The footy is back, the Rabbitohs making errors has returned and the Storm being somewhere near the top looks like it’ll be the story once again as they extended their miraculous Round 1 record in the NRL season opener last night at AAMI Park.
It might have been a new season kicking off in Melbourne, but it was the same old script at Melbourne made it 18 straight Round 1 victories over the Bunnies.
In truth, the game might as well have been over after 20 minutes as the Storm raced the clock, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Cameron Munster running amok on South Sydney as they proved once and for all that life really does exist after Cameron Smith in the Victorian capital.
The expectation heading into this one was that it’d be close – and why not? Two premiership hopefuls, a visiting team looking to take the challenge to the defending premiers, even if they were up against Melbourne’s unreal Round 1 record, and their own woeful record in the Victorian capital with Wayne Bennett’s side never tasting victory at AAMI Park.
Even though, to those tuning in after 20 minutes, they would have done a double-take at the 18-0 scoreline as South Sydney defended like a team of strangers, held the ball like it was a bar of soap and had absolutely zero when it came to answers for the Storm.
Making it even more of a surprise was the fact Craig Bellamy’s side came into the game without Dale Finucane and Harry Grant, two of the players expected to fill the void left by Smith, the former through leadership and defence, the latter because he would be wearing the number nine jersey after setting the world on fire while on loan with the Tigers in 2020.
Still, it was all Melbourne early, and it came down to the other two parts of their new big three, with Papenhuyzen and Munster simply having the time of their lives.
They scored one of the first three each between them and were involved in the lead-up to the other, with Papenhuyzen’s try in particular being a major worry for the Rabbitohs as he ducked and weaved through four defenders out wide to cross for the home side’s third.
While that start all but put Souths out of the game, Craig Bellamy will still be working his underprepared team hard at training this week given the way they switched off and failed to close out the game.
Bellamy, even with his team having half a pre-season compared to some other clubs, demands the highest standards out of his players. It’s why the Storm haven’t lost a Round 1 game in 18 years. They are switched on from the opening kick-off to the final whistle on grand final day.
It’s the way of Melbourne, and the two points last night on the competition ladder should have been a lot more comfortable than they ended up given the start and the fact that lead would stretch to 22-0 on the back of a second try from their star fullback ten minutes later before the visitors could register a point.
And yet, once veteran Benji Marshall and new signing Jai Arrow came onto the park, the Bunnies began to look like a different team.
(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
The performance of the two from the bench will leave plenty of questions for Bennett when he picks his Round 2 side for what should be a far easier contest with the injury-ravaged Sea Eagles at Lottoland.
In saying that, as a team, Souths couldn’t shake the trend which followed them around like a bad smell last year, as they put the footy down at seemingly every opportunity. They were their own worst enemy from start to finish, dropping the ball when they had momentum and constantly putting themselves on the back foot.
By the time the final whistle was blown, the men from Redfern had coughed up the ball 16 times, but it was the timing of those errors which eroded any chance they had at a comeback as the game descended into something more typical of Round 1 contests – plenty of rust from both sides.
That being said, a typical Round 1 contest isn’t how you’d sum up South Sydney’s performance. There were positives to take from the game for the losing side, certainly, their forwards held their own, Latrell Mitchell picked up where he left off, and the second half was far better than the first, but the fact they shot themselves in the foot so often and stifled their own momentum surely has fans worried that a repeat of last year is on the cards.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Discipline will be everything with the new rules, designed to speed the game up even further this year, and it’s just not what South Sydney provided last night.
Sure, improvement could come. It’s a damn long season, and they were up against the best in the opener, so maybe it’s little surprise they put the ball down as often as they did, particularly playing catch-up footy.
But that doesn’t mean it’s excusable.
All in all, there is plenty of work to be done for both sides, even with positives to take away from it. Melbourne know they are going to be there and about again, even without the former captain.
Souths will be there too, and the way they do or don’t drop the ball, as well as Latrell Mitchell putting in more excellent performances like the one he provided in Melbourne, might determine whether they are a premiership force.
Time will tell on both counts.
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
One of the reasons Souths were in it to a degree in the second half was the Storm's poor kicking game from both Hughes and Munster. The whole second half they (by design??) put up 5th tackle 'bombs' that did not travel all that far and never once pinned the Rabbitohs inside their 20, let alone their 10 metre line. The GoAT would have gotten better kicks in all through the second half and the Storm would have had better field position as a result. Hopefully it was an off night for the both of them, else it will be a weakness that will hurt.
zonecadet
Roar Rookie
Ahem, just saying. The Rabbitohs have now lost 17 straight in Melbourne, but not all were season openers. You're mixing their record up with the Storm's outstanding success in season openers where, I believe, they have now won 20 consecutive season openers. The Rabbits were never gonna win with those two hoodoos hanging over them.
Jordo
Roar Rookie
Latrell is not a fullback
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
I think I can relate to jimmmy's comment above... "It sure sucks the life out of me." I think I'd rather have a colonoscopy than get caught in a "Groundhog Day" argument with you TB. My head hurts!
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
See my reply to TB below quoting your comment...
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
I wish they had that in place for the 2 hour long Meaghan Markle, Prince Harry Oprah interview my wife forced me to sit through. Watching highlights of the Broncos 2020 season would have been far more amusing. :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
"While you are at the lawyers, see if you have a case of 17 ladies impersonating the NSW team." Nat have the Broncos been wearing Blues jerseys AGAIN? Still, I think they deserve a little respect for their effort last night despite being reigning wooden spoon champs! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Nat
Roar Guru
While you are at the lawyers, see if you have a case of 17 ladies impersonating the NSW team. :stoked:
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
Hmm, "Blue sunset"? Catchy phrase Nat. You should copyright that. Presently my lawyers are investigating if there has been a copyright infringement on my #Blue Dawn. I understand your desire to "Make Queensland Great Again" given the Broncos maiden wooden spoon but just don't get too used to that trophy being on the wrong side of the QLD/NSW border. It's coming back to NSW in 2021. You can keep the wooden spoon though! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Kilgore Trout
Roar Rookie
Couldn't agree more !
Nat
Roar Guru
Blah Blah Blah Tell it to the trophy champ!! :crying: :crying: 2018 Blue dawn, 2019 Blue sunset. 2020 Qld reigns supreme! 2021 Qld stronger again. NSW have Cody!! :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: :laughing: If he ever manages to stay on the field for a whole game he will see what a real #6 looks like - And it's Mr Munster to you lot! :laughing:
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
Paragraph spacing is still getting wiped after editing comments I see.
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
Not a bad effort for “the worst QLD side in Origin history” I’ll grant you that. Still, the Blues had game 1 and therefore the series, until the Maroons committed multiple professional fouls on the final play the ball with about 8 players running in from as far as 10 metres away and diving on the tacked player. It was like someone called “Free beers!” at the Caxton Hotel. Nat, I haven’t seen that many flops back-to-back since the Disney Star Wars sequel trilogy! Worse, Tedesco actually played the ball BEFORE the clock reached zero (at about the 2 second mark) but the ref was told in his ear piece to blow the whistle early. A wide shot showed that NSW had 6 on 3 and if the play had continued, which it should have, blind freddie could have breached QLD’s depleted defence. A New Blue Dawn is coming Nat in 2021. Just as long as QLD don’t close their borders again to prevent that from happening. #2nd Blue Dawn!
Nat
Roar Guru
Ahhh, Origin! I missed you last series mate... :laughing: :laughing: That sound you heard at Suncorp, that was cheering! It's completely different but I know you're unfamiliar with it!! Love, the Worst Team in History!! :laughing: :laughing:
TIGER
Roar Rookie
Stats for Mitchell ? Didn't seem that way to me. Anyway, give me Papenhuyzen every day. Perhaps it's because we like our fullback taking some tough runs. LM has plenty to offer but best suited to the centres.
TIGER
Roar Rookie
A fair summary of the game and in particular Souths. Without wishing to get on the 'bag LM' wagon, I cannot agree with your 'putting in excellent performances' comment. Yes he did score a very good try and yes he had a few nice touches but as too his effort in taking some heat off the forwards, he was not sighted until a half-hearted run from dummy half lat in the game. It is obvious that he has plenty to offer but as a fullback, he is miles behind Papenhuyzen, Teddy and Gutherson. I wonder what his tiring forwards think when he just hangs around. Put him back in left centre and let him have 3 or 4 runs, score a few tries and bludge out wide. Same result for the team.
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
Scenic routes are generally regarded as being much more interesting so I'll take that as a compliment. Cheers! :thumbup:
Retro Rabbit
Roar Rookie
Is that why there is so much noise coming from all those maroon jerseys in the stands at Suncorp during Origin Nat? :laughing:
Hard Yards
Roar Rookie
I agree. I thought both teams would hop into it from the start and put on a pearler. Storm played ( well ) for about 30 minutes, and then just went through the motions to take the 2 points. If people are talking about South’s as grand finalists, there wasn’t any sight of it last night. South’s stink - they should have had a go.
andrew
Roar Rookie
Geez RR,trying to read your letters is like taking the scenic route.