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Melbourne Storm vs North Queensland Cowboys highlights: NRL live scores, blog

29th August, 2015
Start Time: 7:30pm (AEST)
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
TV: FOX Sports (Channel 501)
Betting: Storm $1.77 Cowboys $2.10
Last Meeting: Round 4 2015 – 1300 Smiles Stadium, Townsville- Cowboys 18 Storm 17
Last 5: Storm 3 Cowboys 2
Overall Record: Played 28 Storm 19 Cowboys 9
Record at Venue: Played 2 Storm 1 Cowboys 1

Storm
1 Cameron Munster
2 Marika Koroibete
3 Will Chambers
4 Kurt Mann
5 Matt Duffie
6 Blake Green
7 Cooper Cronk
8 Jesse Bromwich
9 Cameron Smith (c)
10 Tim Glasby
11 Kevin Proctor
12 Tohu Harris
13 Kenny Bromwich
Interchange
14 Ryan Hinchcliffe
15 Felise Kaufusi
16 Nelson Asofa-Solomona
17 Jordan McLean

Cowboys
1 Lachlan Coote
2 Kyle Feldt
3 Justin O'Neill
4 Kane Linnett
5 Antonio Winterstein
6 Ray Thompson
7 Johnathan Thurston (c)
8 Matthew Scott (c)
9 Jake Granville
10 Ben Hannant
11 Gavin Cooper
12 Ethan Lowe
13 Jason Taumalolo
Interchange
14 Rory Kostjasyn
15 John Asiata
16 Scott Bolton
17 Ben Spina
Cam Smith has been playing halfback and hooker. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
29th August, 2015
62
6886 Reads

Match result:

FULL TIME – Storm 14 Cowboys 6

In a match that showed extraordinary defence by both sides and the superb kicking skills of both teams halves, the Storm slugged out a 14-6 win in wet weather conditions.

>>MATCH REPORT: Storm rebound with win over Cowboys

First points were earned by the Storm who elected to go for two points after an ugly spear tackle by Granville left the referee no option. On the back of back-to-back line drop outs, Kenny Bromwich was the recipient of a nice Cameron Smith pass and a sliding Cowboys defence which saw him cross over for the first and only try of the first half. The Cowboys had a chance late in the first half, as they ran from inside their half to set off a chain of events which would see Thurston chip kick to the right side for Feldt who crossed over however, the play was called back for interference with a defending player.

In the second half, the Storm opened up with a try by Chambers who pounced on a mistake by Thurston who fumbled a Cooper Cronk grubber kick in goal. From there, both sides went set for set and showed tremendous on-goal defence to repel the attacks of each sides attacking force. However, the Cowboys were their own worst enemy as constant errors deep inside their half allowed the Storm to have possession and field position which would restrict the Cowboys from exerting any type of pressure including restricting a Cowboys team averaging five line breaks a game to zero for the match.

The Cowboys did not open their account up until the 77th minute after a pin-point kick by Thurston found the hands of Kyle Feldt, however it was all too little too late as the Storm would come away with a gutsy 14-6 victory.

The Cowboys have now lost three of their last four matches in a reverse of previous season where they are usually heading into the semi-finals on the back of momentum through wins. Nevertheless, the Storm have showed tonight that when they want to, they can methodically slug out a win against a potent attack. The issue for the Storm is, can they consistently put performances like this one together heading into the semi-finals and there will be no bigger test then next week when they take on the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium next Thursday night. Nevertheless, the Storm have earned the all valuable two competition points.

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Match preview:

The sixth placed Melbourne Storm will play host to the third placed North Queensland Cowboys in a Round 25 match-up that, if their first meeting this year was anything to go by, should be a cracking game of rugby league. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary of all the action from 7:30pm (AEST).

The last time these two teams met back in Round 4, the Cowboys were coming off three losses in a row to start the season and the golden point win against the Storm kick-started their season.

Tonight is a little bit different however, it is the Storm who are coming off a shock loss to the last position side in Newcastle last week and their form over the last month has been inconsistent.

In team news, there are no changes for the Storm in the side that lost to Newcastle last week.

For the Cowboys, Ray Thompson will be the big inclusion replacing the injured Michael Morgan at five-eight. Gavin Cooper returns from injury and replaces Ben Hannant in the second-row who shifts to the front-row for the injured James Tamou. Scott Bolt will also replace Coen Hess on the bench.

The obvious key match-up to watch tonight will be the battle of the two halfbacks in Cooper Cronk and Johnathan Thurston.

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As this match-up should be a tight one down in Melbourne, the role of getting repeat sets and gaining every inch off of a kick is even more vital.

As usual, the forwards will be instrumental in gaining the metres required to give the backs and the halves the momentum and field position to execute their plays and kicks.

However, all eyes will be on the new halves combination of Thompson and Thurston and as good as Thompson is Morgan is a better fit for the Cowboys side as a whole providing both speed, power and ball ability.

As a result, the Storm halves pairing of Green and Cronk should prove too methodical for a Cowboys defence that has leaked early points all season.

Prediction
Storm by 1

Will the Storm keep their top four hopes alive with a win against the Cowboys?

Or will the Cowboys consolidate their win from last week and head into the final round of the season with back to back wins?

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