2021 NRL Round 23, Titans 20 Storm 34 – Report

Christopher Rooney reviews the Round 23 opener between the Gold Coast and Melbourne. Here’s how the game went.

SCOREBOARD

Player of the Year Points

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3 pts – Harry Grant (Melbourne Storm)
2 pts – Cameron Munster (Melbourne Storm)
1 pt – Josh Addo-Carr (Melbourne Storm)

MATCH REPORT

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1st Half

The last time these two faced each other, it was a tough old match. The Titans pushed the Storm all game and were rather unlucky to not walk away with the two points. For this match, the Titans needed to started fast and score the first try.

An error from George Jennings in the first set of the night lead to the Titans scoring the first try of the night with Greg Marzhew scoring in the corner. This was the start the Titans needed as they looked to carry on the momentum throughout the first half.

The Titans gave away a penalty, due to a high tackle on Ryan Papenhuyzen, and the Storm looked set to build some pressure. However, it lead to another early error by the Storm and they looked rather disjointed in attack.

After 10 minutes, the Storm had only completed two out of five sets: only a 40% completion rate to start the match and they were looking lost. It was a great effort by Patrick Herbert on the fifth tackle to bat the ball back and it landed into the hands of Jayden Campbell to score their second try of the night.

It was a real struggle for the Storm throughout the majority of the first half. They were made to work really hard for their metres while the Titans made the easier metres almost every set. The Storm were finally able to get on the scoreboard after a great setup from Papenhuyzen to Josh Addo-Carr to Marion Seve who scored their first try of the night.

It only took one try from the Storm to get some momentum. A fantastic line break from Reimis Smith was enough for the Storm to get back close to the Titans’ line. Harry Grant – from dummy half – scored a easy try right near the goal posts to give the Storm a two-point lead.

The Titans were capitalising on every opportunity when they were close to the Storm’s line. A double from Campbell gave the Titans a four point lead with less than five minutes to go in the first half. Expect the biggest spray of the season by Bellamy at the half; hopefully the players brought the googles and rain jackets.

HALF-TIME: Gold Coast Titans 16 Melbourne Storm 12

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2nd Half

When the Storm need to create something, almost anything to get back into the match, they looked towards Cameron Munster. Both sides were feeling each other out to start the second half and on the last tackle Munster scored a sneaky try in the corner to give the Storm a two point lead again.

It was a tight second half between the two but the biggest play of the night was Kenny Bromwich jumping on the ball when the Titans didn’t have anyone at dummy half. The Storm scored straight away with Addo-Carr scoring his first try in a while and giving the Storm a six point lead.

Bellamy went for a walk and the Storm scored another try (maybe the trick?). The makeshift halfback Nicho Hynes scored under the post and the Storm were leading by 12.

It was the Munster show in the second half with a great line break from the five eighth, who then passed to Addo-Carr to score a double for the night and edge closer to the top try scorer of the season.

It was an amazing turnaround from the Storm whose handling and ball control in the first half was poor. The Titans had only themselves to blame with their lack of control and handling in the second half. There was a late try by the Titans from Tyrone Peachy but it was too late for any comeback. The Storm were outstanding tonight at containing the million dollar man in David Fifta and have now officially won 19 straight games.

FULL-TIME: Gold Coast Titans 20 Melbourne Storm 34

Injuries

to be advised

Match Review Committee

to be advised

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