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The well-oiled, all-conquering, all-purpose rugby league machine that is the Melbourne Storm started its title defence in exactly the same methodical manner in which it won last year's premiership, with a comprehensive victory over the Warriors.
Before 20,084 fans at the Telstra Dome, the Storm last night extended their run of victories in Melbourne to 17 with fullback Billy Slater scoring three tries in the first 26 minutes to set up the victory. The loss came at a high price for the Warriors, with captain Steve Price suffering a hamstring tear in the 20th minute. Price will have scans today to determine the length of his absence.
The Storm also came out of the game with a casualty, back-rower Ryan Hoffman leaving the field in the 17th minute with rib cartilage damage from a Price shoulder charge from he did not return.
Melbourne might also come under fire from the NRL for engaging in some gamesmanship at half-time, when Warriors players were forced to wait for almost four minutes for them to take the field. At one stage, the furious Warriors players appeared to be walking off.
When they did resume, the Storm extended their 16-12 interval lead through Dallas Johnson after butter-fingered Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei had fumbled a Cooper Cronk cross-field kick on the set before.
Two penalties in the space of five minutes to Storm captain Cameron Smith pushed their lead out to 26-12 but the knockout blow came with 10 minutes remaining when gun centre Israel Folau shuffled and shimmied around four defenders to send replacement Sam Tagataese on a 50m frolic to the try line.
If off-season speculation about the future of Folau and coach Craig Bellamy, and the absence of five-eighth Greg Inglis, had unsettled the Storm, it didn't show in the opening stages.
They began their title defence in emphatic fashion, although a try late in the first half to Warriors winger Vatuvei brought the visitors to within four points at the break.
Remarkably, Slater had chalked up three tries in the first 26 minutes, and two of them had classic Storm efficiency about them. Slater's first came after five minutes, when Smith scurried from dummy half and popped a ball out the back despite the attention of three Warriors defenders.
In the 11th minute, the Storm made the most of a blunder from the error-riddled Warriors when they laid on a beautiful blindside move involving a wraparound and second-man play for Slater to sneak down the right-hand sideline to score.
He could have had a third in the first 15 minutes, when Folau made a scything run in the middle of the field. Slater loomed in support, was unmarked, and had 45 metres of perfect Telstra Dome turf ahead of him, but Folau declined to pass.
The Warriors made the most of the Storm's missed opportunity two minutes later, when centre Jerome Ropati crossed after Vatuvei out-jumped Storm winger Steve Turner while contesting a cross-field kick from Warriors halfback Nathan Fien. Five-eighth Michael Witt's sideline conversion put the Warriors back in the game at 10-6.
But few teams bounce back from a try like the reigning premiers. In the 26th minute, Slater had secured his treble of four-pointers when a clear chip kick over the defensive line from Storm halfback Cronk fell into the arms of Turner, who passed inside for Slater to score untouched. Slater could do no wrong, it seemed.
Maybe it's what prompted Warriors replacement Epalahame Lauaki to cannon into him while he lay on the ground after chasing a ball downfield.
The tackle brought back memories of Roosters hooker Riley Brown's late hit on Souths halfback Craig Wing, but referee Ben Cummins merely warned the gigantic forward.
Legal or not, the moment seemed to fire up the visitors.
Vatuvei might have a mistake or three in him but he showed his value to coach Ivan Cleary's side when he carried no less than four Storm defenders across the line to plant the ball down centimetres from touch.
Another sideline conversion from Witt brought the Warriors back to 16-12 at half-time.
STORM 32 (B Slater 3 D Johnson S Tagataese tries C Smith 5 S Turner goals) bt NZ WARRIORS 18 (M Vatuvei 2 J Ropati tries M Witt 3 goals) at Telstra Dome. Referee: B Cummins. Crowd: 20,084.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqmatchreport/dream-start-for-storm/2008/03/17/1205602291174.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Interesting... why did they do it?
Before 20,084 fans at the Telstra Dome, the Storm last night extended their run of victories in Melbourne to 17 with fullback Billy Slater scoring three tries in the first 26 minutes to set up the victory. The loss came at a high price for the Warriors, with captain Steve Price suffering a hamstring tear in the 20th minute. Price will have scans today to determine the length of his absence.
The Storm also came out of the game with a casualty, back-rower Ryan Hoffman leaving the field in the 17th minute with rib cartilage damage from a Price shoulder charge from he did not return.
Melbourne might also come under fire from the NRL for engaging in some gamesmanship at half-time, when Warriors players were forced to wait for almost four minutes for them to take the field. At one stage, the furious Warriors players appeared to be walking off.
When they did resume, the Storm extended their 16-12 interval lead through Dallas Johnson after butter-fingered Warriors winger Manu Vatuvei had fumbled a Cooper Cronk cross-field kick on the set before.
Two penalties in the space of five minutes to Storm captain Cameron Smith pushed their lead out to 26-12 but the knockout blow came with 10 minutes remaining when gun centre Israel Folau shuffled and shimmied around four defenders to send replacement Sam Tagataese on a 50m frolic to the try line.
If off-season speculation about the future of Folau and coach Craig Bellamy, and the absence of five-eighth Greg Inglis, had unsettled the Storm, it didn't show in the opening stages.
They began their title defence in emphatic fashion, although a try late in the first half to Warriors winger Vatuvei brought the visitors to within four points at the break.
Remarkably, Slater had chalked up three tries in the first 26 minutes, and two of them had classic Storm efficiency about them. Slater's first came after five minutes, when Smith scurried from dummy half and popped a ball out the back despite the attention of three Warriors defenders.
In the 11th minute, the Storm made the most of a blunder from the error-riddled Warriors when they laid on a beautiful blindside move involving a wraparound and second-man play for Slater to sneak down the right-hand sideline to score.
He could have had a third in the first 15 minutes, when Folau made a scything run in the middle of the field. Slater loomed in support, was unmarked, and had 45 metres of perfect Telstra Dome turf ahead of him, but Folau declined to pass.
The Warriors made the most of the Storm's missed opportunity two minutes later, when centre Jerome Ropati crossed after Vatuvei out-jumped Storm winger Steve Turner while contesting a cross-field kick from Warriors halfback Nathan Fien. Five-eighth Michael Witt's sideline conversion put the Warriors back in the game at 10-6.
But few teams bounce back from a try like the reigning premiers. In the 26th minute, Slater had secured his treble of four-pointers when a clear chip kick over the defensive line from Storm halfback Cronk fell into the arms of Turner, who passed inside for Slater to score untouched. Slater could do no wrong, it seemed.
Maybe it's what prompted Warriors replacement Epalahame Lauaki to cannon into him while he lay on the ground after chasing a ball downfield.
The tackle brought back memories of Roosters hooker Riley Brown's late hit on Souths halfback Craig Wing, but referee Ben Cummins merely warned the gigantic forward.
Legal or not, the moment seemed to fire up the visitors.
Vatuvei might have a mistake or three in him but he showed his value to coach Ivan Cleary's side when he carried no less than four Storm defenders across the line to plant the ball down centimetres from touch.
Another sideline conversion from Witt brought the Warriors back to 16-12 at half-time.
STORM 32 (B Slater 3 D Johnson S Tagataese tries C Smith 5 S Turner goals) bt NZ WARRIORS 18 (M Vatuvei 2 J Ropati tries M Witt 3 goals) at Telstra Dome. Referee: B Cummins. Crowd: 20,084.
http://www.leaguehq.com.au/news/lhqmatchreport/dream-start-for-storm/2008/03/17/1205602291174.html?page=fullpage#contentSwap1
Interesting... why did they do it?
