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Storm suffocate tenacious Tigers

Written By Unknown on Senin, 08 April 2013 | 23.40

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Class ... Billy Slater at his mercurial best. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited

NRL champions Melbourne suffered an almighty scare by a fired-up Wests Tigers before escaping with a 26-12 win at AAMI Park on Monday night.

4

Tries

2

Siosaia Vave 39' James Tedesco 18'
Mahe Fonua 62' Benji Marshall 52'
Cooper Cronk 65'
Sisa Waqa 73'

4

Conversions

1

Cameron Smith 40' Braith Anasta 54'
Cameron Smith 63'
Cameron Smith 66'
Cameron Smith 74'

1

Penalties

1

Gareth Widdop 78' Braith Anasta 33'

In a gripping encounter the home side didn't hit the front until the 66th minute, with man of the match and halfback Cooper Cronk orchestrating a brilliant final 20 minutes.

W L D B PD Pts
1 Storm 5 0 0 0 66 10
2 Rabbitohs 5 0 0 0 39 10
3 Sea Eagles 4 1 0 0 78 8
4 Knights 3 2 0 0 41 6
5 Roosters 3 2 0 0 40 6
6 Titans 3 2 0 0 34 6
7 Broncos 2 3 0 0 14 4
8 Sharks 2 3 0 0 4 4
9 Cowboys 2 3 0 0 -10 4
10 Eels 2 3 0 0 -30 4
11 Dragons 2 3 0 0 -33 4
12 Tigers 2 3 0 0 -49 4
13 Raiders 2 3 0 0 -59 4
14 Bulldogs 1 4 0 0 -31 2
15 Panthers 1 4 0 0 -48 2
16 Warriors 1 4 0 0 -56 2

After a try by Cronk they sealed the victory, which was a club record 13th in succession, with six minutes remaining with some individual brilliance by premiership winger Sisa Waqa in his first game of the season after a hand injury.

Little went right for most of the match for the home side, who looked shell-shocked as they were out-enthused and out-played across the park.

Melbourne's usual weapons - their kicking game and their defence - let them down while their attack was uncharacteristically sloppy with credit due to the Tigers' punishing defence.

The teams went to the sheds at halftime locked at 6-6, with Tigers winger James Tedesco opening the scoring in the 18th minute.


Re-live the action in our NRL Match Centre, featuring play-by-play commentary and stats. 


The Storm answered through forward Siosaia Vave, who crashed over just two minutes before the break.

While the home side would have copped a spray from coach Craig Bellamy, it was the visitors who came out firing in the second half.

They dominated possession with four repeat sets before Robbie Farah put up a bomb that was taken by Ben Murdoch-Masila, who managed to get a one-handed pass away to Benji Marshall.

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That gave them a 12-6 lead and it looked like an upset was on the cards.

The Tigers were left to rue a try that was then disallowed because Murdoch-Masila was deemed to have touched a Storm defender as his teammate Eddie Pettybourne drove over the line.

Skipper Robbie Farah described it as a "weird one''.

But the undefeated Storm showed why they are top of the competition ladder as they started to build some momentum while the Tigers ran out of steam.

"The result's the most important thing and we didn't get that. I am pleased with some facets of what we did tonight but we need to do it for 80 minutes,'' said Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter.

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The penalty count blew out against the visitors, giving Melbourne even more ball with the pressure finally telling on the Tigers.

"There's a lot of talk going on out there and a lot of influence from senior guys and I don't think we get the rub of the green some times,'' said Potter.

"Different people have different influences.''

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Winger Mahe Fonua scored a well-deserved try off a Billy Slater rocket pass in the corner in the 62nd minute and skipper Cameron Smith levelled at 12-12.

Just minutes later Smith sent the ball on to Cronk, who found Chambers who broke through a tackle by Tedesco and after running downfield, passed back inside to the game's leading No.7.

The Tigers' experiment with Braith Anasta at halfback gave the team more shape, particularly with Benji Marshall troubled with a toe injury for much of the game.

Storm coach Bellamy said his team was flat after their three-day break over Easter but he was happy with the way they fought back in the second half.

"The first half we lacked a little bit of energy but in the second half we certainly picked that up,'' he said.

"The two things that were really important for us were patience and persistence and I was really proud of that.''

When asked about Potter's complaints Bellamy said the Storm should have received more penalties with the Tigers constantly trying to slow the ruck down.


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'Demons hurting the AFL brand'

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Brand ... Melbourne's start to the season is one of the worst in history. Source: Wayne Ludbey / News Limited

Respected AFL journalist Mike Sheehan believes Melbourne Demons' horrific start to the season could be having a negative impact on the AFL.

A noted Demons supporter, Sheehan said while they would never admit it, the AFL were worried about the club after their 148-point defeat to Essendon.

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"The AFL aren't enjoying this, no one is enjoying this," Sheehan said on FOX FOOTY's On The Couch.

"My view is, (the AFL) don't declare this and it isn't policy, they think the brand is being severely affected.

"The club has performed poorly for an extended period of time and there will be changes made, my guess, the CEO - Cameron Schwab - and the coach (Mark Neeld) won't see the year out."

After heavy defeats to Port Adelaide and the Bombers, the combined 227-point deficit is one of the worst starts in AFL history.

Pressure is mounting on the club's hierarchy and Sheehan and Paul Roos have grave fears for the club's ability to keep and attract players.

"The screws are tightening on everyone at Melbourne, from the president down," Sheehan said.

"The sad reality is this is the oldest club in Australia and it's in worse shape than the two newest clubs; GWS and Gold Coast.

"I'm interested in the future of Jack Watts. He's a first round draft choice and I don't believe he'll be at the club next year.

"I feel sorry for the kid. (The subbing off) is a big statement in a loss like that, it's almost like 'you're the worst offender we've got out there'."

Roos said Watts wasn't the issue, it was the club's ability to develop talented young players.

"You look at the number of early picks that haven't flourished, it's not just Jack Watts," he said.

"Colin Sylvia was another early pick, Cale Morton's not there anymore, Tom Scully's not there anymore. It's time we lay off Jack Watts, there are bigger problems at the club."

Former Melbourne player Gerard Healy believed former All Australian full-back James Frawley was at risk of leaving the club, following the likes of Brent Moloney, Jared Rivers, Brock McLean, Tom Scully, Stefan Martin and Ricky Petterd out the door.

The Demons have the chance to redeem themselves somewhat when they face West Coast Eagles at the MCG on Saturday.


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Noddy's Weekend Wash Up: R5

Streak ... Melbourne notch 13th consecutive victory. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited

In his weekly column, Fox Sports expert and Canberra assistant coach Brett Kimmorley offers his thoughts on round five of the 2013 NRL Premiership season.

Caterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs v Manly Sea Eagles, ANZ Stadium

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Manly was given a confidence boost pre-game with the withdrawal of Bulldogs forwards Greg Eastwood and David Klemmer. Already missing Krisnan Inu through suspension, the Bulldogs are also missing their ball playing big men in Sam Kasiano and James Graham. This gives their opposition a lot of confidence and Manly took full advantage of the Dogs missing players. The Sea Eagles made a statement that they are a force to be reckoned with which was ignited by their brutal forwards. Jamie Lyon produced a spectacular performance and in the end, the score line was a good indication of how dominant the visitors actually were.

Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos, Skilled Park

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You couldn't help but think the Titans were going to win this game until Albert Kelly went down injured. Already without Aidan Sezer to a hamstring injury, Kelly's injury unsettled the team. There had been a question over the Broncos creativity in past weeks but they answered their critics in the second half. With Anthony Griffin being a coach under pressure, his players responded with great fight. Corey Norman has been brilliant since he settled his future to join Parramatta and it is a real shame he won't be at the club next season. Justin Hodges, Ben Hannant and Alex Glenn led by example and provided plenty of aggression in a desperate win.

Parramatta Eels v Cronulla Sharks, Parramatta Stadium

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After being walloped by 50 points last week, Ricky Stuart showed a lot of faith in his Parramatta players and that belief was returned. It was an emotional match for Parramatta and Cronulla who were playing for the inaugural Johnny Mannah Cup. The atmosphere was electric which was typified by the minute of clapping to celebrate John's life. Tim Mannah laid the platform with some tough runs while Luke Kelly had a calming influence on the Eels' structure. Although Jarryd Hayne had copped some criticism over his captaincy in challenging the referees, he was outstanding on Saturday. His positioning at the back was brilliant, he caught a lot of the kicks on the full and showed his willingness to get involved in the game. I thought it was his best game with the captaincy yet and would like to see him continue leading by his actions and not his words.

North Queensland Cowboys v Penrith Panthers, 1300SMILES Stadium

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Dropping Luke Walsh during the week, Penrith were never going to revive their attack when they produced as many errors as they did. The Cowboys have been disappointing in the opening few weeks but playing at home they were fired up. With a convincing lead in their favour by half time, resulted in the second half being scrappy, but Neil Henry will be pleased by their dominance and the fact they were able to keep the opposition scoreless. Having made some changes at hooker which were rewarded, his biggest concern will be Robert Lui's fitness after he left the field with a leg injury.

St George Illawarra Dragons v Newcastle Knights, WIN Jubilee Oval

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This was an outstanding game of football that went down to the wire. The Warriors showed their character on Sunday. Matt Elliott has done an outstanding job to lift them out of oblivion. Shaun Johnson and Konrad Hurrell stood up while Ben Matalino, Russel Packer and Feleti Mateo challenged the Rabbioths forward pack. They should be extremely proud of their performance but the Rabbitohs class again outshone their opposition. Adam Reynolds was brilliant while Sam Burgess was overshadowed by his younger brother George who scored the winning try.

Warriors v South Sydney Rabbitohs, Mt Smart Stadium

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The return of Wayne Bennett to the home of the Dragons would have been a challenge Steve Price and the club was looking forward to. Last week the Dragons beat the Sharks through playing creative football and two players who allow you to play like that is Dan Hunt and Trent Merrin. They have been outstanding and Merrin has showed why he is in contention for a NSW Origin jersey. At lock he is allowed to float and offers second phase play which has been the key to breaking up their predictable structure. It looks like they have found a balance between the two. It was a great step to the future with Josh Drinkwater making his debut with Jamie Soward shifting to fullback. Having taken some of the ball playing responsibility away from Soward he was able to produce a quality game.

Canberra Raiders v Sydney Roosters, Canberra Stadium

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At half time, I thought this match was a lot closer than the 16-0 score line would have you believe. The Roosters scored three soft tries but the Raiders were the aggressor but key errors cost them. It was a terrific come from behind victory from the Raiders. They showed they can produce points quickly and Josh McCrone's shift to dummy half certainly played a role in creating havoc around the ruck. Anthony Milford provides a lot of x-factor. I expect to see him play a lot more first grade this year. To top it all off Jarrod Croker scored the final try and kicked the winning goal in what was his 100th game of first grade.

Melbourne Storm v Wests Tigers, AAMI Park

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It was a game where the score line was no indication of how close the contest was, Matty Johns said. With 20 minutes to go, a Tigers upset was well and truly on the cards. Gordon Tallis said it was one of those games where the Tigers had all the ball but the Storm showed their class even though they looked tired. When their backs were against the wall they hung in there and played for 80 minutes.


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'Why I nearly walked out on the Cats'

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I nearly walked ... Scarlett tells Mike Sheahan plenty. Source: Michael Klein / News Limited

Matthew Scarlett has revealed how close he came to leaving Geelong at the end of 2006 when he threatened to walk out on the Cats if assistant coach Daryn Cresswell was appointed to replace Mark Thompson as senior coach.

In an in-depth interview with Mike Sheahan on Open Mike on Monday night, a candid Scarlett spoke of his displeasure at rumours circulating about Thompson's future at the end of a wretched 2006 season that saw the club finish 10th.

"I'd heard that a few of the board members had already thought that [Cresswell] was going to be our next coach and he'd already been chosen," Scarlett said.

"I'd also heard Cresswell was saying that he was going to be the next coach.

"I think I'm a pretty good judge of character and I was just hoping that that wasn't the case and I was going in to bat for Bomber.

"I said that if Bomber had left I would have left and I'm sure there would have been a lot of other players who would have left as well.

"We were around at Tommy Harley's house. We'd had a couple of beers, not too many, and we were having a chat about the direction of the club and I just thought I wanted to go in to bat for a bloke who was under siege.

"There was no one else at the footy club going in to stick up for Bomber, so I thought I was the man to do it.

"I had grave concerns that he was going to go and the footy club would have to be rebuilt again … it would have been a massive mistake."

Geelong went on to win the flag the year after that tumultuous off-season, while Creswell was arrested and convicted on fraud charges in 2010.

In the wide-ranging interview Scarlett also talks about his comfort at his decision to retire at the end of the 2012 season, his belief that the Cats will win the premiership this season, his famous dust-ups with St Kilda great Robert Harvey and Fremantle's Hayden Ballantyne and a less-publicised confrontation with teammate Steve Johnson.

"Me and Stevie Johnson nearly had a punch-on one day," he said.

"We both weren't happy with each other over a game. Our relationship wasn't great early on. It's terrific now, but we nearly had a bit of a dust-up at the club.

"I thought sometimes Stevie would be playing for himself and Stevie was annoyed with me with some of the things I was doing as well. We didn't have a lot of respect for each other.

"I probably didn't understand Stevie and he didn't understand me, but once we built that relationship now we're really good."

Scarlett also shines light on the pivotal period in Geelong's history that included a brutally honest player meeting, which helped turn a talented but erratic team into a premiership powerhouse.

"We obviously had a lot of talent at that stage (at the end of 2006), but we were doing a lot of things wrong off the field," he said.

"We weren't respecting each other or the game of footy. I think that was a pivotal moment in the cultural change at our club."


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Loz puts T-Rex on notice

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On notice ... Laurie Daley reveals Tony Williams would not be picked on current form. Source: Adam Head / News Limited

New South Wales coach Laurie Daley reveals the Blues selection panel have chosen several players for Origin I and a handful of players that are on the outer.

Blues wrecking ball Tony Williams is one of those players whose recent form could cost him a representative jersey.

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"I couldn't justify T-Rex's position in the side if I had to pick it today", Daley said on Monday Night with Matty Johns.

However, Daley also knows he can't ignore T-Rex's devastating Origin Series debut. 

"Before the season started I had Tony Williams in the squad so I'm not going to give up on T-Rex," he said.

"If he plays to his potential he is someone we need in our team."

Sydney Roosters halfback and Blues incumbent Mitchell Pearce will retain his position for the opening clash against the Maroons despite copping criticism for his past performances on the game's biggest stage.

"I think I've made my choice clear in terms of who will play No.7, that will be Mitchell Pearce as long as he's fit," Daley said. 

"Mitch has had nine games and the last couple of years we've invested heavily in him, he's 23 and I think his best football is front of him, and that's not to downplay Adam Reynold's performance at all this season, but when I pick a player I want to make sure I know they're ready.


Catch Laurie Daley's full interview from Monday Night with Matty Johns above! 


"It happened to me, I was selected , I wasn't ready and it knocks your confidence around, it's a different beast and a different game and you've got to be ready to go."

Given Jarryd Hayne's past performances in Origin, his inconsistant club form with Parramatta will be ignored. 

The speedster has played the majority of his Origin football on the wing and Daley says he will not replace Brett Stewart for the Blues' custodian role.

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"I'll play Jarryd on the wing, his best football in Origin has been on the wing, he could play fullback but at this point in time he hasn't consistently proved himself at Origin level," Daley said.

"Brett Stewart showed us what he's capable of doing on Friday night against the Bulldogs, he's a terrific player and he's great to have around the camp, so as long as he gets through the next few weeks you would think he'd be the number one custodian."

Yet Daley couldn't find room for South Sydney flyer Nathan Merritt, who will most likely find himself in the Origin wilderness once again, despite his blistering form over the past two-years.

"Look to be perfectly honest I would love to find a spot for Nath but ... the winger in front of him is Brett Morris," he said.

"But Nathan he shouldn't give up hope because he's certainly on the radar and one if I had to make a decision I could find a spot for him."


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