ridiculous," he said.
Bellamy backs King, says finals are his only focus
"That is ridiculous. I'd very disappointed if any player in the competition goes out to intentionally injure an opposition player. That is ridiculous.
"I didn't see it closely," he said of King's tackle earlier in his media conference.
"From what I saw there was a heap of bodies entangled there. I'll have to have a look at it and see what happens.
Match: Dragons v Storm
Round 20 - Sunday 27th September
Full Time
Home Team
Dragons
Scored 30 points
Away Team
Storm
Scored 22 points
Venue: Netstrata Jubilee Stadium, Sydney
"Obviously that's out of our control, we'll have to see what the match review committee come down with."
Given the last match of a regular season like no other had no bearing on Melbourne's ladder position or finals future, Bellamy trotted out a line-up with just 547 games of prior NRL experience behind them.
For perspective, only the Baby Broncos side that Bellamy coached in 2002 – 456 games – have taken to the paddock with less to their collective names, while absent skipper Cameron Smith watched on from Queensland with 427 outings on his own.
Smith and the best part of a dozen Storm troops will return for Saturday's showdown with Parramatta, while Melbourne's fringe players to man impressed with their much-needed game time.
When they trailed late and were required to make an interchange as Chris Lewis went for a HIA, Bellamy opted to play with 12 rather than send Brandon Smith back out "cold" and risk an injury ahead of the finals.
Kamikamica will be sent for scans on his ankle and is in doubt the Eels clash, but Bellamy still took positives out of a hard fought loss that saw Melbourne score four tries to two in the first half.
"I was really happy with their effort," Bellamy said.
"We played really energetically in that first half but the whole game.
"We had plenty of effort but lost our control and grip on the game in the second half. A few little things where we should have been building pressure we just put back on ourselves.
"We defended really well and attacked really well. We just couldn't keep it up in the second half.
"For a lot of those guys it's a real learning experience, as long as we take that out of it."
Despite missing a galaxy of regular stars, only Ryan Papenhuyzen's four missed sideline conversions with a decent breeze playing havoc kept the Dragons in it during the first half.
With Papenhuyzen playing puppet master Melbourne raced in four tries, three of them in the first 19 minutes, as the home side struggled to keep pace.
Fans on the Kogarah hill would've been eyeing the exit by that point, only for Zac Lomax and Matt Dufty to get them on their feet for the right reasons.
Kamikamica hits Sullivan late
Kamikamica hits Sullivan late
The former toed a ball forward for the latter to pick up and touch down following a Cody Ramsey break to get the Dragons on the board. Kamikamica's shot on Sullivan came in the lead-up.
A Tyson Frizell try before the break – again from a Dufty short ball – kept them in it, before the gun No.1 and debutant Sullivan took charge in the second half.
Lomax's 63rd-minute penalty try, awarded due to Ricky Leutele illegally shouldering him off the ball in pursuit of a grubber, gave St George Illawarra a lead that Melbourne threatened, but never reeled in.
Some mid-field brilliance from captain Cam McInnes then extended it, with Dufty streaking away for a 24-16 advantage.
Fellow livewire Nicho Hynes kept the Storm in it though 12 minutes later, grubbering and regathering for an impressive solo try and a two-point ballgame.
Denied tries to Josh Kerr and Paul Momirovski from kicks kept the Bunker busy and the result on a knife's edge, until a 77th-minute chip by 19-year-old Sullivan sat up for Frizell to seal it with his second.
https://www.dragons.com.au/news/2020/09/27/young-guns-shine-to-beat-the-storm/
) the boys actually won ! Well that is the best news I have had since the announcement of the maestros departure .
