A group of footballers playing as the Melbourne Storm defeated a group of footballers playing as the Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, because that’s how the world works.
Brisbane – 22 (Pereira 13', 42', Flegler 4' tries; Rogers 5/5 goals)
Melbourne – 32 (Anderson 17', 33', Fa’alogo 37', 73', Papenhuyzen 55', Smith 69' tries; Papenhuyzen 4/6 goals)
Highlights of the comedy rugby league special at Suncorp Stadium.
From the first tackle this match looked like Brisbane versus Melbourne, but with a fresh new look.
Only Jack Howarth would start the match, playing down the right channel. Sua Fa’alogo and Joe Chan would have to wait for their turn off the bench.
Early problems
From a penalty1 Brisbane had the early running, taking advantage of field position when Tyson Smoothy2 put banana farmer Thomas Flegler over the line in the fourth minute. To say the defensive breakdown was terrible from the right channel defenders would be an understatement.
Melbourne would also benefit from a penalty to move down the field a couple of minutes later, with the first comedy of the night coming from Justin Olam forgetting how to execute a correct restart of play.3 In the ensuing set, Tepai Moeroa would come close to scoring his try of the season, but nothing would come of the opportunity.
The Grant Anderson Experience
In the first ten minutes it seemed like the Brisbane players wanted to inflict harm upon Grant Anderson. Then they remembered that having him on the wing could be exploited when they had the ball, with Tristan Sailor4 throwing a long ball past an absent Anderson for Jordan Pereira to score his first try of the night. Pereira stumbling in to score to take the Broncos lead to 12–0.5
Melbourne’s simple game plan formed the basis for Anderson to score his third career NRL try, but it would take a lovely 4th tackle grubber from Jayden Nikorima to get behind the Broncos defence. Anderson beating Chris Lewis to the ball without a Broncos player present. It was a really smart kick from Nikorima in just his second Storm game.6
From the restart, the next act of the Grant Anderson Experience was his attempt to field the restart with his boot. Fortunately his blushes were saved on this occasion by Lewis. Anderson would again be in the thick of the action when Nikorima’s dummy and perfect pass had the winger in the clear down the left sideline, only for this to be the result.
That chance needlessly wasted just added to the comedy value of this match. Ryan Papenhuyzen launching an attempted short drop-out into the front row of the stands was his slapstick moment of zen. Some sustained pressure from the home team was defended well by Melbourne, but with Sailor and Jock Madden realising that they needed to move the ball to their right and attack Anderson, there was always going to be more involvement coming for the winger.
That involvement coming when Anderson intercepted a Madden pass that was taken over 80m to the house by the winger, with Anderson this time avoiding any flirtations with the sideline. Paps converting this time to bring the Storm within two points.
He’s a Victorian, yes and so am I
Oh Sualauvi Fa’alogo. What a talent. Keen Storm fans have been tracking his progress through the NSWRL junior competitions with the Thunderbolts, and more recently with the Sunshine Coast Falcons. Coming on straight after Anderson’s second try, he slotted into fullback and almost immediately did what good fullbacks do.
Two fullbacks7 passing to each other in a spectacular highlight. You love to see it. Just like that Melbourne were in front at half time 14–12.
Inexperience
Of course in his first appearance, Fa’alogo wasn’t going to be perfect. Brisbane scored almost immediately after half time when he couldn’t get to a high kick from Madden before Sailor, with the pass out to Pereira to score his second. Sailor able to out-leap Fa’alogo, with Anderson caught out not being in the right place either to effect a tackle.
Of course Klein would need to impose himself on the contest, calling an escort penalty on a bewildered Nikorima who might have impeded Sailor if the Broncos fullback was actually attempting to contest the ball. The penalty converted by Josh Rogers extended the Broncos lead to 20–14.8
When Brendan Piakura was put on report for tackling Fa’alogo on suspicion, Melbourne were not able to seize the opportunity immediately, but the pressure being applied by the Melbourne defensive line created more turnovers. Those turnovers providing Papenhuyzen his first NRL try in 427 days, when he backed up a line-break from Tyran Wishart. I’d love to know what position Wishart wants to play NRL in the long term. I don’t know that he’s a fullback and I’m not sure he’s big enough physically to be be a starting hooker. I hope he’s not trapped forever in the utility mindset of adapting to any opportunity given to him, however team orientated that is right now. Justin Olam was an interesting study too. He looked confident enough at left centre, so it will be interesting to see if his return is limited to just this cameo.
At 20–all, the turning point of the second half could have been when Klein sent Reimis Smith to the sin bin in the 58th minute. It might have been a professional foul worthy of a sin bin, but given Klein’s predilection for inconsistency, it was annoying when he didn’t apply the same ruling later in the match.
Brisbane would take the two points, and as Liam wrote at Maroon Observer:
“Never mind the blown tries and the insistence on going right when there was a left option, taking the two with Reimis Smith in the bin was tactically inept at best and pathetic at worst. Not only was a prime attacking opportunity against a weak defence wasted but the goal and restart chewed 90 seconds out of a precious 10 minute advantage. The Storm, whether it be their regular guys or the Sunshine Coast-Easts Tiger-Falcons, can sense weakness as sensitively as a shark with blood in the water or any child with a substitute teacher. Melbourne aimed up and won the game.”
Hoodoo voodoo
Melbourne killed the Broncos power play and immediately Smith got his vengeance, beating three Brisbane defenders to score in the corner to put Melbourne in front with a lead that they wouldn’t give up.
The final ten minutes (combined with the ten minutes while Smith was in the sin bin) felt awfully like the Michael Jordan “I took that personally” moment from The Last Dance. This Melbourne team weren’t going to be the team to lose to Brisbane at Lang Park. The weight of history can often be an impediment in situations like this, but it really felt like this team of replacements and misfits wanted to be part of something bigger than just the 80 minutes.
Fa’alogo scoring his second try off the back of a forced error was Melbourne at their best. The names may change, but the determination remains. There’s been moments this season where attitude and effort have been questioned of Melbourne, but these final 20 minutes was pure Melbourne Storm rugby league. That Melbourne wanted to extend the lead — Sims went close when he was held up, and Garlick should have extended the lead further but for a no try decision.
At full time, Melbourne had their 14th straight victory against the Broncos and maintained that unbeaten run since 2009 against the Broncos at their home patch.
Post match quotes
Bellsa was joined by acting captain (number 27 in club history) Josh King:
I was really proud the way they played tonight. We had a couple of little rough patches there, but the way they fought back after being 12-0 [down] and then the Broncos scored first in the second half there, that didn't seem to knock the enthusiasm out of them at all.
I was really happy and real proud with the way they came through a couple of tough times there. They just never give up and kept hanging in there and we got the result in the end.
As a team it was a real tough effort.
On Sua:
There were lots of time during the year where we wanted to give him a start, but it probably wasn’t the right time or the right game. We know he’s a brave little player… he still needs to learn a few things about the game, but we all see the potential that he’s got.
Josh King in his first presser as acting skipper:
[after sitting quietly for almost nine minutes]
The start to both of our halves was probably not ideal, and then Reimis getting sent to the bin, the boys really dug deep in both of those periods. The momentum was against us and it’s tough to reel it back and that Broncos side had a lot of quality players in it, so I was really happy with how the boys handled those situations and really dug deep and backed our defence. So really good.
Love your work ⚡#219!
Was it worth it?
In the years to come, the comedic tale of this match will be legend. From the moment it was clear that both teams were resting players ahead of the finals, this match was always going to be fun. That the Sydney crisis merchants went in search of a problem with what Brisbane and Melbourne did with their team selections was fabulous too.
Without the mass resting of players, this game might just have been another entry in the canon of Broncos versus Storm matches at Suncorp Stadium, but with both teams fielding debutants and players without a lot of NRL experience, it was almost must-see TV for fans at home, and there were still 43,271 fans cheering on inside the stadium.
I wrote the line in the preview that this was the Brisbane Souths Seagulls versus the Melbourne Easts Falcons, and while that was a tongue-in-cheek reference to the 2000 match between these teams at Olympic Park, I thoroughly enjoyed the various narratives this match contained. Whether that’s the fifth Victorian to debut for the Storm, the long-awaited debut of a boom rookie, or even the debut of a Queensland Cup points scoring machine for the Broncos, each player who played in this match as a replacement for a rested regular deserved their moment to shine.
This was a quality contest between 34 players who wanted to win for two fanbases who hate to lose, especially against this opponent. I know as the second half progressed I was in my usual element (that is hating on #Kleined), and how could you not enjoy the joy on the face of Sualauvi Fa’alogo.
Plus, if it comes to pass that Melbourne winning cost the Broncos a trophy, well that’s always a good thing.
10/10
Storm Machine Player of the Year
After watching the game live, I must admit it was hard to get a read on who Melbourne’s best players were. Nine gave their player of the match award to Tariq Sims who immediately gave credit to others, with Tepai Moeroa top of the list. There were some players who I probably would have given points to, but on the balance of their whole performance just missed out.
Round 27 points:
3 – Tepai Moeroa
2 – Sualauvi Fa’alogo
2 – Jayden Nikorima
1 – Grant Anderson
Leaderboard
29 – Harry Grant
23 – Jahrome Hughes
20 – Cameron Munster
14 – Nick Meaney
10 – Christian Welch, Trent Loiero
9 – Will Warbrick, Eliesa Katoa
8 – Xavier Coates
7 – Nelson Asofa-Solomona
6 – Josh King
5 – Tui Kamikamica
3 – Tepai Moeroa
2 – Alec MacDonald, Jonah Pezet, Marion Seve, Young Tonumaipea, Sualauvi Fa’alogo, Jayden Nikorima
1 – Reimis Smith, Justin Olam, Tom Eisenhuth, Grant Anderson
Next up
Qualifying final – details to be announced
We’ll have to wait until the rest of the weekend plays out before knowing who,9 where,10 and when Melbourne will be playing next week. Hopefully Jahrome Hughes will be back in action from his injury break and everyone else will be well rested and ready to fire up for the finals.
Merch drop alert
Interesting. Liking the gold text, as always hating that it’s a black t-shirt.
Click here to buy it direct from the club.
As always, the undertone you should have dear reader from any penalty awarded by Ashley Klein is that it should be prefaced in the text as “a dodgy penalty…”
MOB ⚡#211.
One day a referee will penalise a team for doing this, or restarting play with team mates in an offside position and the planet will flutter on its axis.
Also known as the Accused.
Reminder that the Broncos using the worst song in the history of the universe, Chelsea fucking Dagger as their post-try celebration music is a hate crime.
Finally getting out of the One Game Wonders team.
Paps kicking game as a pseudo-halfback might keep him out of that position for the rest of his career.
This was actual commentary on Nine:
PAUL VAUTIN: What about you Cam, did you do many escorts in your day?
CAMERON SMITH: Ahhh no. Zero. I was too tired.
Did this actually go to air or was it in the commercial break?
Penrith or Brisbane.
Ditto.