Summary
That was one of those afternoons that won’t be remembered as a classic, but a character building exercise for both groups. Melbourne survived a half without wounded skipper Cameron Smith, and the already injury-ravaged Knights refused to give in despite playing the second 40 with only 15 men, and ten of those minutes with only 12 on the field.
Melbourne’s ability to convert at crucial moments proved the difference with Cameron Munster making good decisions at stand-off and Ryan Papenhuyzen (240m gained) offering a spark from fullback. The young star’s first-half solo effort deserved a grander stage but will be on the try of the year shortlist.
The Storm would also have enjoyed their depth players standing up when it counted. Tino Fa’asuamaleaui (195m) was a real force and deserved his try while Nicho Hynes and Tom Eisenhuth performed excellently.
For the Knights it was a case of failing to capitalise on their purple patch early in the first half. Despite appearing the better side a quarter of the way into the contest they found themselves 12-6 behind on the scoreboard and never seriously threatened thereafter. Ponga was dangerous, but there was a lack of cohesion around the Storm line that saw momentum ebb away harmlessly time and again.
The Storm continue their assault on the top of the ladder and will welcome the Bulldogs next, before a daunting run of fixtures that will really test their premiership mettle. By contrast, Newcastle are now in a dogfight just to make the finals, and with such a brutal injury list they need a change of fortune if they’re going to make it.
Thank you, as always, for joining me tonight. I’ll see you again soon.
Updated
Storm 26-16 Knights
So Melbourne Storm prevail in a bruising encounter that will keep both sets of medicos busy for the next few days.
78 mins: Pearce has to play on the last tackle deep in his own half, and he kicks superbly out wide to the onrushing Tuala, but Hynes is on hand to lay a magnificent sliding tackle to drag the Knights winger into touch.
77 mins: Melbourne attack down the right, kick, and Ponga collects on his own line. A long long way to go to score 10 points from there.
76 mins: Newcastle know it’s now or never, but after some neat hands down the right Hunt is manhandled by Addo-Carr and Eisenhuth into touch.
TRY! Storm 26-16 Knights (Tuala 74)
And Newcastle make Melbourne pay. Excellent work in the lead up by Tuala to push the Storm defence backwards, then the winger collects a neat chip through to dive over in the left corner.
Ponga cannot add the extras with his left boot from the touchline.
After saving one earlier, Tuala scores a try! #NRLStormKnights #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/cg95ZDer0h
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
Updated
74 mins: Another needless Storm error hands the Knights a set restart on tackle four with Newcastle treading water around halfway. Craig Bellamy must be blowing up.
71 mins: The Storm are masters at seeing out games like this, but two penalties in the Knights set suggests they may still be vulnerable. Six tackles to Newcastle just 10m out, but the ball movement is not slick enough and the drive ends with Hughes soaring to claim a Pearce bomb under no pressure.
TRY! Storm 26-12 Knights (Fa'asuamaleaui 67)
Storm don’t need to dwell on their misfortune for long though, the mightily impressive Fa’asuamaleaui bullocking his way through the ragged Knights defence, dragging Ponga with him for about 10m of a 30m run.
Munster adds two more to seal the deal.
Good luck stopping big Tino 😤#NRLStormKnights #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/Bves5mHYJh
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
Updated
66 mins: And from that resulting play Melbourne score, or do they? Vunivalu celebrates after catching a high Hughes bomb to the right corner, but in the process of rolling over to ground the ball a Knights tackler dislodges the ball and the bunker keeps the scores as they are.
65 mins: Munster’s kick-off goes dead, and the Knights will have to drop-out. Huge result for Melbourne.
TRY! Storm 20-12 Knights (Guerra 64)
Saulo is back on for the last 20 minutes as Newcastle push and probe looking for the vital score. Ponga is everywhere, drawing defenders one way then the other in midfield, then straightening up and hitting the line further wide. And one of those runs creates enough space for Guerra to spin his way over the line - and the Knights have the try they craved!
Ponga adds the extras. Do we have a game on our hands again?
The @NRLKnights hit back through Guerra 💪#NRLStormKnights 20-12 with 15 minutes to go. #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/KjR3KhvQy4
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
Updated
61 mins: The pattern is broken when Welch concedes a penalty on the Newcastle line and the Knights have chance to reset from halfway. The blue halves jink their way downfield before Pearce kicks dangerously, forcing Hynes to accept a line drop-out.
59 mins: The Knights only travel about 30m before they’re forced to kick, such is the tenacity of Melbourne’s defence and the fatigue setting in the tired Novocastrian bodies. Melbourne can’t penetrate with ball in hand though, the past few sets something of a holding pattern with neither side overcommitting.
57 mins: Fa’asuamaleaui again leading the charge for Melbourne, making Newcastle earn every tackle. The Knights continue to defend stoutly with 12 men though.
Bradman Best is limping heavily on the left wing. Newcastle really are jinxed.
PENALTY! Storm 20-6 Knights (Munster 55)
Melbourne enjoy a more dangerous set with Fa’asuamaleaui to the fore once more - big Tino has caught the eye this half. By the kick Storm are deep in Newcastle territory and Smith’s grubber provokes a penalty and another two-point opportunity that Munster gladly accepts.
In more good news for Melbourne, Hughes is back into the fray.
52 mins: Melbourne must be able to sniff blood now, but Finucane loses in contact close to the line and Newcastle escape, for now.
Hughes has now limped from the field after that penalty incident.
Sin-bin! Knights: Saulo
51 mins: Neither side looks fluent with ball in hand right now, and bodies are going down left right and centre. The latest to feel some pain is Melbourne’s Hughes after he’s recklessly tackled after kicking by Saulo, and the Knight substitute gets 10 minutes in the bin. Newcastle’s interchange is down to one - and Bradman Best is proppy, getting his ankle restrapped!
Updated
48 mins: The Knights are becoming more expansive in their sets but Melbourne are defending resolutely. They’re then gifted the ball on halfway when Moga butchers the play the ball. Not long afterwards Kenny Bromwich spills a simple pass and the ball’s back in Newcastle hands.
46 mins: The Knights have A1 field position but look ungainly for a couple of tackles, losing ground and momentum until Ponga straightens them up. The set ends with a poor kick and in the blink of an eye Vunivalu has legged it to halfway and the Storm are back where they like to play.
44 mins: The Knights don’t panic despite the early pressure and after a neat offload earn a penalty in Storm territory for a Brandon Smith high tackle. They attack with purpose and by the last tackle Ponga’s high kick to the right corner is almost gobbled up, but earns them a line drop-out nonetheless.
In bad news for Newcastle, both Randall and Fitzgibbon have failed their HIAs after their clash of heads in the first half. The Knights are down to their fifth-choice hooker! Unbelievable.
42 mins: Fa’asuamaleaui is into the fray early, laying a huge hit, that’s perilously close to a shoulder charge, then driving the Storm miles downfield, earning a set restart in the process.
Here we go for the second half.
Just a reminder Cam Smith is out of the game with a low grade AC joint injury. It was first feared it could be something serious, but the Storm are downplaying any concern, even suggesting their skipper could be fit to rejoin the fray later on if required.
Newcastle spent minutes five to 25 the dominant side on the Sunshine Coast, but end the half 12 points behind.
The stats reveal the Knights only completed 12 sets in the half (to 18), missed 23 tackles (to seven), and conceded five linebreaks (to one).
Half-time: Storm 18-6 Knights
Plenty going on in that first half. Brilliant skills, crunching tackles, injuries galore, and it ends with Melbourne leading by 12 points.
PENALTY! Storm 18-6 (Munster 40)
Munster is something special. First he pinches a Knight pocket to claim a one-on-one strip, then he uses some neat footwork to recover possession after Storm lost the ball in contact. That brilliance keeps Melbourne on the attack with the siren looming and from the final play the kick under the posts is repelled illegally by a Newcastle hand and the Storm have a golden two-point opportunity from point-blank range. Munster cannot miss.
39 mins: Again Melbourne lose the ball in the right centre with space out wide. Seve this time with questions to answer after Hughes won a one-on-one strip.
Kaufusi is the latest player down receiving treatment. This is turning into a war of attrition.
37 mins: Melbourne have left four points out there. Standard play through hands to the right wing but Papenhuyzen, into the line with the final pass his to send, delivers a horrible offload to Vunivalu who fumbles at shin height with the try line inches away.
36 mins: The Storm back up their score with an excellent couple of sets, pinning the Knights deep in their own territory then forcing a turnover 35m from the Newcastle line. There’s a stoppage two tackles in when Randall and Fitzgibbon clash heads. That looked nasty for both Knights. They have the worst luck with injury. That #9 jersey is cursed this season.
In other injury news, Cameron Smith is done for the day with a low grade AC joint injury.
TRY! Storm 16-6 Knights (Papenhuyzen 34)
Melbourne are dominating territory for the first time this half, but a Brandon Smith hospital pass releases the pressure for the Knights, which was harsh on Munster who had won a one-on-one strip for no reward.
Newcastle go down the other end but can’t find the killer pass down the right and then... and then... oh boy! Ryan Papenhuyzen with the try of the year! Ponga’s grubber isn’t great, but it’s a tough one for the Storm fullback to collect off his laces, not only that but he finds a step to almost dislocate both Ponga’s knees as he picks up speed, then dashes on an angle the remaining 90m or so to the right corner, somehow avoiding the chasing Knights pack. What a try. Wow!
Munster misses the extras from the right sideline, he’s on kicking duties while Smith’s off the field.
Wowee 😲
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
An incredible run from @ryanpapenhuyzen!#NRLStormKnights #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/ntYwGR0GJx
Updated
30 mins: Solid footy from both sides until Seve beats his man on the right whitewash, gaining the Storm 50m. The next set sees Munster’s eyes open wide with Addo-Carr in acres down the left but his kick to the corner is parried away superbly by the flying Ponga.
TRY! Storm 12-6 Knights (Cameron Smith 25)
Newcastle have pressurised Melbourne in the past 20 minutes, and again look to have kept them inside their own half for a full set... until Kenny Bromwich breaks the line in the left centre position, dashes 30m before deciding which teammate should finish the job. He chose his ageing skipper over the flying Addo-Carr, but the veteran had enough strength to get to the line, with a couple of rolls.
The points scoring machine got up, dusted himself down, and kicked two more for good measure. The Knights have been the better of these two sides so far, but Melbourne lead by six.
Kenny Bromwich sets up @CamSmith9! #NRLStormKnights 12-6 after 26 minutes. #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/Ml3PWbNHEm
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
Updated
22 mins: Mitch Barnett is in the thick of the action, first nailing Papenhuyzen then Brandon Smith, with fierce tackles. However, the latter, in tandem with Pearce, lifted the Storm forward off his feet and Melbourne earn a penalty. They attack with rare purpose, Hughes and Cameron Smith to the fore, but the move ends tamely with an overhit grubber offering the Knights a seven tackle set.
21 mins: From that next set Munster shows and goes to break the line but doesn’t have the speed to get beyond Ponga. From the next play Hughes kicks early for Vunivalu to chase and it’s a desperate scramble behind for a line drop-out to save the Knights.
Melbourne can’t make anything of their bonus set though with Addo-Carr bundled out of touch when the Storm switch the ball wide to the left.
20 mins: The Knights look especially dangerous on the left edge, and they probe that way for a set until Pearce shifts his vision and kicks right where Munster claims a bomb and is tackled in the air to earn a pressure relieving penalty.
18 mins: It’s all going against Melbourne for the time being. After four tackles they earn a penalty for a strip in a tackle but Klemmer convinces Pearce to challenge and it’s a successful decision, the ball coming loose in the course of a well executed tackle. All Newcastle at the moment.
16 mins: ANOTHER set restart for the Knights, and again it invites the Knights to attack deep in Storm territory. Ponga orchestrates a lovely drive and he pulls the trigger with a huge spiral pass out to the right wing, but it’s inches too high for Tuala to gather and Melbourne survive.
14 mins: The Storm can’t make much of their time in possession and soon after kicking the ball back to their opponents they concede another set restart, inviting the Knights onto them once more. From the latest attack Fitzgibbon hits the line at speed and almost crashes through before Ponga’s delicate grubber bounces agonisingly long. After Melbourne’s serene start, the Knights are bossing things.
12 mins: The Knights have started brightly, gaining metres with every play and looking to move the ball with intent. They move downfield with purpose again, but Mann tries too much and has an ambitious pass picked off by the sharking Vunivalu.
10 mins: Safe from both sides for a set apiece, the play punctuated by superb kicking from first Ponga, then Munster, but the latter’s ends up with a Knights penalty following an over-eager chase.
TRY! Storm 6-6 Knights (Best 7)
The Knights only needed one invitation to level the scores thanks to Bradman Best. After the Storm put in a decent set after the kick-off the Knights earned a set restart on their drive back. This took them 20m from home when Best bullied his way beyond a soft defensive effort from Seve, breaking the line, then dashing over.
Ponga was untroubled by the conversion attempt.
Game on!
Classy from Best 👏#NRLStormKnights#TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/kXBUHJrCUc
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
Updated
TRY! Storm 6-0 Knights (Vunivalu 4)
The Storm’s second set of the match progresses much like the first, until they’re handed a set restart on halfway and the intensity is ratcheted up a notch. They reach the 10m line by the last tackle before a simple move from the posts to the right wing ends with Vunivalu touching down. That was training drill stuff. Nothing fancy, just one dummy runner, safe hands, and four points. Dangerously easy from Melbourne.
With the sun in his eyes Cameron Smith slots the extras.
The @storm are on the scoreboard early! #NRLStormKnights #TelstraPremiership pic.twitter.com/Qq8o1Pfuyf
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
Updated
2 mins: Both sides enjoy solid opening sets. Nothing flash in the early exchanges with the big lads keeping it tight through the middle.
Kick-off!
We’re underway in the final match of this Indigenous round.
The teams are out on the field. Melbourne all in purple, Knights in blue jerseys and white shorts. The players are stood in a boomerang formation while a ceremony celebrating Indigenous round takes place.
I am not jealous at all of the glorious weather on the Sunshine Coast and the ability of Queenslanders to attend live sport. Sad face.
The Eels clung on in the end, 18-16 winners of the battling Bulldogs.
Down to the wire 😅#NRLBulldogsEels#NRLIndigenous pic.twitter.com/Z383PrVJvI
— NRL (@NRL) August 2, 2020
One of the highlights of Indigenous round is the art on display, on jerseys, on boots and around the competition.
Most of the lads rate this jersey as our best ever 🖤💛❤️
— Melbourne Storm (@storm) August 2, 2020
Here's the symbolism of our Indigenous Jersey explained: pic.twitter.com/SQoFB6rdw3
Count down to kick-off with Nick Tedeschi’s take on the latest Sonny Bill Williams saga.
But that run of favourites prevailing is being put to the test at ANZ Stadium where a resurgent Bulldogs have battled back from 0-18 to 16-18 with just ten minutes to go against the high-flying Eels.
Everyone at the business end of the ladder has claimed the two points so far this round, but only the Panthers have done it easy.
Apologies for the paucity of updates so far. I’m going to be honest, I am keeping one eye on the news coming out of the press conference about the new restrictions to stop the spread of Covid-19 in my home state of Victoria. If anyone has any tips on how to keep a 4.5 year old occupied for the next six weeks, I am all ears.
I wouldn’t mind spending a few weeks on the Sunshine Coast with the Storm boys.
Knights XVII
The walking wounded Knights call up fourth-choice hooker Chris Randall for just his second NRL outing, Josh King and Phoenix Crossland to replace Andrew McCullough, Connor Watson and Sione Mata’utia.
1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Enari Tuala, 3 Tautau Moga, 4 Bradman Best, 5 Hymel Hunt, 6 Kurt Mann, 7 Mitchell Pearce, 8 David Klemmer, 9 Chris Randall, 10 Jacob Saifiti, 11 Lachlan Fitzgibbon, 12 Aidan Guerra, 13 Mitch Barnett, 14 Phoenix Crossland, 15 Josh King, 16 Pasami Saulo, 17 Herman Ese’ese
Storm XVII
Craig Bellamy has shuffled his pack this week, and that includes making a couple of game day changes to his Storm line-up. Marion Seve, Tom Eisenhuth and Jesse Bromwich all make the starting XIII, while Nicho Hynes comes in on the bench. Albert Vete, Brenko Lee, Paul Momirovski and Justin Olam all miss out.
1 Ryan Papenhuyzen, 2 Suliasi Vunivalu, 3 Marion Seve, 17 Tom Eisenhuth, 5 Josh Addo-Carr, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 21 Jesse Bromwich, 9 Cameron Smith, 10 Christian Welch, 11 Felise Kaufusi, 12 Kenneath Bromwich, 13 Dale Finucane. INT: 8 Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 14 Brandon Smith, 15 Tino Fa’asuamaleaui, 19 Nicho Hynes
Preamble
Hello everybody and welcome to live coverage of the biggest clash of this NRL 2020 Indigenous round between Melbourne Storm and Newcastle Knights. We’ll be underway at Sunshine Coast Stadium around 4.05pm.
Aside from Penrith’s blowout over Manly last night it’s been a pretty tight round in the NRL, but this is the only fixture of the weekend with an all-top eight line-up, so hopefully we’ve saved the best for last.
These sides met as recently as round five with the Storm running out 14-point victors, but the margin was tough on the Knights who played their part in one of the contests of the season. Adam O’Brien will have his side fired up for revenge.
Newcastle have their work cut out though. They haven’t beaten Melbourne since 2015, a run stretching nine games, during which time they have only once kept their storied opponents under 20-points. Then there’s the small matter of the Storm enjoying ominous form, taking the two points from nine of 11 matches this season, including five on the spin.
The Knights, by contrast, suffered one of the upsets of the year last time out, at the hands of the Bulldogs. That was their third loss in five rounds, sending them from the race for the top four into a battle to remain in the eight.
Some of this dip in form can be attributed to an horrendous injury list featuring the likes of Sione Mata’utia, Tim Glasby, Daniel Saifiti, Edrick Lee, Jayden Brailey, Andrew McCullough, and Connor Watson. Incredibly, the Knights head into round 12 searching for their fourth-choice hooker.
Ok, time for me to make sure I have a hot cup of tea in arm’s reach and have no further need to leave my Victorian bunker for the next six weeks.
If you want to get in touch at any point, you can find me on Twitter or by email.
