Cameron Munster’s mad night; Storm superstars fail to fire a shot
Storm
- September 30, 2018 11:02pm
- Joe McDonough
- Source: FOX SPORTS
It was a very un-Storm like performance. (AAP Image/Craig Golding)Source: AAP
THERE are no two ways about it, the Storm struggled across the park.
Cameron Munster was sent to the sin-bin not once, but twice.
Cameron Smith didn’t have his usual influence, and Billy Slater was comfortably contained.
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Grand Final
Even their forwards were uncharacteristically dominated in the middle third.
PLAYER RATINGS: CHOOK RATED 10/10 AFTER GRAND FINAL MASTERCLASS
Read on for the full player ratings for the Melbourne Storm.
STORM
1. Billy Slater 5
In the end it wasn’t necessary as Blake Ferguson’s foot was on the touch line when he batted the kick back, but what a try-saver it was on Siosiua Taukeiaho. Struggled to find cohesion out the back, running behind players a couple of times, failing to link up with his outside men.
Cronk reacts to GF victory
1:14
2. Suliasi Vunivalu 4
Too far infield and barely got a touch on Daniel Tupou as he scored in the corner. Defused high kicks expertly all night.
3. Will Chambers 4
Try-saver on Boyd Cordner in the opening two minutes. Then Latrell Mitchell beat him badly by stepping inside and shrugging him off. Mitchell got him again dragging him across the sideline later in the second half, and then he gave away a relieving penalty for a clumsy high shot.
4. Curtis Scott 6.5
Joseph Manu palmed him off effortlessly in the opening exchanges. But did look dangerous when he received early ball, and made an incredible 141 metres from 18 charges.
5. Josh Addo-Carr 5.5
Manhandled by the Roosters whenever he took a run. Except in broken play when Cameron Munster threw it to him with space and he beat a couple of tackles. Then the play of the game when he took an intercept off Luke Keary and ran 90 metres to close the gap to 12.
6. Cameron Munster 3.5
Sin-binned for a professional foul, holding down Jake Friend after his break. Then brilliant try-saver on Blake Ferguson early in the second half. Bombed what would have been a crucial try when he threw a dummy and had the ball knocked out with a huge overlap outside him. Then when they had momentum after Addo-Carr’s try, he came up with a costly error. Then unbelievably, he was sin-binned again for kicking out after making a tackle.
'Beers, beers & more beers!'
1:03
7. Brodie Croft 5
Took on the line early with a big right foot step to keep the defence in two minds. Then well weighted grubber in the first half to force repeat set. Tackled well
8. Jesse Bromwich 5
Only three hit-ups from their key big-man in the opening 40. Picks dhis workrate up in the second half but by that stage the Storm were way behind.
9. Cameron Smith 5
Gave away a penalty late in the tackle count that allowed the Chooks to use the overlap (with Munster still in the bin) to score again on the cusp of half-time. Zero runs from dummy-half but made close to 50 tackles as usual.
10. Tim Glasby 3
Like his front-row partner, struggled to impose himself on the game. Three hit-ups for 18 metres.
11. Felise Kaufusi 5
Just when the pressure valve was released, Felise Kaufusi dropped the pill cold to give his side no chance of getting an early foothold. Didn’t even try to tackle a Roosters player, who streaked clear in the second half. But did end up making more than 40 tackles.
12. Joe Stimson 5.5
Didn’t see any ball, making just three runs in the first half. Did pretty well in defence, especially when it got tough when his five-eighth was sent to the bin.
13. Dale Finucane 7
Worked tirelessly in both attack and defence. His one big blemish was a dropped a ball under no pressure with his team in good field position early in the second half.
Munster kicks Manu in head
0:41
INTERCHANGE
14. Kenny Bromwich 6
Poked his head through with most of his runs.
15. Christian Welch 3.5
The Roosters seemed to have all the ball when he got on, one bad miss but generally made his tackles.
16. Brandon Smith 6.5
Ran hard and was constantly asking for work, tried to get his team going.
17. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 6.5
Inspirational when he came on. Gave the Storm the go-forward they didn’t have early. Almost scored a barnstorming try. But then made unnecessary contact with Cooper Cronk, which resulted in Cameron Munster’s four-pointer being disallowed.
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/f0a45845c9c29b56f1e99467ddf2ede4
