NRL 2022, Round 6: Melbourne Storm show class with impressive win over Cronulla Sharks
There was a finals-type feel throughout Melbourne’s clash with Cronulla. But there was one major difference between the two sides - Cam Munster.
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If the Dolphins want Cam Munster in 2023, the price just went up.
Munster played a game for the ages on Saturday night at AAMI Park – and it took every bit of razzle-dazzle from the out-of-contract five-eighth for Melbourne to eventually wear down Cronulla to win 34-18.
With the teams separated in second place only on points differential, there was a finals-type feel throughout a highly skilled contest.
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And while the expected great contest ensued, it was far from the dour defensive battle that some had predicted.
But after both teams had traded electric scoring raids, it was a series of Munster magic tricks that proved the difference, despite repeated brilliance from Cronulla centre Siosifa Talakai, who by any other measure would have been a standout best afield.
Munster laid on two stunning tries, scored an instant classic all by himself and produced the second-half kickoff that remarkably led to a try before a tackle had been laid after the break.
Still, for all Munster’s athletic magnificence, will and drive, the Sharks were still right in the contest and only six points down when they made their first handling error of the match after 63 minutes.
As they had all night, the Storm made the visitors pay at every opportunity and uncharacteristic of a fierce contest, it was a relatively easy Harry Grant grounding soon afterwards that sealed the result.
The Sharks looked particularly dangerous heading left throughout the match, particularly when the ball went through the hands of Talakai, who set up Ronaldo Mulitalo’s brace with great hands.
But while they showed they’ll be around the mark come September, they couldn’t match Melbourne’s attacking efficiency when they reached the red zone with the home team scoring on almost all of their six line breaks.
Half the crowd weren’t back in their seats when the Storm, remarkably, opened the second-half with a party trick.
Munster found touch with his kick restart and from the resultant scrum on the Sharks’ 10m line, halfback Jahrome Hughes put rampant centre Justin Olam into a gap at pace to score his second try just to left of the posts.
Stand-in Storm skipper Hughes, on Munster’s shoulder in the Melbourne engine room, said when his five-eighth was in that mood, he was largely unstoppable.
“He was in that mood tonight when he just creates things out of nothing,” Hughes said.
“I’m in a position where, if he’s like that, I just gotta get him the ball and sometimes he got it himself, so when you’ve got a guy like that you’ve just got to feed him as much as you can.
“He showed what he can do tonight and he was a great player for us.”
Hughes admitted he’s been giving Munster a lot of advice about staying in Melbourne from next year, when he’s out of contract with the Storm.
“I’ll be putting a little bit of pressure on him,” Hughes joked.
“But yeah, not too much. He’s got a young family and he’s got to do what he’s got to do – but we want him to stay, obviously.”
The Sharks lost no friends with their performance, but they might well to do without a key forward for a while..
Powerful prop Braden Hamlin-Uele left AAMI Park in the 74th minute, appearing to nurse a shoulder injury.
But Cronulla coach Craig Fitzgibbon confirmed after the match that his big No.10 had suffered a suspected pectoral injury.
“It looks like he’s in a bad way, … I’m not sure (exactly), but it’s something significant,” Fitzgibbon said.
Fitzgibbon said there were several “bumps and bruises” in the rooms after a physical encounter, which didn’t bode well for Thursday night’s clash with another finals aspirant in Manly.
“It’s a short five-day turnaround, so it’s going to be a balancing act for next 24 hours.”
SORRY, SKIPPER
Cronulla captain Dale Finucane, so eager to make an impression against his former team, had his return to AAMI Park cut extremely short by a concussion.
Finucane stepped into the line to tackle the rampaging Nelson Asofa-Solomona and was sent backwards in the impact, knocking his head in the process.
While the big lock forward was obviously keen to stay on, he was ushered from the field to undergo a HIA test and ruled out minutes later.
NICO NO-NO
The Storm had clearly intended to put some heat on their old teammate Nico Hynes in his new role as halfback of the Sharks, ensuring regularly in the first 10 minutes that there were up to three in on some tackles.
But according to referee Grant Atkins, the tactic went too far in the 10th minute when Felise Kaufusi crunched Hynes with a textbook tackle, but one that was deemed too late as the Sharks spread wide on the last tackle.
The pain was soon doubled when Kaufusi was not only put on report, but Hynes bounced up and opened the scoring with a penalty.
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Storm star Jahrome Hughes believes former teammate and fellow playmaker Nicho Hynes has taken his game to another level since joining Cronulla at the end of last year.
Hynes and former Storm skipper Dale Finucane will return to AAMI Park on Saturday night for the first time in a Sharks jersey since leaving Melbourne.
Hynes was one of the NRL’s breakout stars last year after stepping into the fullback position for a few months after Ryan Papenhuyzen suffered a horror concussion during Magic Round.
Relegated to the bench upon Papenhuyzen’s return, Hynes is relishing his starting halfback role at the Sharks, who have won four of their opening five matches.
“He’s done well and he obviously took that opportunity,” Hughes said.
“He didn’t know if he was going to be a starter here and he got the opportunity to start at the Sharks and he’s taking it with two hands.
“We always knew he was going to be a good player, he just needed the opportunity to start and he’s shown how good he is.”
Hughes said it would feel strange going up against two players he considered good friends.
“I reckon they’ve been one of the best teams in the comp at the moment and they’ve started well,” he said.
“I feel like Dale and Nicho have given them a lot of confidence and they’re flying at the moment, so it’s going to be a tough one but we’re looking forward to it.”
“It’s going to be weird (playing against Hynes and Finucane).
“Having those guys at the club for so long and they’re really good blokes and I really get on with both of them, but I’m not talking to them this week.”
The Storm halfback said he expected both players to be treated favourably by the Melbourne crowd.
“They’ve been great for this club and they’re great people as well, so I think the fans will give them a good reception,” he said.
“But hopefully during the game they can get stuck into them.”
Originally published as NRL 2022, Round 6: Melbourne Storm show class with impressive win over Cronulla Sharks
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