S26E14 Preview – Not their first rodeo
A sunny afternoon in Townsville awaits, what could possibly go wrong.
Try as you might, there’s no avoiding the mid season exhibition games series, so if Origin chat is your thing, go read this from Nick Campton at the ABC, or this from Liam at The Maroon Observer.
But if you’re here for Storm chat, lets get into this week’s old match.
S08E26 – North Queensland Cowboys vs Melbourne Storm
Throwing back to 2005 with Melbourne’s trip to Dairy Farmers Stadium for a Saturday night final round of the season match up against the Cowboys. There was a big crowd in for this one,1 with both teams in the top eight ahead of the finals – Melbourne just ahead of the Cowboys in fifth spot on points difference.
Melbourne would welcome the return of Billy Slater at fullback, with Greg Inglis switching back to the wing (in jersey 18) in his rookie season. Ingis had scored five tries in 10 appearances for Melbourne, after starting the season in Queensland Cup with Norths Devils where he had scored 12 tries in just five games. This was the second match in the Robbie Kearns farewell tour after his final home game celebrations the week before against Wests Tigers. For North Queensland, former Storm forward Mitchell Sargent would come off the bench. On commentary for Fox Sports was Mark Braybrook, Scott Sattler and Gary Freeman.
Despite coming in to the match with the number 1 defence in the competition, Melbourne would be on the back foot after early tries to Matt Sing and Matt Bowen. Bowen was carving Melbourne up with his run giving the space for Cowboys halfback Brett Firman to grubber to Sing for the first try, while Johnathan Thurston combined with Bowen for the second try, with the pair able to isolate David Kidwell and Brett White in defence.
From the set after the Bowen try, Billy Slater would drop the ball after fielding a Thurston kick in the in-goal area. Paul Bowman would pick up the ball to score and the Cowboys were ahead of the clock at 18–0.
Melbourne would try and work themselves into the game, a Matt Orford kick out wide saw Matt Geyer almost score deep in the corner of the field, but the breakthrough came in the 28th minute when Steve Bell scored on the back of a Scott Hill pass. Video referee Graeme West awarded the try despite a hint of obstruction from a dummy run from Kidwell that fooled Firman.
With the try, Melbourne’s confidence was growing – Orford’s kick for Slater trapped Thurston behind the try line, and Cameron Smith went close after a barging run. The pressure paid dividends when Orford’s high kick for Inglis was gathered by the winger and despite being tackled in the air by Ty Williams he would score, with the try converted by Smith.2
The Cowboys would end the half 20–12 up after a penalty on Kidwell, after coming close to scoring when a bouncy grubber kick was bobbled by Smith.
Coming out from the break there was immediately controversy – Carl Webb got up from the play-the-ball and just king hit Ryan Hoffman.
This was just as bad as what Danny Williams had done the previous season to Mark O’Neill at Leichhardt Oval, the only difference being that Webb’s punch didn’t instantly knock out Hoffman.3 Inexplicably referee Tim Mander didn’t send off or sin bin Webb. Webb claimed he was the victim of grapple tackles:
"It is something they've been doing. I copped it at least twice, but it wasn't the best way to react to it. I was frustrated with the grapple tackles, and that pressure mounted to cause an explosion. I just got very hot-headed about it, but it's something I'm not very proud of. It was a ridiculous action.
Cameron Smith’s quotes after the match summing up the situation from Melbourne’s perspective:
I was at marker when it happened. I have played Origin with Carl Webb and he is a good bloke, but what happened last night was uncalled for. As soon as he did it, it reminded me straight away of what Danny Williams did.
Ryan Hoffman spoke with Steve Mascord in the days after the match:
It would be interesting to find out what Danny would think about the situation. There's a lot of similarities in the fact that I wasn't looking and there was a pretty fair punch. I feel what he did was totally uncalled for and very unsportsmanlike, hitting someone when they're not looking. I reckon it would have been interesting whether I had stayed down or I had been knocked out, whether that would have changed the suspension. So if he was to miss a grand final, I'm sure he wouldn't do it again. If they want to use the grapple as a defence for hitting someone when they're not looking, I reckon it's very much chalk and cheese. I didn't go in there to grapple, I didn't grapple. I just got up, he's holding onto me, I get away, he lets go, takes one step and I'm on the deck trying to figure out where my mouthguard went to.
Craig Bellamy had no sympathy for Webb:
I couldn't see anything in the tackle, and even if there was, when Danny got his 18 weeks, he was hit high and then head-slammed and that made no difference at all. What the judiciary has to decide on is what Carl Webb did, and looking at the video, it didn't look great for him.
Webb would fight to have the grade four striking charge downgraded by the NRL Judiciary, but would be suspended for six weeks for the incident, missing the Cowboys entire 2005 finals campaign.4
When play eventually resumed from the penalty tap restart, Smith would pass to Kidwell who sent Dennis Scott5 into a massive hole to score a try to bring the score to 20–18.
The next flash point in the game came in the 57th minute when Tim Mander awarded a penalty try to Matt Bowen. Bowen had kicked ahead for himself, coming together with Slater in the chase for the ball. Bowen had interfered with Slater first, but Slater responded by pretty much tackling Bowen with Smith able to knock the ball over the dead ball line. The video referee decision to award the penalty didn’t please the Melbourne players who claimed Bowen had grabbed Slater, but Slater’s actions left the officials with no choice but to award the penalty try.
Down by 8 points with 20 minutes left, Melbourne were able to get a roll on through the middle of the field. A Cooper Cronk kick down the left edge found Hoffman who was able to beat the defence to ground the ball cleanly. But the joy was short-lived with Bowen again causing the Storm headaches, this time threading a perfect kick through as he was being tackled for an unmarked Williams to score. Thurston would miss the kick, leaving Melbourne down 30–24 with just under 15 minutes left.
In a frantic final few minutes, Melbourne should have scored in the 75th minute through Kidwell, but a try-saving tackle from Thurston knocked the ball loose. Inglis would also go close to scoring, and Smith almost scored in the final minutes as Melbourne probed the line. In the last play of the game, Hill ran it on the last tackle only to be stopped short by desperate defence from the Cowboys with Shane Tronc the saviour.
North Queensland – 30 (Bowen 14' 57' (penalty), Sing 7', Bowman 17', Williams 66' tries; Thurston 5/6 goals)
Melbourne – 24 (Bell 28', Inglis 32', Scott 42', Hoffman 63' tries; Orford 2/2, Smith 2/2 goals)
The two teams would meet in the semi-finals a fortnight later in what was another controversial match for a number of reasons, with the teams engaging in some very interesting media talk in the lead up. But that’s a story for another time.
Stat pack
Melbourne have played four previous matches on 4 June, winning just once following a 6–26 loss in Canberra in 1999, a very forgettable 4–50 loss to the Dragons at Wollongong in 2000, an infamous 10–24 loss at Parramatta Stadium in 2010. The lone victory was a 24–6 win against Penrith at AAMI Park in 2016.
This will be Melbourne’s third trip to Queensland Country Bank Stadium, splitting their previous visits with the home team winning 36–6 last year.
That match was Melbourne’s first loss in Townsville since 2015, with Melbourne winning 15 of 21 matches at the Cowboys original home ground.
Melbourne have won 32 of the 43 matches against North Queensland. The Cowboys longest winning streak against Melbourne was three matches in 2005–06,6 with only one other time the Cowboys won consecutive matches coming in 2014–15.
These two teams have only played each other three times on a Sunday, twice on a Sunday evening (including the 2017 Grand Final) and once in the 4pm window at the Sunshine Coast in 2020.
Team line-up
Nick Meaney
Will Warbick
Remis Smith
Justin Olam
Xavier Coates
Cameron Munster (pending #wrongpriorities)
Jahrome Hughes
Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Harry Grant (pending #wrongpriorities)
Christian Welch ©
Trent Loiero
Elisa Katoa
Josh King
Bronson Garlick
Aaron Pene
Tui Kamikamica
Grant Anderson
Tyran Wishart
Marion SeveTom EisenhuthTariq SimsKane Bradley
Referee: Peter Gough
Preview
With a 2–1 record in what was a very interrupted May, Melbourne enter June with five games on the schedule, with the trip to North Queensland first up.
Hopefully both Queensland Origin players Cameron Munster and Harry Grant will be able to back up from the match, with captain Christian Welch not required by Queensland a certain starter. For some reason Grant Anderson has been named in the 17-man squad again, hopefully by Sunday he’s already played for the Sunshine Coast Falcons on Saturday and one of the reserves has been elevated to the squad. Those reserves include (for the first time this year) Marion Seve who has played seven games for the Brisbane Tigers in Queensland Cup this season. Kane Bradley also returns to the squad after his solo Storm appearance in round 2.
For the Cowboys, Valentine Holmes and player of the match Reuben Cotter should both back up, but doubts will be raised over Murray Taulagi who left the game with a head knock in the second half of Origin I. There is a sprinkling of former Storm players in the Cowboys line-up too with Scott Drinkwater and Jordan McLean running around for North Queensland. Ben Hampton has also been named on an extended bench for the home team. Cowboys captain Jason Taumalolo also a chance to return from injury for his first game since round 7.
Melbourne will be looking to build on consecutive 24–16 victories against the Broncos and Dolphins, facing another Queensland opponent.7 Sitting in fourth position thanks to bye points,8 Melbourne’s stats indicate that they’re a mid-table team at the moment and games like this are crucial to win should they be entertaining September football.
North Queensland also lost 24–16 in their last outing against Parramatta, but it was their 66–18 thumping by the Wests Tigers in round 12 that made everyone realise that all is not well in Townsville. Last year’s preliminary finalists are sitting in 16th on the ladder and questions are being raised about Todd Payten’s team that were glossed over during their success in 2022.
Let’s hope that Melbourne come out with the right attitude after the bye and aim up against the Cowboys. A Sunday afternoon in the Townsville sunshine could spell issues for a team that hasn’t been able to enjoy their usual mid-season fortnight away from AAMI Park. On balance Melbourne should win this one, but they’re going to need points to get the job done.
Posted at 22,471 it was the biggest crowd to watch this matchup since 1998. The Cowboys home average attendance had bounced back to the numbers from their inaugural season in 2005. Surprisingly their averages haven’t got back to these levels since their move to their much better stadium closer to central Townsville.
The goal kicking tandem of Orford and Smith – Smith would have score even more points than his current NRL record 2,786 had he been the full time kicker in 2004–05.
It did send his mouth guard flying and loosened a few of Hoffy’s teeth.
Whether that made a difference in a particular game later that season is for others to discuss.
Now an international television star.
Beginning with the match recalled in this post.
That shitty round 3 loss against the Titans costing Melbourne a chance of the Queensland Grand Slam in 2023.
I hate bye points SO MUCH. Just use the win percentage ladder please.