FULL-TIME: Storm 28 – Dragons 24
Easily one of the best games of the season, and with one of the most exciting endings you’ll see. A lot of controversy as well. Where to begin?
The second half went much like the first half – the Dragons came out firing and skipped out to a 24-10 lead. The game looked beyond the Storm at that point, but they again lifted the tempo and managed to get momentum to swing their way. They scored two tries in the space of two minutes and all of a sudden it was 24-22.
Then it was a fight to the death. Melbourne had one last throw of the dice – the ball was played as the siren sounded in the background, and Dragons looked to have wrapped them up, but a Hail Mary pass out the back from Waqa kept things alive. Eventually Tohu Harris was able to straighten and get the ball out to Hoffman, who threw the final ball to Tonumaipea to cross in the corner for the winner.
The controversy will come in two forms. Storm fans will be filthy about a try to Trent Merrin when it appeared that Dugan was clearly off-side from the kick – although I imagine they’ll forget about that quite quickly! Dragons are already questioning the timing of the last play-the-ball as the siren went – it was a close thing but I thought the ball was already in play and it was okay to continue.
Whatever the case, that game was exactly why we love rugby league – definitely one for the ages.
Monday night action comes to AAMI Park as the Melbourne Storm take on the St George Illawarra Dragons. Join us for live scores and commentary from 7pm AEST.
Expectations for these two sides at the season’s outset couldn’t have been more different, but after five rounds they’ve followed a similar path.
Three wins from three to start the season had them level atop the NRL ladder, before both were brought back to the pack with two losses in a row leading into Round 6.
While the Storm have stuck with the same side that took the field last week (save for the suspended Dayne Weston, replaced on the bench by Tim Glasby), the Dragons have made some key changes.
Adam Quinlan drops out of the side to make way for Michael Witt, Jack Stockwell replaces the suspended Jack De Belin, while Bronson Harrison has been named on the bench.
But the key to the Dragons’ chances remain with play-maker Gareth Widdop, who takes on his old team for the first time.
In signing with the Dragons, Widdop stepped out of the shadow of the ‘Big Three’, and he’ll be hoping to show them up tonight.
The Dragons tend to struggle against the Storm, particularly in Melbourne where they haven’t won a game since 1999 – the year the merged entity came into being.
I’m tipping that run to continue tonight, with the Storm to win by 12.
Which of these sides will post their fourth win of the NRL season? Join us at 7pm AEST for live score updates, and be sure to give us your opinion in the space below if you’re watching.
George
Guest
The game is over!!!! Misstake or no mistake.that is it build a bridge get over it!
mark
Guest
The Dragons have been cheated again .Swings and round abouts my arse. The storm in my opinion were gifted 99 Premiership to boost their presence in the comp ,and the bad calls have been coming ever since .Put simply ,Get It RIght ,you have video refs why not use them .If you don,t and get it wrong ,the NRL should be held responsible . This is professional football with legal betting on games and peoples lives suffer from bad calls .The NRL should be taken to court because Manly should have been given the premiership the year that the Strom CHEATED ! and so too for the other team that played the other, Storm infested Grand final .I,m not saying the Storm cheated this time ,but their win wasn,t legit (FACT ) !
Joel Erickson
Roar Guru
The balls not in play until the foot touches it, so if the ball was on the ground when the siren went, it's game over.
Monterey Mick
Guest
The fat lady had to do an encore!
panther
Guest
Fox sports time is not official. If you watch a replay listen for the siren, don't watch the time. The storm player gets up and places the ball on the ground at the precise moment the siren sounds so based on that the siren sounds during the play the ball motion which is fine. It was marginal and a split second call for the refs so no real issue. I wouldn't rely on the fox sports time..in the bulldogs vs warriors game the siren went off when the fox sports time was at 79:30 so they were way off there.
Scrubbit
Guest
I'd be saying the same. I don't support either team.
planko
Guest
I'mstormtrooper2 I personally think most of the controversy comes from the last few minutes of play there were several moments where the clock was stopped on TV when it should not been have and even and with that 80 mins was up before he was tackled on "TV" time. Yet the siren did not go till around about the same time as he played it. I believe under the new rules if the ball goes out of play they can stop it but I am happy to be informed and be corrected. All good new day and Friday night is 3 days away.
I'mastormtrooper2
Guest
I believe the ruling is half time and full time is not concluded, until a player is tackled or the ball is kicked out of play ...
planko
Guest
Dont disagree with Marldron but the barrow is getting pushed to far on this and would be easy to correct. Unfortunately last night some of these were easy to pick. Player passing before line player receiving after line. Now momentum drift can considerable in long passes but not in close hard flat passes. The only way they go more than a metre forward like this is from the hands. Players that back up are not helping more times than not they are flat and in line with the man carrying the ball.
planko
Guest
I agree as much as I think it was a try in todays game. They let a lot of "marginal passes through" for all teams which I hate that certain teams push the barrow on this more than others. I can probably speak for every Manly Fan and say "If that try was scored by Manly and we got Shayne Hayne as a ref that would have been sent upstairs every game whether it was in Melbourne or Brookie"
planko
Guest
The way people were carrying on about it that it was obvious. Let me put this another way I will be the first to say I do not know exactly where the rule falls on this. eg Is it based on where the ball is kicked from or where the kickers feet are ? If it is the ball it is really close if it is based on the kickers feet most probably offside.
planko
Guest
Did dont agree but that is what the roar is for.
planko
Guest
In short no but it I am just pushing the tongue into the cheek here .... We will see if the shoe is on the other foot.
Angus McCaskill
Guest
Watch the replay Planko...played the ball before siren, Hoffmans pas was NOT forward...fair try!!!!
Monterey Mick
Guest
Saints fan here. You have to give the storm credit for never giving up and they pardon the pun stormed home. Saints though have every right to be upset as the game clock went to 80:00 before the last tackle and stayed on 80:00 for two to three seconds and the siren went as the ball was being played. If siren goes bang on 80:00 storm lose. I also thought last pass was marginally forward but that's footy. Home team always gets be edit of the doubt so swings and roundabouts.
Paul Miles
Guest
Confident is one word for it. I don't watch anymore, if I want to see Disney, I know where to go.
Paul Miles
Guest
Is NRL now a fraudulent, engineered competition ?
Marldon
Guest
.......and do you honestly thin that the person sounding the siren is so corrupt to have twisted the timing of his call ? As someone else said, these things are all swings and roundabouts just in the same way that the storm got dudded in the last minutes last week. Its time people realised that there isn't some massive attempt to cheat anyone or any team going on by the officials of any description. Its just bad luck or ineptitude but if you watch long enough you will soon see that it always swings both ways.
Marldon
Guest
So you were watching it on a tv screen which is so notoriously inaccurate for assessing forward passes that the video refs are not allowed to judge them. As you say the linesman was in line with it so he should have been able to see it far better than you. The fact he didn't call it may indicate that it wasn't in fact forward and you were just viewing it from a poor angle.
Planko
Guest
Scrubit but I question whether the Siren would have been late or delayed had st George been on the attack and behind by 2 ?