Storm hit new low as Souths run riot in Melbourne after Warriors deny Dolphins
Darren Walton And Melissa Woods
Melbourne suffered a historic slump under coach Craig Bellamy, suffering an embarrassing 48-6 defeat against hooded South Sydney in their Anzac Day clash.
The Rabbitohs celebrated their first win in Melbourne to break their winning streak at 28 years and 21 games, and they did it in style.
The stunning result was the Storm’s sixth straight defeat this season, the last time they recorded this under Mark Murray in 2002, before Bellamy took over a year later.
It was their worst result at AAMI Park and their biggest since 2003.
With just two wins on the season, Melbourne are in danger of missing the finals for the first time under Bellamy and their task could be even greater with superstar halfback Jahrome Hughes sidelined with an apparent arm injury.
Souths were virtually unstoppable in the first half, taking a 24-0 lead as Alex Johnston netted a double from his side’s five tries.
After four tries in the last round, Latrell Mitchell had his hand in both of them, firing a shot at the winger for the visitors to open the scoring in the eighth minute.
Melbourne’s first half statistics were horror viewing for a large crowd; While they completed just 12 of 19 sets, they committed zero bench infringements compared to Souths’ eight.
They also made seven errors, with errors from Sua Faalogo and Nick Meaney handing the ball over for the Rabbitohs to score.
Bellamy gave the team a big spray at half-time before exiting the dressing room to leave the senior players and assistant coaches alone to find a way out of the funk.
The Storm appeared to finally get on the scoreboard seven minutes into the second half, but the bunker ruled that Trent Loiero had put the ball forward as he attempted to tip the ball over the line.
Keaon Koloamatangi and Sean Keppie also deserved praise for their desperate defending.
Tallis Duncan rubbed salt into the wounds in Melbourne, spraying both Cameron Munster, who pushed the Storm for fifth-eighth, and Jack Howarth, who scored the second of three tries.
Campbell Graham also grabbed a double as the winger dived across for his side’s eighth try in the 66th minute.
Faalogo surprisingly broke the home side’s duck three minutes later, scoring a superb individual try with his own short kick-off splitting the defense.
It was Melbourne’s first outstanding shot of the night, but the visitors still had the final say with Duncan’s third four-pointer.
The only negative on the Rabbitohs’ night was the loss of Brandon Smith, with the burly striker re-injuring his problematic calf.
Warriors deny Dolphins top-two finish
The Warriors regained their place in the NRL top two with a wild 20-18 victory over the Dolphins in a brutal Anzac Day clash in Wellington.
Deprived of possession and territory, the defiant Dolphins threatened to defy the odds in a rare, low-scoring second half before live-in full-back Taine Tuaupiki created the game-winner for the Warriors on Saturday night.
Referees in the Bunker, Liam Kennedy and Ashley Klein, were perhaps the busiest men in the Hnry Stadium; The two officials called for their decision in seemingly endless close calls.
In the end, the Warriors will be grateful to have escaped with a fourth straight win in the New Zealand capital, losing their first six games and moving past the Wests Tigers on points to move into second place, behind only Penrith.
But victory had a price; Classy prop Mitch Barnett will miss next week’s clash with Parramatta after suffering a category one concussion following a friendly fire clash of heads with teammate Chanel Harris-Tavita.
Winger Dallin Watane-Zelezniak could also be in contention after being reported for a hip drop tackle on Dolphins young gun Tevita Naufahu.
Having scored 45 points in the first four games of the eighth round, it was no surprise that the Warriors and Dolphins (two traditionally all-out attacking sides) put together a mixed performance in the first half.
They scored three tries apiece and the Dolphins took an 18-14 lead thanks to a double three minutes in from prolific winger Jamayne Isaako, who made all three conversions.
Warriors winger Alofiana Khan-Pereira also posted a brace in the first half; Watane-Zelezniak crossed the cross three times but was denied twice by the video referee.
Herbie Farnworth’s clever plug-and-collect effort canceled out Khan-Pereira’s first-time strike before Isaako gave the Dolphins all the momentum heading into the first half.
After the Dolphins took the lead in the 61st minute, Isaako tried to take the game to the golden point by missing a two-point shot attempt with 22 seconds left in the game.
Adding to the frustrations, prop Thomas Flegler was reported for illegally removing Ali Leiataua ahead of the Warriors’ match-winning try before center Jake Averillo suffered a sickening compound fracture to his finger.
Warriors second rower Leka Halasima was also reported for a shoulder attack on Dolphins prop Tom Gilbert.
AAP
