Insipid Roosters sink to 20-year low in loss to Melbourne

The Storm have underlined their premiership credentials by monstering a lacklustre Roosters outfit in Newcastle on Thursday evening.

The Storm looked right at home in Newcastle. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

This was supposed to be a heavyweight bout between the two best teams of the past decade, but the Roosters must have missed the memo because they brought a butter knife to a bazooka fight on a night they were humbled 46-0 by Melbourne.

It was the first time since 2001 that the Roosters had been down by 30 points at halftime, and by the final siren, it was the side’s equal biggest loss to the Storm.

The Storm have embarrassed teams on a weekly basis this season, highlighted by a 66-16 win over the Tigers two weeks ago that saw them lead 40-0 at the break, but things were meant to be different against the side that beat them in the 2018 decider.

Instead, they raced in five unanswered tries to lead 30-0 at halftime to justify their premiership favouritism. They are setting attacking records that may never be broken, and even if Nathan Cleary returns, it may not be enough for the Panthers to stop them.

The Storm were without Ryan Papenhuyzen, Harry Grant and Nelson Asofa-Solomona but didn’t skip a beat, and things will only get better when they finally return to Victoria for their next game in Round 18.

They have now won 13 matches in a row and made the team running fifth look like a park footy side. They are the first team to score 40 points or more 10 times in a season, and it’s only Round 16.

Throw in the towel. It’s time to stop the fight.

Munster mash

His feet have got him in trouble a number of times this year, but Cameron Munster’s left boot was on its best behaviour as he turned in his best performance in months to remind everyone why his footy – and not his antics – have earned him the title of public enemy number one in NSW.

The Maroons five-eighth vented his frustration at halftime in Game Two due to Queensland’s clunky attack, but he had no such problems on Thursday with three try assists including a magical kick to set up Josh Addo-Carr from inside his own half.

Munster was ably supported by Addo-Carr who moved back to the top of the try-scoring charts with his third hat-trick of the year, while Nicho Hynes was untouchable at the back, running for a game-high 189 metres to go with a try and an assist.

Fittingly, Melbourne’s number six grabbed a four-pointer of his own when he chased through a Jahrome Hughes grubber to make it 40-0, but was then belted high and late by Daniel Suluka-Fifita who was sent to the sin bin.

In the modern era if you play terribly against the top teams they will destroy you. #NRLRoostersStorm

— James Smith (@JamesSmith1001) July 1, 2021

Storm Clinic! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ @storm#PurplePride

— Senator Briggs (@Briggs) July 1, 2021

The Storm are the team to beat in 2021. (Photo by Ashley Feder/Getty Images)

Chooks roasted

They’ve built their success under Trent Robinson on the back of the famed Bondi Wall, but the Roosters’ defensive line was built of straw as the big bad Storm blew it down with worrying ease.

It’s the third time in a row, and fourth time in five games, that they’ve conceded 30 or more points, and some of the tries were amateurish, with Dale Finucane and Kenny Bromwich crashing through some feeble defence that wasn’t up to NRL standard.

The Roosters were actually on top for the first five minutes, but they crumbled after Addo-Carr’s spectacular first try and never recovered. Even their attack looked pedestrian, with the hosts twice coughing up the ball on the first play from scrum moves close to the line.

They are just two points ahead of the Sea Eagles, who can leapfrog them with a win over the Bulldogs this weekend. Injuries have hurt them badly this year, and they’ll just be making up the numbers in September.

Originally published as Insipid Roosters sink to 20-year low in loss to Melbourne