BRISBANE BRONCOS 20 MELBOURNE STORM 46
STEPHEN IBBETSON, Suncorp Stadium, Thursday

IT says plenty about the fall of both these clubs that the greatest interest in this rematch of last year’s Grand Final was on the trial of a new law.

With the sides out of play-off contention, the NRL used the fixture to test the new rule allowing teams to decide whether they wish to kick or receive the restart after conceding points.

In the event, neither chose to make the other team kick-off until the 52nd minute – and eighth try – of what did prove an entertaining contest in its own right.

That call came from Melbourne when they conceded a Ben Hunt try shortly after having Moses Leo sent to the sin bin for a shoulder charge – and was arguably successful as they halted Brisbane’s momentum and saw out the remainder of the ten-minute period unscathed on their way to victory.

They were 30-14 up at that point after a dominant first half with tries by Stefano Utoikamanu, Nick Meaney (who also kicked seven conversions), a double from Tyran Wishart and the first of a Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown hat-trick.

Sualauvi Faalogo sealed the Storm success off a Cameron Munster grubber to keep Brisbane, who also registered a Kotoni Staggs try and Ezra Mam double, slumped in the bottom three.

BRONCOS: 1 Hayze Perham, 2 Josiah Karapani, 3 Kotoni Staggs, 4 Deine Mariner, 5 Grant Anderson, 6 Ezra Mam, 7 Ben Hunt, 8 Xavier Wilson, 9 Billy Walters, 10 Payne Haas, 11 Jaiyden Hunt, 12 Jordan Riki, 13 Patrick Carrigan. Subs: 14 Blake Mozer, 15 Publix Tawka, 16 Jack Gosiewski, 17 Va’a Semu, 18 Thomas Duffy (not used), 19 Gehamat Shibasaki

Tries: Staggs (18), Mam (36, 74), Hunt (50); Goals: Perham 2/4

STORM: 1 Saualauvi Faalogo, 2 Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown, 3 Tyran Wishart, 4 Nick Meaney, 5 Moses Leo, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Stefano Utoikamanu, 9 Harry Grant, 10 Josh King, 11 Shawn Blore, 12 Oryn Keeley, 13 Trent Loiero. Subs: 14 Trent Toelau (not used), 15 Alec MacDonald, 16 Jack Hetherington (not used), 17 Cooper Clarke, 18 Angus Hinchley, 19 Marion Seve

Tries: Utoikamanu (15), Meaney (22), Wishart (27, 40), Tuimalatu-Brown (32, 67, 80), Faalogo (60); Goals: Meaney 7/8; Sin bin: Leo (49) – shoulder charge

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 4-6, 4-12, 4-18, 4-24, 10-24, 10-30; 14-30, 14-34, 14-42, 20-42, 20-46

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match: Broncos: Ezra Mam; Storm: Nick Meaney

Penalty count: 4-6; Half-time: 10-30; Referee: Wyatt Raymond; Attendance: 36,476