Dolphins stun premiership favourite Melbourne Storm in 42-22 win

The Dolphins have beaten the 2024 grand finalists in back-to-back weeks, blowing the Melbourne Storm off the park with seven tries in a row to secure their third-straight win.

Billy Slater’s Maroons have copped a triple injury blow with Queensland hooker Harry Grant in doubt for the Origin series-opener after the Dolphins produced an Easter miracle to stun the Storm 42-22 on Good Friday.

Grant is facing four-six weeks on the sideline after suffering a hamstring injury in the lead-up to Melbourne’s spiteful capitulation to the resurgent Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.

While Grant missed the bloodbath, Maroons hopefuls Max Plath (foot) and Jack Howarth (shoulder) failed to finish an Easter spectacular before 28,024 stunned spectators.

The Dolphins blew the Storm off the park. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

STONE COLD PHINS

Was this Good Friday or Freaky Friday?

Dolphins terrier Ray Stone scored a remarkable double that encapsulated a bizarre night at the Cauldron.

The tattooed warrior, who seems to have no fixed position, followed the ball and finished off two superb plays from Kodi Nikorima and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

Nikorima produced one of the great tries when he burst through Melbourne’s line before throwing a flick pass reminiscent of Benji Marshall in the Tigers’ 2005 grand final defeat of the Cowboys.

A charging Stone latched on to the pass and scored next to posts. Moments later he was there after Tabuai-Fidow plucked a bomb.

Josh Kerr, Connelly Lemuelu, Herbie Farnworth, Jack Bostock and Nikorima also scored as the Phins had a night to remember.

“I’m really proud of our blokes,” Dolphins coach Kristian Woolf said.

“At 16-2 down, it could have been a very different game.

“We were up for the fight and when we had our opportunities we were doing something with it. I thought we were a real chance.

“We were outstanding in the second half.”

IZZY UPSTAGES HUGHES

Dolphins halfback Isaiya Katoa had arguably his best game in the NRL, upstaging reigning Dally M Medal superstar Jahrome Hughes.

In his 51st NRL appearance, Katoa finished with five try-assists as his sublime ballplaying helped the Dolphins overcome an early 16-2 deficit.

The Storm looked destined to romp to a fifth win with quickfire tries to Kane Bradley, Xavier Coates and Ryan Papenhuyzen.

But the Dolphins composed themselves to score 40 straight points in what was arguably the finest win in the club’s short history.

Isaiya Katoa played arguably his best game in the NRL. Picture: Getty Images

“I’m really disappointed,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.

“I can’t remember coaching a Storm team that has been up 16-2 then gets 40 in-a-row put on us.

“That’s embarrassing. Hopefully we learn from that.

“It will be a tough old weekend. I’m not sure what else to say about it.

“Our defence hasn’t been as good as we’d like it to be. We’ve been aware of that.

“Perhaps it was complacency getting that sort of start and then putting the slippers on.”

MAROONS BLOW

Slater has been keeping a close eye on rising Dolphins utility Plath and Storm backline sensation Howarth, with the view to including them in this year’s Origin series.

But the emerging stars appear gone and the Queensland coach may now have to find a new No. 9 in the lead-up to the May 28 series launch against the Blues in Brisbane.

Grant tore his hamstring at training during the week and faces going into the series without playing in more than a month.

It would be a huge risk to enter the Origin furnace so underdone.

Slater has plenty of dummy-half options with Ben Hunt (Broncos), Reed Mahoney (Bulldogs) and Cory Paix (Broncos) among the contenders.

“(Grant) had a scan, they’re thinking four-six weeks,” Bellamy said.

“It was pretty innocuous there yesterday at training, we were doing our captain’s run, it was pretty early he just sort of pulled up lame. He was pretty sore afterwards so he went for a scan and it unfortunately wasn’t great news.

“(Howarth) will be out for an extended time. If he has an operation it’ll be the season.

“He’ll try and rehab it and see how it goes from there.”

THURSTON MAKES TV RETURN AFTER EXPLOSIVE LENIU SPAT

Queensland legend Johnathan Thurston has made his first television appearance since his explosive spat with Roosters firebrand Spencer Leniu.

Thurston and Leniu were involved in a sensational showdown at Suncorp Stadium during last Friday’s Broncos-Roosters NRL clash.

Leniu is alleged to have called Channel 9 commentator Thurston a “f***wit” as he walked off the field mid-game.

The duo were then captured in a heated discussion post-game as Thurston sought an explanation from Leniu over his sideline sledge.

Johnathan Thurston interviews Melbourne star Jack Howarth before the Dolphins v Storm clash.

The saga centred around Thurston’s criticism of the NRL suspension handed to Leniu after he called Indigenous Broncos player Ezra Mam a “monkey” in Las Vegas last year.

Leniu, who was handed an eight-match suspension, took umbrage to Thurston’s comments that he should have been whacked with a 12-game ban to stamp out racism.

Leniu also believed Thurston should have been more critical of Mam after he was involved in a drug driving car crash scandal during the most recent off-season.

The saga didn’t end on the field, with Leniu making a number of social media posts in the following days, claiming Thurston was “fake”.

Thurston and Spencer Leniu were involved in a heated confrontation last week. Picture NRL Photos

Thurston hasn’t spoken publicly since the incident, but released a statement claiming Leniu’s comment was “overly aggressive in tone and unwarranted”.

However the North Queensland Cowboys great hasn’t gone underground.

Thurston was back on deck with Channel 9 on Good Friday for the Suncorp Stadium clash between the Dolphins and Melbourne Storm.

He appeared in good spirits alongside former Queensland Origin teammates Billy Slater and Cameron Smith.

Thurston completed a pre-game interview with Storm centre Jack Howarth and was scheduled to be part of Nine’s match coverage.

Leniu is due to make his return to the field on Saturday night against the Panthers in Sydney.

Originally published as Dolphins stun premiership favourite Melbourne Storm in 42-22 win