Julian Vella reviews an entertaining clash between the Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights on the Sunshine Coast. Here’s how the game went.
MATCH TIMELINE
| Minute | Scoring Play | Score |
| 3rd | Try Suliasi Vunivalu (Melbourne) | Melbourne 4-0 |
| 4th | Goal Cameron Smith (Melbourne) | Melbourne 6-0 |
| 6th | Try Bradman Best (Newcastle) | Melbourne 6-4 |
| 8th | Goal Kayln Ponga (Newcastle) | Scores tied 6-6 |
| 24th | Try Cameron Smith (Melbourne) | Melbourne 10-6 |
| 25th | Goal Cameron Smith (Melbourne) | Melbourne 12-6 |
| 31st | Try Ryan Papenhuyzen (Melbourne) | Melbourne 16-6 |
| 40th | Goal Cameron Munster (Melbourne) | Melbourne 18-6 |
| 50th | Pasami Saulo (Melbourne) – SIN BIN | Melbourne 18-6 |
| 54th | Penalty Goal Cameron Munster (Melbourne) | Melbourne 20-6 |
| 62nd | Try Aiden Guerra (Newcastle) | Melbourne 20-10 |
| 63rd | Goal Kayln Ponga (Newcastle) | Melbourne 20-12 |
| 66th | Try Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (Melbourne) | Melbourne 24-12 |
| 68th | Goal Cameron Munster (Melbourne) | Melbourne 26-12 |
| 73rd | Try Enari Tuala (Newcastle) | Melbourne 26-16 |
MATCH SUMMARY
1st Half
Melbourne went into the game heavy favourites and it didn’t take them long to show why, as Suli Vunivalu crossed out wide after some nice lead-up play by the Storm forwards. But Newcastle, to their credit, struck straight back as rookie Bradman Best continued his impressive season as he beat two defenders to score and level it at 6-6.
Newcastle then enjoyed a good period where they dominated possession and field position, but they failed to capitalise and finish off their sets, which has been their Achilles heel all season. Melbourne weathered the storm and regained the ascendancy as they scored a long-range try through captain Cameron Smith.
This turned out to be Smith’s last involvement in the game as the NRL’s most capped player went off with what was reported as a ‘low end a/c joint’ injury. But this didn’t slow down the rampant Storm as they extended their lead to 16-6 as fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen pounced on a poor Kalyn Ponga kick to race away for a 90-metre try.
Melbourne threatened to run away with the game as Newcastle started to self-implode as they continued to turn the ball over in their own half, but the Knights held on just enough as they repelled the Storm, who couldn’t find the killer blow. Instead they settled for a penalty goal on halftime to take an 18-6 lead.
2nd Half
The second half started how the first half ended, as the Storm continued to dominate proceedings and Newcastle continued to turn the ball over and failed to find the right ends for their sets. Things went from bad to worse for Newcastle as bench forward Pasami Saulo went to the sin bin after an ugly tackle on Storm half Jarome Hughes.
After the Storm converted another penalty attempt, it was Newcastle who crossed for the first try of the second half. After repelling the Storm on numerous occasions, the Knights finally got some good field position and Aiden Guerra scored after a nice ball from Ponga; after the Knights’ No.1 made the conversion, the score was 20-12 and it was game on.
But, as they had done all game, the Knights stabbed themselves in the foot by failing to catch the ball off the kick off; from there on Melbourne regained the control of the match; despite having a try to Vunivalu disallowed, they found themselves next to score as big Tino Fa’asuamaleaui ran through a host of feeble attempts of tackle to give Melbourne their three-try buffer once again.
Newcastle did strike back again through winger Enari Tuala, who picked up a neat kick from five-eighth Kurt Mann to cross out wide. Ponga missed the conversion and in the end the Knights ran out of time to mount a proper comeback. Despite it ending just four tries to three, the gulf between the two sides was obvious to see, as the Storm look to once again cement themselves a top four finish, whilst the Knights lost their first back-to-back games of the season as they find themselves in the dog fight for a finals berth.
GAME HIGHLIGHT
No doubt the highlight of the game came in the 33rd minute when Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen picked up a poor kick from Kalyn Ponga and raced away to score a magnificent try.
Newcastle were on the attack and looking dangerous as they spread the ball from right to left on the last tackle; Ponga got the ball and put in a ‘nothing kick’ which popped up perfectly for Papenhuyzen.
The Storm fullback beat two defenders before putting on a sensational step to leave Ponga grasping at air; the Knights’ fullback – who is usually the one handing out the ‘ankle breakers’ – would have appreciated the quality of the step.
SQUADS
Melbourne Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Suliasi Vunivalu 3. Marion Seve 17. Tom Eisenhuth 5. Josh Addo-Carr 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 21. Jesse Bromwich 9. Cameron Smith 10. Christian Welch 11. Felise Kaufusi 12. Kenneath Bromwich 13. Dale Finucane. Interchange: 8. Nelson Asofa-Solomona 14. Brandon Smith 15. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui 19. Nicholas Hynes.
Newcastle Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Enari Tuala 3. Tautau Moga 4. Bradman Best 5. Hymel Hunt 6. Kurt Mann 7. Mitchell Pearce 8. David Klemmer 9. Chris Randall 10. Jacob Saifiti 11. Lachlan Fitzgibbon 12. Aidan Guerra 13. Mitchell Barnett. Interchange: 14. Phoenix Crossland 15. Josh King 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Herman Ese’ese.
