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Parramatta Eels 26
Melbourne Storm 22
What a finish it was from AAMI Park in Melbourne as the Parramatta Eels held on to a four-point lead after looking for a lot of the game like the team likely to lose.
Up against it with a growing casualty list throughout the game, they managed to come back after looking very shaky in the first 10 minutes and again throughout the second half.
The scoring started early in the game, with tries to Tohu Harris in the fifth minute and then Ben Hampton in the 13th, both through some very soft defence and signs were looking worrying for the Eels.
Following those opening tries, the Storm continued to dominate the game but couldn’t score again. The Eels slowly managed to work their way back into the game and Semi Radradra managed a double in the final 10 minutes of the first half.
The second of those tries in particular, which came in the 36th minute, caught the Storm’s defence badly out of position as a chip kick went to the corner and the Eels hardly even challenged for the ball. Chris Sandow was the main man behind the Eels’ resurgence taking them to the break just two points down.
After the break, the Eels picked up where they left off as a Sandow chip put through Corey Norman, who perfectly executed the catch over Hampton for the Eels to hit the lead.
The Storm then managed to get some decent field position and Blake Green scored off his own chip kick in a call that could have gone either way.
The next 10 or 15 minutes were end-to-end play as both teams had poor kicking games before Hymel Hunt scored for the Storm with 14 minutes to go and it looked like it was a long way back for the Eels. However a pair of tries to Ryan Morgan and then Tepai Moeroa put the Eels back in front, with Sandow fantastic.
In the last minute of play the Storm thought they had a try but were denied in a controversial video referee decision.
Tim Mannah was named the man of the match in an awesome performance. Sandow, Norman and Paulo were also instrumental for the Eels. Meanwhile for the Storm, Cameron Munster, Green and Hampton were best on ground, standing up in the absence of their Origin players.
In the end the Eels got away with a close and much-needed win against the Storm.
Missing plenty of Origin stars, the Melbourne Storm host a Parramatta Eels side still stinging from last week’s incredible comeback loss. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary of the game from 6:45pm (AEST).
The Storm have been great this year and are currently sitting in third position, one win away from the lead. They bounced back from a shocking loss to the Roosters a fortnight ago to beat the Penrith Panthers last Saturday in commanding fashion.
The Eels meanwhile are currently sitting in 15th position, on equal points with the last-place Manly Sea Eagles.
They desperately need to start winning if they want to play in September, and last week’s effort against the North Queensland Cowboys will not help their cause, going down 36-30, after leading 30-6 with just over 20 minutes to go.
The Storm have had to make plenty of changes with fullback Billy Slater, hooker Cameron Smith and centre Will Chambers all on Origin duty, while half Cooper Cronk is down with injury. Kurt Mann comes back into the centres, with Ben Hampton to replace Cronk in the halves. Cameron Munster goes back to fullback, and Ryan Hinchcliffe starts at hooker with Young Tonumaipea added the bench.
The Eels lose Will Hopoate to Origin, meaning Bureta Faraimo comes in onto the wing and Ryan Morgan plays in the centres. With Darcy Lussick returning to the bench, Daniel Alvaro becomes the 18th man.
The Storm have won all three clashes at AAMI Park between the two. The closest winning margin 26 points, and the Storm have never scored fewer than 38 points.
The Eels need Manu Ma’u, Tepai Moeroa and Tim Mannah to get them going forward to allow Chris Sandow to do what he does best.
The Storm will try and grind the Eels down, as they do so well against so many other teams. Blake Green’s kicking game will really need to stand up in the absence of Cronk and the likes of Munster and Hampton need big games. Patience will be the key for the Storm.
Prediction
If the Eels play for 80 minutes they should win, but the Storm haven’t lost much of their forward pack and Blake Green has been playing well enough.
I’ll go with the Storm in a close one, kicking a field goal in the dying stages to push their lead past the converted try.
Storm by 7.
Join The Roar for our live commentary and scores of this clash between the Melbourne Storm and Parramatta Eels from 6:45pm (AEST). Don’t forget to comment if you’re following the action!