NRL round 17: Melbourne Storm defeat Canberra Raiders 16-6, Xavier Coates injured in disaster for Maroons

Melbourne’s win over Canberra was overshadowed by an injury to one of their Queensland State of Origin reps in a disastrous moment for the Maroons.

Xavier Coates hobbles from the field. Picture: NRL Photos

With Melbourne Storm putting the finishing touches on a hard-fought 16-6 win over a brave Canberra Raiders in the rain at AAMI Park on Saturday night, star winger Xavier Coates had visions of a game-sealing try, only to come up agonisingly short and cruelly suffer a hamstring injury in his 50th club game.

Coates hobbled off around the field, but needed the assistance of two Melbourne trainers to get down the tunnel.

Coates’s untimely setback will not only have implications for the Storm, but also Queensland’s Origin campaign.

With the third and deciding game of the State of Origin series on July 17, Coates will undoubtedly walk a fine line to be fit if a hamstring injury is confirmed, which would be a massive blow for a Maroons team that was left shell shocked by NSW at the MCG on Wednesday night.

Xavier Coates hobbles from the field. Picture: NRL Photos

Xavier Coates off with a suspected hamstring strain. Has a recent history of hamstring injury - missing 2 weeks earlier this season.

Considering top end sprint mechanism, recent history & functional limitation - moderate to high grade strain looking likely (4-8 weeks recovery). pic.twitter.com/v9mRQbxge0

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) June 29, 2024

It was a fumbly Storm for most of the night against the Raiders, lacking the cutting edge we have come accustomed to from the top-of-the-table team.

Sorely missing the creativity and dependability of injured strike weapons Ryan Papenhuyzen, Cameron Munster and Nick Meaney, as well as the rested Harry Grant, the Storm only felt comfortable late as they were constantly stifled by their own errors or the plucky Raiders defence.

Eventually the dam wall broke and the Storm got the win they desired to move two games clear on top of the NRL ladder.

The desperation and attitude of the Raiders in defence was a feature of the first half.

Josh King of the Storm celebrates scoring a try. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

Despite facing an avalanche of Storm attack, the Raiders continually repelled until the sheer weight of possession.

It was hard to believe this was the same Raiders team that conceded 48 points a week earlier.

Raiders back Adam Cook made a crucial tackle to deny Storm youngster Jack Howarth and a timely boot from Kaeo Weekes ensured a Grant Anderson chip-and-chase would be unsuccessful.

Raiders winger Albert Hopoate, returning from a serious arm burn stemming from a barbecue incident, typified the Raiders bravery when he made an incredible try saving tackle on Storm speedster Will Warbrick.

Even with so much possession, the Storm lacked direction and polish without their big guns.

It took 37 minutes, but the Storm finally capitalised on 63% possession to that point, breaching the Raiders defence through work horse Josh King, who touched down for tries in back to back games.for the first time in his career.

Kaeo Weekes scored a terrific solo try. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

CAPTIVATING KAEO

Straight after the break, Weekes blew away the Storm with a breathtaking 90 metre try to restore parity for the Raiders.

The speed of the 22-year-old is a real head turner as he sliced through two Storm players and outsprinted the quick Storm fullback Sua Faalogo en route to the tryline.

Having halted the Storm’s momentum, the last thing the Raiders wanted to do was gift the Storm good field position and that is what they did when Hopoate went on report for a high tackle on Howarth, which the Storm capitalised with a try through Shawn Blore.

Howarth gave the Storm much-needed breathing space, crashing over shortly after for what would be the game-sealing try.

The long awaited debut of Raiders forward Jordan Martin lasted all of five minutes when he went down for HIA and never returned.

SCINTILLATING SUA

The mean goose step of young Storm fullback Sua Fa’alogo was on show.

Showing why he is so highly rated at the Storm, the 19-year-old wowed the fans with a breathtaking 40 metre first half run that had the Raiders at sixes and sevens.

Faalogo finished with 180 run metres, bettered only by Weekes (207) and Warbrick (182).

Just as impressive as the excitement Faalogo provided with ball in hand was his calmness under the high ball in the rain and ability to scoop the ball up off a slippery surface.

Originally published as NRL round 17: Melbourne Storm defeat Canberra Raiders 16-6, Xavier Coates injured in disaster for Maroons