Melbourne Storm punishes a lacklustre New Zealand Warriors on ANZAC Day at AAMI Park 50-10.
MATCH DETAILS
The Warriors, visiting the Melbourne side once again for an annualย ANZAC meeting, were met early with a smart and clinical performance.
Home side Storm ran in five tries within the first 21 minutes of the match to blow the New Zealand side off the park.
In the second half Warriors showed more fight to score the first two tries after the break, the bruises of the opening stages took their toll however with a pair of four-pointers Melbourne finished strong 50-10.
FOUR POINTERS
STORM’S ANZAC ANNIHILATION
The Storm was able to nullify Warriors up and close defence stringing a couple of tries early through their outstanding edge combinations.
Melbourne’s left side attack flexed its prowess with five-eighth Cameron Munster pressuring the opposition giving outstanding pass selection to produce three try assists, with Billy Slater chiming in to contribute to the Warriors pain down that channel.
Four of the nine tries scored on the night were produced with line breaks or switches from right to the left edge for the Storm, who ultimately ran away with proceedings.
POSSESSION SWING
An emphatic start from the home side had the game all but wrapped up within the opening 40th minute limiting the Warriors to only 33% possession.
A much-improved kiwis outfit came out after the break to swing their the possession for 62% but all was too late for them to crawl back a massive deficit.
BLUES BOLTERS APPEAR
Brad Fittler will no doubt be impressed by the form of potential young blues bolters in Curtis Scott and Josh Addo-Carr wreaking havoc in this opening half of the season.
The high scoring left side winger Addo-Carr had a stellar game blazing the Warriors with 167 run metres, 5 tackle busts and 3 line breaks all resulting in two sensational tries.
Scott aided his winger throughout the evening giving line break assists and offloads starting off attacking plays.
COSTLY INJURIES
The Warriors have been already been hit hard with injuries in the past fortnight, but within the first 15 minutes their man of the match from last round Issac Luke went down.
Luke was cutting up the Melbourne defence, but succumbed to an unknown knee injury sitting out the remaining of the fixture.
Curtis Scott who was involved in many of the Storms early four-pointers fell awkwardly in a tackle, coming from the field in the 57th minute with an ankle injury.
THE RESULT
Storm 50
Tries:ย Jacks (2), Hoffman, Welch, Slater, Tonumaipea, Addo-Carr (2)
Goals:ย C.Smith 9/9
Warriors 10
Tries:ย Fusitu’a (2)
Goals:ย Lino 1/2
SQUADS
Storm: 1 Billy Slater, 21 Young Tonumaipea, 3 Will Chambers, 4 Curtis Scott, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Ryley Jacks, 8 Tim Glasby, 9 Cameron Smith (c), 10 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Ryan Hoffman, 15 Christian Welch
Interchange: 13 Kenny Bromwich, 14 Brandon Smith, 16 Sam Kasiano, 17 Joe Stimson
Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c), 2 David Fusitu’a, 3 Peta Hiku, 17 Anthony Gelling, 5 Ken Maumalo, 6 Blake Green, 7 Mason Lino, 8 Bunty Afoa, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Simon Mannering, 12 Isaiah Papali’i, 13 Adam Blair
Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Sam Lisone, 16 Albert Vete, 20 Tevita Satae
