NRL round eight: Melbourne Storm defeat South Sydney Rabbitohs 54-20

Taane Milne’s 80th-minute brain fade will likely cost the Rabbitohs a winger for a couple of matches, piling on more pain for the under-siege club.

The Rabbitohs have been hit with more personnel pain with Taane Milne in line for a stint on the sideline following a dangerous contact charge against Cameron Munster.

The winger had a brain fade in the dying stages of the match and targeted Munster’s legs, which sent him to the sin bin in what was already a painful day out for the Rabbitohs.

He will be suspended for two weeks with the early plea or three weeks should he front the judiciary and lose.

“This is going to finish in a nasty fashion,” Fox League commentator Dan Ginnane said of the incident.

“Milne saw a chance to put a shot down low and he took it … that is ugly.”

“It’s an ordinary effort from Milne with no time left on the clock,” Cooper Cronk added.

“Diving below the knee … you can hyperextend, and that could be ACL territory.

“That is a terrible, terrible effort there from Taane Milne.”

Taane Milne is facing a stint on the sideline. Picture: NRL Photos

Munster masterclass as Storm pile on pain for Rabbitohs

-Max Hatzoglou

A first-half Xavier Cotes hat-trick has powered Melbourne Storm to a 54-20 win over South Sydney, but the star winger’s Anzac Day game ended in bitterness after he left the field early with a hamstring injury at AAMI Park on Thursday night.

Cotes was everywhere before coming off in the 34th minute as Cameron Munster led throughout with four assists and a try in a blistering performance.

He was awarded the Spirit of Anzac Medal for his top match in front of 25,149, the biggest crowd the Storm have played in front of this season.

It was Craig Bellamy’s side’s eighth win in a row on Anzac Day, continuing their strong record in the annual encounter.

Meanwhile, the Rabbitohs continued their poor defensive play under coach Jason Demetriou, allowing the Storm more than 50 points.

Souths missed 43 tackles in the match as they remain winless in Melbourne after 19 attempts and a tough opponent in Penrith to come next Thursday.

Cameron Munster was the pick of the bunch on a terrific night for Melbourne. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

MUNSTER LEADS STORM

It certainly looked like first v last when the Storm piled on five tries in 15 minutes just before halftime.

Munster was everywhere injecting himself in several tries during the thrashing period.

He finished the opening half with three try assists featuring a top pass to Cotes in the 27th minute which came in between two top kicks from the five-eighth.

Later, he broke the Rabbitohs run of three tries when he scored in the 65th minute to make it a 40-20 lead.

Munster finished the game with four assists and a try, helping to power the Storm to their first double-digit win of the season.

Xavier Coates notched a first half hat trick before leaving the field with a hamstring injury. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

COATES INJURY

Coates was substituted off the field with a hamstring injury after a starring with a first-half hat trick in opening 33 minutes before coming off.

The Storm winger was everywhere, scoring his side’s second try in the ninth minute before two in five minutes in the 27th and 32nd minutes.

But just over a minute after rising to his big third try to give the Storm a 26-4 advantage, he came off the field for Tyran Wishart.

It was confirmed Coates was ruled out of the match and would not return to the game after coming off.

Jacob Gagai celebrates a try for the Rabbitohs. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

LUCKLESS RABBITOHS

Before the Storm scored four-straight tries in response to Jacob Gagai’s touch down in the 18th minute, the Rabbitohs were in the game.

If it wasn’t for two unlucky bounces which left Souths fullback Jye Gray and then Taane Milne in strife, Jason Demetriou’s side could have been ahead.

Gray also didn’t do much wrong when he gave away an unlucky knock on before the Storm got the second try to push out to a 10-0 lead in the after 10 minutes.

The scoreboard had hardly reflected the game even after the Storm got the fourth try of the game.

RABBIT HOLES

Defence was the focus for Souths coach Demetriou coming into the game off the bye saying, “It’s all defence for us, a pretty simple fix”. Following the trip to Melbourne, it will remain the focus after Souths gave away the most point they have this season with 54.

David Furner, who has joined Souths coaching line up to take on the defensive coaching duties during the bye round, has plenty of work in front of him.