Melbourne’s ugly NRL win over Gold Coast has come at a cost with star halfback Jahrome Hughes the latest to join their bulging casualty ward.
The Storm scrapped their way to 32-14 over the last-placed Titans at AAMI Park on Friday night thanks to a hat-trick of tries to Cameron Munster, who started at fullback for the first time since round one in 2018.
But their defensive woes continued with a horror 45 missed tackles while they also racked up 13 errors.
A better side would have made them pay dearly but Gold Coast lacked the finishing polish to take control of the game.
It was feared Hughes temporarily dislocated his shoulder in contact late in the first half and with no strength in the joint he was replaced in the second stanza by Tyran Wishart.
Gold Coast also lost Aaron Booth 13 minutes into the game with the hooker departing for scans on his knee before fulltime.
Melbourne had all the early running, with tries by returning winger Xavier Coates, Munster and Kenny Bromwich setting up a 16-0 lead.
Wests Tigers recruit David Nofoaluma almost opened the try-scoring six minutes in but the ball was dislodged by Titans winger Jojo Fifita.
Just when it looked like the Storm would romp away, Gold Coast fired up with Beau Fermor and then Herman Ese’ese both finding holes to cross three minutes apart.
The Titans further closed the 22-10 halftime deficit with Brian Kelly running on to a neat grubberkick by AJ Brimson.
But Munster magic in the 64th minute gave the home side some breathing room after Cooper Johns, who impressed as his replacement at five-eighth, was brought down just short of the tryline.
Dummy-half Harry Grant then fired a long ball to Munster who glided through the defence for his third of the night.
Young Tonumaipea, playing his first NRL game since 2020 after a Mormon mission and then a stint in rugby, capped the night with a try in the final minute.
While there were some positives for embattled coach Justin Holbrook, the result kept Gold Coast winless away from home for the season and extended their losing streak to 10.
Davooo
Guest
Mate, if you leave the grapes on the vine till they ripen they'll be less sour. Storm have brought in 1 player on a loan this season despite the huge number of injuries. Are you equally as critical of the roosters and any other club who took advantage of mid season transfers this year? Or is this just a case of purple induced rage :laughing: Besides noone said anything about where that next man had to come from :thumbup: :laughing:
Davooo
Guest
Except there's no further transfers taking place this season given the expiry of the august 1 deadline.... Cool story though
Justin
Guest
Next man up? How does that apply to the Storm? With the next man up philosophy, the Storm were being destroyed. So they went out to buy more players. Did you mean next ‘bought’ man up? :laughing:
Chris
Guest
You were correct. In the end, the Dragons did beat themselves.
Westie
Guest
Well , the Storm have that never ending salary cap, that a couple of teams seem to have. They can probably go out again & but another first grade halfback for the rest of the season.
mushi
Roar Guru
Was using the same terminology as the original poster but it’s much of a muchness given the possibility I was outlining was based on the likelihood given the teams involved. I would have also compared their FA versus their schedules (many also play the ‘boys) which makes it more statistically improbable.
Chris
Guest
Not at all. Just good fair shoulder. While wrapping an arm around the tackle. Of course you can always drive him into the ground instead? I’m sure Craig Bellamy would do be looking to do an opposition player some more damage , if he was coaching against an injured player.
Davooo
Guest
Cheers stormy, the way I see it, we just gotta keep the next man up philosophy alive. Heck, if times get tough enough I've got a jersey and boots. Hands like feet, but we'll field a team no matter what!
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Love the way you think, Davooo.
Davooo
Guest
Hey, what has to be done has to be done, if rodski has to suit up, let's make it happen :laughing: :laughing:
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Great selection! We'll build a team yet.
Davooo
Guest
And if hughes is busted, Bellamy to 5/8 :laughing:
Davooo
Guest
I think alot of us forgot just how good Munster could be at the back and why he got the accolades he did when he came into the game. Definitely some hard thinking to be done by Melbourne over the offseason
Davooo
Guest
Ponga will be hanging his boots up due to concussion long before paps. It's nowhere near panic stations for paps' career yet. Yes, he may need to change his style of play, technique etc, but so did tedesco around paps age, and as a result, teddy has gone on to have quite a solid career.... don't write of ryan just yet
Davooo
Guest
I did the numbers on a few of the current hot ticket fullbacks and honestly paps is tracking ok on the injury front. The 5 seasons tedesco played to the same age as paps saw their average games per season within half a game of one another for the same period in their career . He's ahead of Tommy t and ponga for games per season. And really, a shattered kneecap isn't anything other than plain bad luck.
Stormy
Roar Rookie
Just a thought for the Storm. How about we bring Billy Slater & Ryan Hinchliffe out of mothballs & give them a Trial & Play contract. They are on the payroll & still look fit enough to be out there. We do know they can both play the game.
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
And if he scores 4 is that a double hat trick . Gotta be fair with this .
Big Daddy
Roar Rookie
I think there's a few on this site probably won't have the clean living . Oh my forgotten youth .
Albo
Roar Rookie
I thought both Johns & Wishart played well in the halves. Storm have too many good players not to make the finals. They will beat the undermanned Panthers next week.
Nick Maguire
Roar Rookie
Let's see how Hughes pulls up because that could change our shape a lot. May need Munny at 6 if no Hughes. Maybe play HG at 7 and cheese at 9, Munny at 1. Interesting problems!