Having been to the three previous NRL Magic Round events, I’m skipping this year as the law of diminishing returns kicks in. By all means if you like drinking expensive booze, or not being able to watch your team play due to the neutral supporters constant need to leave their seats to obtain expensive booze, then go nuts and have fun.1 I think most Melbourne fans would prefer to have 12 home games in Victoria, but alas our extremely wealthy owners like the financial returns.2
For a counter argument as to why Magic Round is good, head here to read Matt Bungard’s take.
In honour of the event though, here’s a recap of Melbourne’s three previous matches.
S22E09 – Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels
In the first Magic Round, Melbourne had the Saturday evening slot, with Greg Alexander setting the scene on Fox:
I think it’s a real hard one to pick… the Storm coming off that loss against the Sharks who were under strength, Craig Bellamy challenges his team and says “if you don’t aim up, I’ll find some players who will”, well that’s the biggest part of it… but there’s also a sliver of me that thinks that the Eels might just get the Storm at a vulnerable moment. They’ve lost two out of their last three and the Eels were outstanding, but the Eels themselves have been hit and miss too with some great performances and some poor ones.3
It was the 200th game for Will Chambers, who was able to take his children on the field before kick off and pass them off. Blake Ferguson also played his 200th NRL match.4
The 2019 Melbourne Storm team wasn’t as vulnerable as Brandy said, but it was definitely a team in transition from the “big three” era to something new with Jahrome Hughes5 at fullback, Brodie Croft at halfback, and Ryan Papenhuyzen on the bench.
After a fairly scrappy first ten minutes with both teams trading errors, Cameron Munster crossed for the first try on the back off some pressure on the Parramatta line. Melbourne were able to get some offloads and Cameron Smith was able to do the things that made him the best. The skipper’s relentlessness saw Melbourne open up a 12–0 lead when Dale Finucane burrowed over.
After a couple of penalties, Parramatta were able to score when Shaun Lane crashed over, beating Croft and Curtis Scott to make it 14–6. Melbourne then put the magic into Magic Round, with Josh Addo-Carr putting the finishing touch to a movement started from a Suliasi Vunivalu bust down the right, coupled with a Munster kick that bounced away from Ferguson.
At 18–6 Melbourne were rolling over Parramatta, with Croft bombing a try under the posts, before Hughes bounced out of tackles for a try to take the scoreboard to 24–6 at half time.
Munster was en fuego and Melbourne made an attacked start to the second half that brought close run things but no tries. Things exploded five minutes into the half as Melbourne scored six tries in just 15 minutes. First up, Scott ran more than 100m to score, beating three including Clint Gutherson and then Ferguson on the line. Then Vunivalu was denied in the corner, but with Hughes flattened in back play by Maiko Sivo, Melbourne got the ball back as Sivo was sent to the sin bin.6
From the resultant penalty, Vunivalu was able to make amends from the missed opportunity with Papenhuyzen taking full advantage of the extra numbers. On the next set from the restart, Melbourne bust Parramatta open in the middle of the park with Munster getting the ball to Papenhuyzen, who in turn got it back to Munster and it was game over at 40–6, with the Storm having a massive 9–1 line break advantage.
Melbourne weren’t done there though with Scott rampaging down the right edge putting a kick back through to the middle which Gutherson couldn’t field cleanly, with Croft capitalising on the mistake to score yet another try. Before Sivo could return, Melbourne brought up the half century with the Papenhuyzen alarm signalling the end of the Eels chances in 2019. Paps entry to the game seeing him score a try and set up two more with his speed the difference.
Another try beckoned before Sivo’s return, but Scott did his best Chambers impression, failing to pass and losing the chance to score. Parramatta had one tackle with the ball while Sivo was off the field, but his return didn’t change much for the Eels as Melbourne kept forcing errors and easily making their way into prime attacking position. Kenny Bromwich would be the next try scorer, finding the line off a pass from his big brother Jesse, which meant that at 58–6 the skipper got an early mark.
With the intensity dropping, Parramatta was able to bring up their second try after a bit of possession inside the Melbourne 20m, but Melbourne was able to put the full stop on the game when Papenhuyzen fielded a bomb on the Storm line and after a weaving run was able to offload to Addo-Carr who turned Mitch Moses inside out to run 80m to score. Will Chambers had the honour of the final conversion attempt, scoring his second career goal.
Melbourne – 64 (Munster 12', 51', Addo-Carr 30', 78', Finucane 17', Hughes 38', Scott 44', Vunivalu 48', Croft 53', Papenhuyzen 55', K Bromwich 62' tries; C Smith 10/12 goals)
Parramatta – 10 (Lane 26', Sivo 68' tries; Moses 1/2 goals)
S24E10 – Melbourne Storm vs St George Illawarra Dragons
For Magic Round 2.0 in 2021, it was a high-scoring Melbourne Storm that breezed into Brisbane for a Sunday afternoon match up against the Dragons. This game was the week after the Souths smash up that I recalled a few weeks ago, with Melbourne in a purple patch of form scoring 40+ points in their last three matches in the peak #Vlandysball season.
With Ryan Papenhuyzen returning at fullback, Nicho Hynes moved to five-eighth, Melbourne were missing Cameron Munster, Harry Grant and Brandon Smith all missing through injury.7
The narrative of this game was the NRL’s crackdown on high tackles. Nicho Hynes would be the first Melbourne player to leave the field with a HIA, although he would later return to the field. Josh McGuire would be sent to the sin bin in just the eighth minute for a high tackle on Justin Olam, but the main drama was about to happen when Tyrell Fuimaono flattened Ryan Papenhuyzen after he passed for Josh Addo-Carr to open the scoring. Fuimaono was sent off8 and Papenhuyzen would be missing for two months of the season with concussion symptoms.
With the reserve player Dean Ieremia activated, Melbourne looked a little blech9 against 11 players, but eventually Kenny Bromwich10 would score on the left edge after Melbourne kept moving the ball from sideline to sideline.
At 10–0 up, McGuire returned from the naughty corner and the Dragons would be the next to score after Matt Dufty through a long ball to Mikaele Ravalawa to cross out wide. Addo-Carr was a chance of an intercept, but it was no dice. With 12 players, Saints were trying to be positive with the ball and should have scored a second try when Cody Ramsay picked up a Dufty kick out wide, only for George Jennings to do just enough to put him into touch, with the Bunker spotting Ramsay’s foot on the line. The Ben Hunt and Dufty combination causing a cobbled together Melbourne team11 some grief, especially on the edges.
Looking back on this game now, the hip drop tackle was already an epidemic – McGuire was lucky not to have been sin binned for one that forced Addo-Carr to be very sore and then leave the field, while later in the match Tyson Smoothy was forced off after a Tariq Sims hip drop tackle went unpunished by the referees.12
Super sub Ieremia would score with his first touch replacing Addo-Carr, scoring his first career try after making his debut a fortnight before. However, Ieremia would be targeted by the Dragons down the other end of the field, with Dufty again laying on the try for Ravalawa to send the teams to the sheds with Melbourne up 14–10.
Saints were looking dangerous, using their speed well, and it was the Hunt and Dufty show, until Dufty was forced from the field with a shoulder injury after being manhandled by Justin Olam and Dale Finucane in a tackle.
From there, it was the Hughes and Hynes Experience for Melbourne, as they started to tear up the very choppy Suncorp Stadium turf. The were able to send NAS over on the back of a bit of Storm pressure, as the Dragons kept making errors. Then Hughes finished off a sensational movement on the right edge as Hynes and Reimis Smith broke Saints apart on the right edge.
The best try of the match was next with Melbourne putting on the razzle dazzle football – Hynes found space on the right from a Hughes pass, Hynes got it back to Hughes who was somehow able to place a kick out to the left where Kenny Bromwich fielded the kick, passing to Addo-Carr who was wide open with teammates in support and not a Dragons player in sight.
At 30–10 up, Hynes was in everything. He would send Olam over from an attacking scrum win, and although Ravalawa would complete his hat trick, Hynes would get his fifth try assist with a long ball out to Jennings beating a tired Dragons defence.
There was time for one last bit of magic, with Addo-Carr scoring his ninth try in a fortnight, finishing off a Jacks kick after the bounce of the Steeden had originally evaded by the Foxx and Ravalawa.
Melbourne – 44 (Addo-Carr 10', 53', 71', K Bromwich 16', Ieremia 29', Asofa-Solomona 47', Hughes 51', Olam 58', Jennings 68' tries; Smoothy 3/5, Hynes 1/4 goals)
St George Illawarra Dragons – 18 (Ravalawa 20', 33', 61', Ramsey 79' tries; Norman 1/4 goals)
S25E10 – Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers
My instant mini review from this game last year can probably end this section before it even begins:
A not so #MagicRound as missing players turned it into a damp squib. Not really a fitting 1v2 battle between the last two premiers, which surely would have been better played in Victoria.
2022’s Magic Round Saturday night was moist. Super moist. Like 2021, Melbourne were missing a bunch of players, with Tyran Wishart starting at fullback, and Cooper Johns at halfback.
Let’s be real – this game was a punish to watch live (the rain and the crowd) and in replay at the time, and it hasn’t improved in 12 months.13 Melbourne just kept making silly errors. Whether it was Wishart dropping kicks, Johns throwing forward passes, or just poor defence from the right edge, Melbourne just weren't at the races.
Penrith were a class above Melbourne, moving quickly to a 12–0 lead with Nathan Cleary and Jarome Luai dominant, targeting Melbourne’s weakest links in defence. Meanwhile Melbourne looked clunky in attack, playing without rhythm or speed.
Melbourne’s only try of the game came after Harry Grant made ground from dummy half, with Cameron Munster able to find space to chip it out for Nick Meaney to cross on the left wing, catching Brian To'o infield. At 12–6 down, nominally Melbourne were in the game again, but whenever they had attacking field position, they would turn it over, with #Kleined not seeing much wrong with the Prefects.
Some silly passes, and a few soft penalties later saw Penrith almost score again, but Stephen Crichton was held up by Munster, but the Bunker ruled that Meaney had hit Dylan Edwards high,14 so Cleary took the penalty goal to make it 14–6.
That should have been the last of the scoring before half time, but Penrith would score again to end the game as a contest, as they were able to force a horrible error from Wishart who dropped a bomb from Luai under pressure from Viliame Kikau, with Izack Tago scoring the try.
After half time, you could see that Grant was trying to spark something in the middle, but it just felt like Melbourne were huffing and puffing, trying to be positive against the Panthers relentless pressure and patience. Melbourne would crack again with Kikau beating Johns to send Luai over untouched as Marion Seve went on an adventure. Penrith were just too good, especially on their left flank, and in defence their usual tactics were stifling anything Melbourne had to offer. Only Munster looked good for Melbourne,15 but the one man show wasn’t going to work against the reigning premiers.
The constant pressure from Penrith caused Melbourne to crack one more time, with Meaney having too much to stop Crichton close to the line. That Melbourne were able to defended their line for the rest of the game to not allow any more points was a good thing, but they had no chance of adding any more points due to errors and the general funk that had enveloped their attack.
Melbourne – 6 (Meaney 17' try; Meaney 1/1 goal)
Penrith – 32 (Tago 5', 36', Kikau 9', Luai 53', Crichton 62' tries; Cleary 6/6 goals)
Stat pack
Melbourne have played three previous matches on 6 May, beating Souths 38–14 in 2006, and 50–0 in 2021, but losing to the Dragons 14–34 in 2018.
Outside of AAMI Park and Olympic Park, Suncorp Stadium is Melbourne’s most visited venue, with 26 wins coming from 33 previous visits to the stadium.
Melbourne went 13 matches undefeated at Suncorp Stadium from 2017 to 2021, before losing three in a row against teams from NSW (including Magic Round in 2022).
Souths will be the tenth different team Melbourne have played at Suncorp Stadium.
Melbourne have played Souths at six venues, two in Victoria, three in NSW and three games at Perth’s HBF Park (in 2009, 2010 and 2017).
Team line-up
Nick Meaney
Will Warbick
Remis Smith
Justin Olam
Xavier Coates
Cameron Munster
Jahrome Hughes
Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Harry Grant
Christian Welch ©
Trent Loiero
Elisa Katoa
Josh King
Bronson Garlick
Aaron Pene
Tom Eisenhuth
Tariq Sims
Tyran Wishart
Grant Anderson
Tepai MoeroaJordan GrantJonah Pezet
Preview
At selection, Tom Eisenhuth was named to return, with Aaron Pene again coming off the bench in the absence of Alec MacDonald. Pene had a solid return to the squad against the Warriors and will be looking to consolidate his spot in the 17. I do worry about the bench combination though without MacDonald as they just don’t provide the same spark when coming into the fray.
When these teams meet at the end of March, Melbourne were able to arrest their early season slide, with improvements in attitude and effort. Melbourne held out Souths in the second half to take the points, but that was the last time the Bunnies have been defeated. They’ve gone a run that’s included wins over Penrith and Brisbane, scoring 20+ points in all four matches. Melbourne will do very well to restrict Souths to 20 points or less this week, which may need a refocus on those effort areas that they did so well back in round 5.
With Campbell Graham a constant threat on one side, and ultimate finisher Alex Johnston on the other, it could be a long night for Melbourne’s edges. The key though will again be that battle in the middle with Grant and Cook resuming their one-on-one duel. Grant got the points last time, so Cook will be looking to get forward16 to create space in the middle of the park.
With Melbourne coming off the bye, they should be ready to go hard this week, with a win consolidating a top four spot before the #wrongpriorities part of the season kicks in.
Reluctant to tip against Melbourne this week, but I did get a minor shock from Footy Maths Institute’s tip of a Souths 12 point win, with Melbourne languishing in 14th place in their rankings and projected to be on the cusp of missing the finals.17
Having seen the event described as “Dad schoolies” this week, that seems perfectly apt.
Coming soon will be the idiotic idea of gambolling irresponsibly away to the USA to play the opening match of the season.
Fox went all out for Magic Round in 2019 with Andrew Voss, Greg Alexander and Kevin Walters in the box, with Braith Anasta and Lara Pitt on the sidelines.
Wisely he didn’t take any vodka cruisers on the field.
In his moustache era.
He probably should have been sent off, but at that stage no player had been sent off for a high tackle since 2013. Sivo received a one game suspension from the match review, which feels light as Hughes also missed the next game with the concussion sustained in the hit.
Fox also reducing their numbers with Voss, Brandy and Jake Duke on the commentary.
With a five match suspension coming from the match review.
This was the word I used when watching the replay and I’m sticking with it.
Looking very fetch in the number 9 jersey.
Canadian International Ryley Jacks at five-eighth, Tyson Smoothy at hooker. Heady times.
This would be Smoothy’s last game for Melbourne with his PCL injured in the tackle.
Doesn’t help that Ginnane and Ennis were on commentary, with only Benji Marshall providing some useful insight.
No comment.
Getting the three points from me last year.
And constantly pass forward.
Numbers never lie?