After an enthralling 80 minutes, the Melbourne Storm have pinched a three-point victory and the minor premiership over the Sydney Roosters through a late Joe Stimson try.
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Final score
Melbourne Storm 16
Sydney Roosters 13
The Sydney Roosters welcome back co-captains Jake Friend and Boyd Cordner, but they will need to produce something special when a trip south to play the top of the table Melbourne Storm presents itself. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 5:30pm (AEST).
The Storm are the best team in the NRL this season by the length of the straight. Just a month out from the start of the finals, it’s evident that to stop them in September and the first week of October, it’s going to take a special performance.
With Cooper Cronk in his final season at the club and in strong form alongside Cameron Smith and Billy Slater, the Storm look as close to unbeatable as you’re going to get.
It’s not just the trio though. Their forwards are on fire, their bench providing plenty led by Nelson Asofa-Solomona and everyone who has been presented an opportunity has stood up. They will be looking for that theme to continue this week, with Brodie Croft in for the injured Ryley Jacks, who was already replacing Cameron Munster.
Croft stood up during the Origin period, displaying maturity beyond his years. Now presented with a chance to play alongside the big three, he could go to another level.
Melbourne proved exactly what sort of form they were in last week with a 26-8 destruction of the Cowboys. It could be said they didn’t even play that well, so it’s scary to think about what score they could have ran up.
As already mentioned, the Roosters get their co-captains back for this one. Friend and Cordner have been on the shelf for quite some time with injury and their returns should be a considerable boost for the tri-colours.
Fill-in hooker Victor Radley has been solid, but not brilliant. While Friend will add something, the Roosters were ordinary last week. They skipped out to a lead against the Sea Eagles, but were quickly reigned in, conceding 36 unanswered points to lose 36-18.
It’s performances like that which make you question how the Roosters were in the top two coming into Round 23. They have found ways to win, sure, but to say they have played like a top side this season would be a stretch.
This, however is a good opportunity for Trent Robinson’s men to dust themselves off and set the radar for September. Luke Keary’s form is a key, given he started the season so strongly and seems to have a calming influence on Mitchell Pearce when playing well.
Going from zero to hero against the Storm’s defence though, is easier said than done.
Prediction
The Storm are at home and very rarely lose in the Victorian capital. They have been convincing all year, and even with the Roosters returns and wake-up call last week, it’s hard to see them mounting a considerable challenge here.
Storm by 16.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this all top four battle from 5:30pm (AEST) and don’t forget to get involved with a comment in the section below.
Ken
Guest
MR Spock is actually a Klingon spy ?
The Fatman
Guest
As a Storm supporter since 1998, I still believe success came too quick. Not many teams can win a premiership in their second year in the comp, but for the Storm to be successful down in AFL Heartland - winning is everything to Victorians. Yep, we were rightfully stripped for systematic cheating, but we did as Gallop demanded and we offloaded players and still bounced back to claim back another minor premiership, and a legitimate premiership when we beat the Bulldogs. Storm have an advantage over clubs in Sydney, and even the Broncos - we're not in the spotlight as often, and that allows the club to focus on training & playing without the constant attention of the media. Being linked to a couple of AFL clubs has also helped us with ball skills & contesting the high ball. It took the Storm a while, but we now have in excess of 20,000 members, and believe it or not - Victorians do love the Storm - they do care and they turn up when it's teaming down rain because Victorians love their sport, unlike Sydney - a drop of rain and crowd numbers are down because they might get a wet backside. Hawthorn is successful but not as successful as Collingwood. Collingwood is the team everyone loves to hate because they are the AFL's most successful club with the most number of members. Bottom line, everyone hates successful clubs if the team they support isn't performing, so keep on hating us - we're thriving on it.
db
Guest
Surely you jest.
Ekka
Guest
It has long bemused me why people such as Smith, Cronk, Slater and now Munster put their hands up to play against the Queensland teams up to almost thirty times a year, and then have the gall to pretend that they are Queenslanders. a mere three times. Fair crack of the whip, Smith, Slater, Cronk and Munster. At best you are un-respected mercenaries, and even that argument doesn't really hold water, as a real Queenslander would have taken far less money in order to be able to say "I always played for Queensland, not just three times a year" to play for the Broncos or the Cowboys - in the case of Slater and possibly Munster. The Broncos and the Cowboys would always have given you a bit more than the average wage, you traitors. Smith is probably the worst of all, closely followed by Cronk. They both come from Brisbane but have played their entire NRL careers for Melbourne with the express intention of denying their home city and its population a premiership. Both could have played many years for the city of their birth, but instead threw their lot in with a non-league city, with a very-poorly-spoken cockroach coach in order to line their own nests while pretending to be Queenslanders. These blokes appear to have no consciences. As a genuine Queenslander, I would much have preferred the most ungracious person the world has ever known, the worst sport in history, the infamous king-hitter Gallen, to have lifted the SOO shield than the traitor Smith.
Duncan Smith
Guest
Stop being so emotional Spock.
Rob Sinclair
Guest
Whats wrong Spock Cant find a Vulcan woman to mate with? I thought your intellectual side would appreciate Cameron Smith. Every NRL team is over the salary cap. Sounds like you are too emotional for Spock and are indeed an imposter.
Mr Spock
Guest
But true and hope he gets whacked by a team sick of his and his teams tactics- I will be applauding it. If your Storm makes the GF be happy to see them lose again too - they will- cheats never prosper
Bill larkin
Guest
Tiresome.
Mr Spock
Guest
send off I meant- that was illogical behaviour
Mr Spock
Guest
They want the Storm to win can't you see that- save on money and have Smith ref the games instead as a player - see the Storm winger think he was a hurdler and what no penalty for that - What a joke that game was - I don't support either of those teams but you knew what the result was going to be.
Mr Spock
Guest
Very much helped by the main ref in Smith - something has to be done about that blokes influence on refs
Clint
Guest
Mate stop flogging this horse, she's dead. Klein has had two chooks games this season. They lost one and won one. His refereeing has had a net effect of zero on their win loss ratio so far. And making out like easts are the only ones trying to slow down the play the ball in a game featuring the melbourne storm is hilarious.
Duncan Smith
Guest
yep, it was an odd one. Didn't see that coming.
Mr Spock
Guest
I can as it's the Storm - the main ref in Smith would have awarded it in any case after the second and third ref asked him what it should be
Mr Spock
Guest
It would not have been as the bounce made it impossible to say it would have been a try - but its Storm so it's a try of course- it's a wonder that Smith didn't point to the spot for try as well since he refs the games
Mr Spock
Guest
That was not a penalty try but of course for Storm it is - hope the Roosters president has some spare cash so their coach can blast the refs- this is getting ridiculous and then you have Smith telling the refs what to do as well every ruck
J.C.
Roar Pro
Right yep, got that thanks for clearing that up. What a bizzare game, that would have to be the most out there game i have seen in quite a while. Penalty tries, wingers trying to jump the opposition and that last mid air collision, very out there but the Storm proved to good. Also that is about the sixth time i have seen a team kick a field goal and end up losing the game. Field goals should be left til about two minutes out not ten. Ten is too much time for the opposition to hit back as proven by the Storm tonight
Joe
Roar Rookie
What a great game of footy especially considering the weather. Befitting of a 1 vs 2. The Roosters really brought their A game especially in defense. Storm did enough in the end to snag the win.
Mr Spock
Guest
Smith has too much say and control over the refs
Mr Spock
Guest
refs like them though - cannot see how Roosters are penalised for things and Storm for same things aren't- the referring tonight was b grade - penalty try that did me - Storm are going to win the comp for sure and certain