Melbourne travel to the Allianz Stadium to play the Sydney Roosters with the new version of the SFS the 39th venue to host a NRL match featuring the Storm. It’s the first new venue Melbourne’s played at since travelling to Wagga Wagga to play the Raiders at McDonalds Park in 2022.
When planning this week’s preview, I wasn’t going to feature a look back at an old Storm match against this week’s opponent, but then I remembered this match from 2015 was also played on April 18 and it just made sense.
S18E07 – Melbourne Storm vs Sydney Roosters
2015 was an odd year for the Melbourne Storm. The previous season had ended in a very tame loss to the Bulldogs in an elimination final at AAMI Park. Ryan Hoffman (Warriors) and Sisa Waqa (Raiders) had departed on big money contracts, while the ends of the George Rose and Ben Roberts experiments were welcomed by most fans. Melbourne had signed Blake Green to come in as a much-needed foil for Cooper Cronk, while Dale Finucane would bring starch to the forward pack.
By this match in round 7, Melbourne were tracking well through the opening rounds — winning away at Kogarah and Canberra, and beating Cronulla and the Warriors at AAMI Park. There were losses at #FortressShithole (Round 2) and a golden point loss to the Cowboys (Round 4) which saw the Storm enter this match in second on the NRL ladder.
This would be Cameron Munster’s third career NRL match, filling in at fullback for Billy Slater who had been crunched in a tackle by Manu Vatuvei in the win over the Warriors a few weeks before. Munster wearing jersey number 21 had scored his first try in the win against Canberra the previous week. That match was played in wet conditions and similar conditions would greet the teams on this Saturday night in Melbourne.
The Roosters came into this one on the back of consecutive losses, and should have been on the board early when a grubber kick from Mitchell Pearce bounced up for Mitchell Aubusson, but the forward couldn’t cleanly grasp the ball and ground it in front of Munster.
Melbourne’s attack wasn’t firing early in this one, but the Storm would open the scoring through the aerial skills of Marika Koroibete. The Fijian winger flying high to catch a Cooper Cronk cross-field kick, out jumping Roosters winger Nene MacDonald to put Melbourne 4–0 up inside the first 15 minutes.
The visitors hit back almost immediately after a penalty against Tohu Harris gave them a repeat set on the Melbourne line. A set play from Roosters halves Pearce and Maloney putting Aubusson into a huge gap in the Melbourne left side defence.1 A couple more penalties2 for the visitors would take their lead out to 10–4 with 30 minutes played.
Finally able to get some field position, Melbourne drew level just before half time, Felise Kaufusi scoring his second career try, crashing over near the posts through some soft defence from the Roosters.
After half time, this match was a grinding affair with both teams completing their sets despite the conditions.3 Melbourne looked to have broken the deadlock in the 62nd minute when Green’s solo effort saw him cross the line while being tackled by three defenders, but his attempt to reach out and score had him put the ball on the leg of Dylan Napa without finding the turf. MacDonald would also go close for the Roosters, only just being tackled into touch trying to score in the corner.
It wouldn’t be until the 74th minute that Melbourne went back in front, Will Chambers crossing over after finding just enough space to put a move on Michael Jennings. Melbourne had been setting up for a field goal attempt, but Cameron Smith’s pass and Chambers’ effort put Melbourne up by six points when Smith converted from out wide.
That try though was almost immediately matched by the visitors, Daniel Tupou sliding over in the corner off the back of a brilliant pass from Maloney down the short side 10m out from the Storm line. Maloney converting the try from the sideline with this match back level with three minutes on the clock.
From the kickoff Melbourne were able to get into position twice for a shot at field goal, Cronk missing one with 90 seconds remaining, but he would make no mistake from 15m out directly in front of the posts with 40 seconds to play. If he had missed, hopefully he would have received a penalty given Roger Tuivasa-Sheck almost broke his kicking leg with the attempted charge-down. Indeed my recollection at the time was that the field goal should have counted with Melbourne also receiving a penalty from the spot of the kick due to the dangerous infraction.
In the post match, Cameron Smith was quoted:
That was the toughest match we've played this year. It was played with a lot of intensity and it's unusual to see a match of that quality so early in the season.
We needed 80 minutes and I thought we did that.
With Craig Bellamy happy to escape with the two points:
I thought last week's game was a real good grinding win because the Raiders played so well and defended well. But the amount of good players in the Roosters side was always going to make it [the match] a bit more dangerous tonight.
We were in for a tough night, but I was really proud of what we've done and especially after another six-day turnaround. There's some real spirit in this team and that's what they are showing at the moment and we just need to find ways to keep that going.
It was a real arm wrestle and you can see why they are favourites to win the competition. They were really tough out there tonight and I don't think they made an error in the second half. So it was a tremendous effort.
Melbourne – 17 (Koroibete 13', Kaufusi 38', Chambers 74' tries; C Smith 2/3 goals; Cronk field goal)
Sydney – 16 (Aubusson 18', Tupou 75' tries; Maloney 4/4 goals)
Stat attack
As noted above Melbourne have played just once before on 18 April. Melbourne and the Roosters have played five previous matches against each other in April, with each match played in Melbourne. The Roosters won in 2001 at Docklands and 2019 at AAMI Park. Melbourne won the other three matches (2015, 2021 and 2023) all at AAMI Park.
This will be the Storm’s first trip to the new SFS since it opened in late 2022. Melbourne had a terrible record at the old SFS, winning just 10 of 24 matches against all opponents there.
In 13 matches against the Roosters at the SFS, Melbourne won just five times, but did inflict a 46–0 defeat of the Chooks in their last match there in 2016.
Since the 2018 NRL Grand Final, the Roosters have won just three of 12 matches between the teams, last winning in 2022 at AAMI Park in round 24.
Overall Melbourne have won 29 of 48 previous matches between the teams, only Manly have a better win percentage against the Roosters.
Sydney has on average double the amount of rainfall than Melbourne does per year, yet the NSW government paid $828m to build a stadium without a roof.
Team line-up
Ryan Papenhuyzen
Will Warbrick
Reimis Smith
Nick Meaney
Xavier Coates
Cameron Munster
Jahrome Hughes
Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Harry Grant ©
Josh King
Shawn Blore
Eliesa Katoa
Trent Loiero
Tyran Wishart
Christian Welch
Joe Chan
Alec MacDonald
Grant Anderson
Jack Howarth
Kane BradleyJonah PezetChris Lewis
Referee: Ashley Klein (Bunker: Adam Gee)
Preview
Melbourne Storm vs Sydney Roosters
— Allianz Stadium, 8:00pm Thursday 18 April 2024
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you BIG NAS.
After two guest appearances for the Bears, including a big day out at North Sydney Oval, Nelson Asofa-Solomona is back in Storm colours. The big man is replacing the injured Tui Kamikamica, while the ever unlucky Tepai Moeroa picked up an injury against the Bulldogs meaning Joe Chan gets another crack. Waiting in the reserves are Jack Howarth, Kane Bradley and Chris Lewis should any further changes be needed.
The Roosters have rushed back James Tedesco from yet another concussion, with Sam Walker also named as a reserve. The Graham Annesley Comedy Hour on Monday afternoon failed to explain how General Bias came up with the decision not to suspend Luke Keary for his referee incident the somehow only resulted in a fine after the precedent set by charging Jahrome Hughes with a grade two offence. He did mention that a number of sin bin worthy incidents were missed by the referees last weekend, so watch out for a crackdown to come this weekend.
The Roosters have been inconsistent so far in 2024, not able to win back-to-back matches. Their win over Newcastle last Thursday night coming through big plays from Joey Manu and Brandon Smith. Smith will be looking for a big game against Melbourne after struggling in a couple of matches against the Storm in 2023. Melbourne’s defence at marker and around the ruck will have to be wary of the Cheese who had his running game on song last week.
After being pulled apart down the flank by Matt Burton, Viliame Kikau and Josh Addo-Carr last week, a correction will be needed from Melbourne’s right edge. Look for Nick Meaney and Will Warbrick to have a solid game in defence this week, especially if they are targetted by the Roosters in attacking down their left flank. In the middle, the battle between Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and the Melbourne pack will be crucial. Especially if chronic offender Victor Radley is given any latitude.
I’m looking forward to another big effort from Alec MacDonald and Christian Welch off the bench this week, with both having strong games playing more minutes last week after the injury to Tui Kamikamica. Whoever ends up on the bench for Melbourne this week will need to provide impact and discipline in order to match what can be a mobile middle third for the Roosters.
Melbourne have had something of the wood over the Roosters of late, and given the Storm’s predilection for close games in 2024, this promises to be another match that could end in late drama. Especially given… oh crap that’s Ashley Klein’s music.
Well that sucks.
The replay wasn’t kind on Blake Green or Kurt Mann for this try.
#Kleined, because of course it was. This was the first match he had officiated involving Melbourne after he was dropped to NSW Cup following the infamous 2014R22 match at Newcastle. Referee grudges are forever.
Melbourne completed at 92.5%, the Roosters 91.4% for the match