The Melbourne Storm have held the Parramatta Eels scoreless in their NRL semi-final with a clinical performance at AAMI Park in Melbourne on Saturday evening.
It was a superb performance from the Storm, particularly during the first half, with the game virtually over half an hour in.
After than opening 30 minutes, the Storm had 75 per cent of possession, and that was still up at around 65 per cent at the halftime interval, as they completed 19 of 20 sets during the first half.
The halftime score read 22-0, but it could have been upwards of 30 if Cameron Smith had of managed to kick more than one out of six in the five tries to nothing first half.
The Melbourne wingers got things underway for the Storm, with Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu making a good start, before Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes scores.
Addo-Carr added a second try towards the end of the first half as things got away from the Eels, who were never coming back from that far behind.
The big talking point will be a Cameron Smith sin bin though, after he lashed out at Reed Mahoney with some open-palmed slaps.
His time in the sin bin didn’t impact the Storm, but it certainly will next week if he has to spend any time on the sidelines, which, frankly, he shouldn’t.
The second half got off to a more even start, but the Eels struggles holding the ball continued, with the men in blue and gold only completing 15 sets across the entire game.
They fell apart again during the second half, and while Melbourne weren’t at their clinical best which was displayed during the first 40 minutes, tries to Ryan Papenhuyzen and Nelson Asofa-Solomona at the death sealed the deal for the home side.
Their outside backs were dominant in the wet conditions, which certainly didn’t help the Parramatta side, but they simply never rocked up to play and were beaten by a much better side on the day – a side who proved exactly why they were minor premiers by six clear points at the end of the regular season.
The Storm now move on to play the Sydney Roosters in next week’s preliminary final in what will be a re-match of last year’s grand final.
Storm 32
Eels 0
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
correct Brucey, every team is vulnerable, Manly beat the raiders twice, the roosters have beaten the raiders twice, cowboys, warriors, rabbits etc have all beaten them. Personally I hope the storm win and the raiders beat the rabbits.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
The table shows the Storm are clearly the most consistent team in the comp but they are vulnerable if you know how to play them. If they lose to the Roosters all they have achieved for the season will amount to nothing.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
Agree - pointed it out yesterday. Manly were the only team apart from the top 4 worthy of contesting the finals further than week one. The Broncos didn't deserve to be there at all. The Sharks were horribly inconsistent throughout the season despite pundits saying how good they looked on paper. When the acid was put on them they just weren't good enough. Parra can bully teams at home in front of a heaving crowd but turn to water when they are away against a more physical team. If Manly had beaten Souths the Raiders were going to be in a helluva fight next Friday to make the GF despite the Sea Eagles being down on troops. There has only been two finals worth watching so far - Storm vs Raiders and Souths vs Manly.
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
One swallow (or two) doesn't make a summer Geoff. The storm have clearly been the best team all season followed by the Roosters. Let's see them do it in the big dance.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Roar Rookie
The Storm had their chance to avoid the Roosters in the prelim but they weren't good enough to beat the Raiders - maybe there are other teams on the same level
Chris
Roar Pro
Congratulations Parra on a great season. I think both they and Manly should both be very proud of their resurgences. Parra in particular should be better for this finals experience. Their only problem now is learning how to perform outside of Bankwest.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
No question marks about it. Souths beat the Roosters TWICE in 2019 but they were little chance of beating the chooks two weeks in a row. Not with Sam Burgess and Dane Gagai missing, Tom and George Burgess in their first game back after lengthy absences and Luke Keary coming back into the Roosters starting 13. From a "neutrals" point of view the best chance of breaking the 2 team domination of the competition is for either the Raiders to play the Storm or the Rabbitohs to play the Roosters in the GF. I'm betting that both Storm and Roosters fans are praying that their nemesis side doesn't play their team in the GF.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Parramatta are clearly not the same side away from Bankwest... or against a legitimate top 4 side. Great season though.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
One week the refs are blowing too many penalties for your liking and the next not enough. Either way in your view they are ruining the game and deciding games instead of the players. Make up your mind! Scott was right. Overall the refs have done a fairly decent job in week 2 of the finals. Even if they let Manly get away with being offside, lying all over the tackled player and pulling the tackled Rabbitohs players legs 180 degrees as they were breaking from the tackle. I don't need a tissue, do you?
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
I'm not sure that this game was ideal preparation for the Roosters. We saw what happened to the Eels after their training run against the Broncos. Well, at least the Storm will be fresh and rested... just like the Roosters.
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
1st round doesn’t count, last round doesn’t really count either, result didn’t matter to roosters. 1st QF did though and the roosters came to play. Souths should have got beaten by a depleted Manly, Roosters wouldn’t have. Storm lost to Canberra yes, 6 points clear at the top says they’re the best team.
Paul
Roar Guru
hi Scott, there's nothing better in Rugby League than watching a guy with speed and skill tear up the field and score a try. That first effort from Josh AC was simply great to watch, not only because he's so fast, but because he had so much to do to get to the line. Great skill and a great try.
Watda
Guest
And Souths beat the Roosters twice?
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
They could still be playing and the Eels would be on zero. The only way the Eels could have won that game was to be almost error free and get stuck in to the Storm but that's easy to say from the Jason Recliner. I thought the Eels would drop out of the 8 late in the season because of their roster but they proved me wrong. The big question now is how they stack up next year which will be a decent challenge. Having a promising spine is cause for optimism.
Concussed
Guest
Does the 90 point turnaround for parra also go into the record book.
Insider
Roar Rookie
No that’s ineptitude in behalf of the whistle, whilst it wouldn’t have made a difference which is not the point it clearly demonstrates the bias I’ve been trying to highlight not just this week but all year
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
And yet the Raiders beat the Storm twice?
Tom G
Roar Rookie
I think the Eels massively overachieved just being in the finals this year. They seemed all season like a team that are incapable of stringing together wins. Arthur may have done well relative to last year but tactically he’s still the same coach who has been the architect of their inconsistent form for the past few years.The recruitment at Parramatta in particular has been really flaky on his watch.
Omnitrader
Roar Rookie
I think the roosters and storm are on another level this year, it’s a shame they meet next weekend and not in the GF
The Barry
Roar Guru
Is it a concern that, in semi final footy, the number five positioned team beats the number eight team 58-0 and then loses 32-0 to the number one ranked team the next week...?