- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
The Melbourne Storm are through to their third consecutive grand final with a chance to win back-to-back premierships after defeating the Cronulla Sharks at AAMI Park on Friday night by 16 points in what was a commanding display.
However, Billy Slater may be at risk of missing the match if he is sanctioned by the NRL’s match review committee.
He was pinged for a shoulder charge during the first half while saving a try. It went unreported by the on-field referees, but he could easily find himself fronting up to the MRC on Tuesday night for his spot in the grand final.
The base penalty for a Grade 1 shoulder charge will see Slater out, should he be found guilty.
The Storm were dominant on home soil though, bashing the Storm up the middle and not letting them get into the contest.
While the Sharks didn’t attack well when they had the chance with a poor kicking game and rushed plays during the second half, they were never coming back when Melbourne went into the halftime break leading 20 points to nothing.
They started things off with a penalty goal, then it was all Billy Slater for the remainder of the first half.
He was there in support play for a Felise Kaufusi offload to assist the opening try to Brodie Croft, then scored the next two of his own, the first on a simple block play and the second off a Cameron Smith grubber.
In what is his final game in Melbourne, it was only fitting for Slater to go out with a couple of tries to his name.
Melbourne then dominated the second half, with Smith slotting another penalty goal with the game already gone.
The Sharks got themselves on the scoreboard with a Luke Lewis consolation try in what was another fitting moment, given he is also pulling up stumps on his career.
In the end though, Melbourne were far too good and march straight into another decider.
Melbourne Storm 22
Cronulla Sharks 6
More to come