Melbourne Storm won their 20th game of the season, 24-16 over North Queensland Cowboys.
North Queensland started the game well and were in front after the first quarter through Murray Taulagi’s second career try.
But the Storm took an eight-point lead in at the break thanks to two tries in the second quarter of the game. Sandor Earl cut inside well for the first before Nelson Asofa-Solomona crashed over with three minutes to go until the interval.
The Storm continued their momentum in the second half; Will Chambers grounded a grubber kick after three minutes and Cameron Smith added a penalty.
Smith was then denied a try due to an abstruction but Max King sealed the Storm’s win only a few minutes later. A good bit of play from the Cowboys resulted in Gavin Cooper scoring a consolation off Tom Opacic’s kick.
Storm: Papenhuyzen, Vunivalu, Chambers, Olam, Earl, Croft, Hughes, J Bromwich, C Smith, Asofa-Solomona, Kaufusi, K Bromwich, Finucane; Interchanges: King, Kamikamica, Stimson, Grant
Tries: Earl, Asofa-Solomona, Chambers, King; Goals: C Smith 4
Cowboys: Drinkwater, Feldt, Kahu, Opacic, Taulai, Asiata, Morgan, Bolton, Granville, McLean, Cooper, Wright, Taumalolo; Interchanges: McGuire, Hess, Hola, Molo
Tries: Taulagi, Feldt, Cooper; Goals: Feldt 2
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.