MELBOURNE STORM 26
CANTERBURY BULLDOGS 18
IAN HOWE, AAMI PARK, Friday

THE opening match of this season’s NRL playoffs saw the Storm overcome a gallant challenge from the Bulldogs to earn a week’s break, while the Bulldogs will now face the winner of tomorrow’s clash between the Warriors and Panthers at Accor Stadium next weekend.
Melbourne came into the game without Jahrome Hughes (broken wrist) and Ryan Papenhuyzen (concussion protocol) who both suffered injuries last weekend in the Storm’s 30-14 loss against the Brisbane Broncos. They were also without the suspended Nelson Asofa-Solomona, although Harry Grant returned from suspension, Jonah Pezet replaced Hughes and Stefano Utoikamanu was back in the squad.
The Bulldogs welcomed back Jacob Kiraz from an ankle injury, while Catalans-bound Toby Sexton was on the bench.
The Bulldogs lost Viliame Kikau to a stray elbow in the first minute, but remarkably he returned to the field on 18 minutes after passing a head-injury assessment.
A great pass from Pezet created an early opening try for Storm by Eliesa Katoa.
And the Bulldogs faced a major problem when their skipper Stephen Crichton left the field with a leg injury for Sexton to take the field in the 21st minute. And Sexton scored immediately to level the scores from an offload by Kikau that hit his knee, confirmed by the Bunker after the referee had initially thought it was a knock-on.
Jason Chan left the field on 22 minutes after a head clash with Harry Hayes, failing his head-injury assessment.
Nick Meaney edged Melbourne ahead with a penalty after Kikau made a dangerous tackle, but the Bulldogs took the lead when Kiraz scored in the corner from a great pass by Connor Tracey.
However, the Storm hit back when Pezet kicks a 40-20, leading to a converted try for substitute Ativalu Lisati.
The Bulldogs hit the front again on 58 minutes when Matt Burton scored a try in the left centre position vacated by Crichton from a pass by Kikau.
But when a Pezet kick won a goal-line drop-out, Tyran Wishart was fed by Grant to put the Storm back in the lead and the match was finally decided three minutes from the end when Will Warbrick intercepted a Kikau offload near his own line and ran 90 metres to touch down.

GAME STAR: Jonah Pezet was selected to replace the injured Jahrome Hughes and played a great part in guiding the Storm around the field.

GAMEBREAKER: The outcom wasn’t decided until Will Warbrick’s late interception try.

STORM
1 Nick Meaney
2 Will Warbrick
3 Grant Anderson
20 Jack Howarth

5 Xavier Coates
6 Cameron Munster
14 Jonah Pezet
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Harry Grant
10 Josh King
4 Joe Chan
12 Eliesa Katoa
13 Trent Loire
Subs (all used)

7 Tyran Wishart
11 Ativalu Lisati
15 Alec MacDonald
16 Tui Kamikamica

Tries: Katoa (4), Lisati (35), Wishart (66), Warbrick (77)
Goals: Meaney 3/3, Pezet 2/2

BULLDOGS
1 Connor Tracey
2 Jethro Rinakama
3 Enari Tuala
4 Stephen Crichton
23 Jacob Kiraz
6 Matt Burton
7 Lachlan Galvin
8 Max King
9 Bailey Hayward
16 Josh Curran
11 Viliame Kikau
12 Jacob Preston
13 Jaeman Salmon
Subs (all used)
14 Kurt Mann
15 Sitili Tupouniua
21 Toby Sexton
22 Harry Hayes

Tries: Sexton (21), Kiraz (30), Burton (58)
Goals: Burton 3/3

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 8-6, 8-12, 14-12; 14-18, 20-18, 26-18

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match


Storm: Jonah Pezet
Bulldogs: Matt Burton

Penalty count: 2-1

Half-time: 
14-12

Referee: Adam Gee
Attendance: 22,117