Melissa Woods and Jasper Bruce
Updated ,first published
Melbourne’s mid-season resurgence continued with the Storm coming out on top against Canberra in a try-scoring frenzy that included a hat-trick from winger Will Warbrick, while Jackson Ford’s hopes of a NSW call-up were dashed after he suffered a pectoral injury in the Warriors’ win over the Cowboys.
This year’s club record seven-game losing streak appears to be in the rear view mirror for Melbourne with the 42-20 victory, but the Raiders’ hopes of making the NRL finals are fading badly after their 10th defeat.
Both teams scored four tries in the first half of their Sunday afternoon clash to be locked at 20-20 at half-time.
The Raiders got off to the best possible start and took a 16-0 lead after 16 minutes with Savelio Tamale, Owen Pattie and Xavier Savage all crossing.
Winger Savage couldn’t be caught as he raced downfield after intercepting a pass from Melbourne’s Jack Howarth 10 metres from the tryline.
But the tide turned when Harry Grant entered the match after starting from the bench following Wednesday’s Origin win for Queensland.
With the superstar hooker making metres out of dummy half, the Storm scored three tries in six minutes including one to Cameron Munster, celebrating his 250th NRL match.
Centre Matthew Timoko bumped off some flimsy defence to again put Canberra ahead but the Storm tied up the match in the 39th minute when Warbrick scored his second of the half, using brute strength to plant the ball down.
While the Raiders had plenty of ball, they did themselves no favours in missing a whopping 39 tackles in the opening 40 minutes.
The second half was more of an arm wrestle with Warbrick breaking the deadlock in the 59th minute with his third try, the Warriors-bound flyer leaping high to take a Jahrome Hughes bomb.
A converted try from Moses Leo opened a 10-point lead for the home side and while there was still 10 minutes to play the Storm never looked like surrendering.
They put the result out of doubt with another two tries to bank their fifth win in six games, with milestone man Munster adding the final conversion, which he kicked with his boot lace untied.
Melbourne moved up to 11th on the ladder on 16 points while the Raiders sit second-last.
Meanwhile, Ford’s hopes of a NSW debut in the State of Origin decider appear over after the star Warriors prop suffered a pectoral injury in the 38-20 defeat of North Queensland.
Starting on a wing for the first time since 2017, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad crossed for four tries in the opening NRL game at Christchurch’s new stadium, helping the Warriors snap their two-game losing streak.
But Sunday’s victory came at a heavy cost for the second-placed Kiwi side as Ford, who led the Dally M Medal count earlier in the season, left the field following a first-half tackle on Tom Chester.
A surprising omission from the first two Origin games, Ford appeared in the mix for a call-up, with the Blues contemplating changes after their game-two humiliation.
But even a minor pectoral injury is likely to require multiple weeks on the sidelines, and teams for Origin III will be picked after next weekend.
Pectoral injuries can sometimes require months to heal, so Ford is not guaranteed to return this season if scans show a severe tear.
Nicoll-Klokstad had his first two tries inside 10 minutes as hooker Wayde Egan helped the fast-starting Warriors roll through their undisciplined visitors.
The Cowboys conceded three penalties in the opening six minutes and referee Grant Atkins gave co-captain Reuben Cotter a talking-to when they leaked two more by the 20-minute mark.
Star fullback Scott Drinkwater helped North Queensland equalise, putting Braidon Burns over with a long ball to the right, then scoring himself.
However, Nicoll-Klokstad completed his first-half hat trick on a 30-metre tear down the left, before another shift helped him to the first four-try haul of his 143-game NRL career.
Veteran prop Jason Taumalolo went to the sin bin for up-ending Nicoll-Klokstad in the second half, and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak made it a three-score game while the Warriors had the extra man.
The hosts appeared unlikely to be chased down from there.
Taumalolo had been due to play his 300th NRL game next week, but a charge from the match review committee could place the celebrations on hold.
Coach Todd Payten secured his long-term future with a contract extension on Saturday, but a third-straight loss makes the Cowboys’ immediate future of pressing concern.
The ninth-placed Cowboys host ladder-leading Penrith next week as they fight to put their season back on track.
AAP
