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NRL live scores and SuperCoach analysis from Storm v Broncos

What more could you ask for from a game of rugby league? Well for 30 unlucky SuperCoaches they are asking for a time machine to go back and undo a shocking trade call. Check out all of our SuperCoach winners and losers from Thursday night.

Matthew ElkertonMatthew Elkerton
@m_elkerton
8 min read
April 4, 2024 - 10:18PM
News Corp Australia Sports Newsroom
SuperCoach NRL Podcast: Game Day Round 5

The Storm have survived a thriller, the Broncos will be left to rue what happened, and everyone will be worried about just how bad Adam Reynolds injury truly is.

It was a thrilling way to start the weekend’s rugby league action, with Melbourne narrowly holding on for a 34-32 win in a match that featured 11 tries.

Storm backrower Eli Katoa spearheaded the win with a dominant two-try first half, and finished with 112 points while halfback Jarome Hughes (107) also broke the century barrier after he dove across for the match sealer.

Melbourne iceman Xavier Coates (49 points) almost pulled off another NRL mircale when he opted to shin the ball off the volley back inside for Hughes to score to send the side up by eight.

While the tallest man in rugby league, Ben Te Kura, got lower than a late-round limbo pole to draw the Broncos within two points late, it ultimately wouldn’t be enough.

It was easily the match of the season so far, and while we are only in Round 5, it will take some topping.

Jesse Arthars was clear SuperCoach standout for the Broncos with a try and a try assist as well as two line breaks in his 84 points, but could’ve easily cracked the century as well if he held onto a Selwyn Cobbo offload with the tryline begging.

Jesse Arthars will be wondering what might have been after he bombed a chance to ton up in SuperCoach.
Jesse Arthars will be wondering what might have been after he bombed a chance to ton up in SuperCoach.

Ezra Mam stepped up in Reynolds absence in the second half, after the halfback was put on ice with a hamstring complaint, to record a two-try haul and 70 SuperCoach points before updates.

Check out our full winners and losers list below, and scroll down to see how it all unfolded.

SUPERCOACH WINNERS

Eli Katoa (2RF): 112 points - Spare a thought for the 30 people who traded him out this week. Running off the silky ballplaying of Jarome Hughes has its benefits for the big man.

Jarome Hughes (HFB): 107 points - Relished having Munster back to give him an extra option and take the focus away. His quickness off the mark is lethal for tired middles.

Jesse Arthars (CTW): 84 points - Optimistic owners will be stoked with his output and attacking flair, pesimistic owners will wonder what might have been.

Harry Grant (HOK): 77 points - Threatened to break the game wide open througout the first half and tackled his backside off in the middle of the field. He is the number one dummy-half in the game for a reason.

Patrick Carrigan (2RF): 66 points - I opted for Pat over Mam simply because his points were all about effort. The Broncos lock had 63 in base points alone. Somebody stop him.

SUPERCOACH LOSERS

Adam Reynolds (HFB): 46 points - Reyno had a dynamic first half, but his injury just before the break is cause for concern. The Broncos have suggested it is a low grade hamstring strain, but his halftime tears suggest otherwise. Watch this unfold.

Josh King (FRF): 36 points - A set-and-forget middle in recent seasons, King’s workrate appears to have really dipped this season and he is losing cash hand over fist because of it.

Christian Welch (FRF): 26 - The offloading arm is certainly in working order this season, but the lack of minutes off the bench is making Welch persona-non-grata in SuperCoach world.

Tristan Sailor (FLB): 43 points - The way he attacks the ball and the free-flowing running are so similar to the way Reece Walsh plays. But his output doesn’t match that of his teammate. Had a couple of classy moments, but not enough.

It’s okay Craig, we couldn’t believe what we were seeing either.
It’s okay Craig, we couldn’t believe what we were seeing either.

70TH MIN: WHAT FINAL TWIST DOES THIS GAME HAVE?

It has been that good, that this game has to throw up one final curveball.

The Broncos have left the door ajar for the Storm, up by four points with 10 to go, after butchering two easy tries this half including one to high-flying winger Jesse Arthars.

Selwyn Cobbo has been incredible in the centres, and has easily won his battle against Nick Meaney. He might only have 45 SuperCoach points, but it could have been a bucketload more.

Storm backrower Eli Katoa is still leading the way, and remains the only player to crack triple figures off the back of his two-try first half.

As I write this, Tyran Wishart - yes, you read that right - has taken the lead back for the Storm from a barnstorming crash-ball play.

The video referee has made a crunch call to overturn the on-field decision after seeing a speck of white hit the grass between two boots.

It was a brave call - from both the referee and the Storm - to give Wishart the chocolates there.

50TH MIN: MAM MAGIC BRINGS BACK MEMORIES OF BLACKLOCK

Andrew Voss has hit the nail on the head.

On the great man’s 48th birthday, memories of Nathan Blacklock’s incredible chip-and-chase in the 1999 grand final came flooding back after Ezra Mam’s latest piece of magic.

The Broncos five-eighth had the ball on a string, with a bamboozling bounce sailing 20 metres back towards the charging five-eighth.

Mam snatched it out of mid air and cruised through the Storm defence to extend the Broncos lead.

The Broncos five-eighth, who will shoulder plenty of workload for the Broncos following Adam Reynolds’ game-ending injury, has now gone to 65 points in SuperCoach with two tries to his name.

Oh and just a reminder about that magical Blacklock moment, teh Storm came back to win that one. Could we see history repeat itself?

Broncos winger Jesse Arthars scored a try and set one up in the first half.
Broncos winger Jesse Arthars scored a try and set one up in the first half.

HALF-TIME: WHAT. A. MATCH.

Six tries, nine linebreaks and one busted halfback.

That first half between the Storm and Broncos was absolutely sensational.

The Broncos will hold grave concerns after halfback Adam Reynolds struggled off field in the final seconds before the halftime break off an innocuous tackle.

Reynolds was seen clutching at his right knee.

Video cameras in the sheds captuired an emotional Reynolds in tears next to vice-captain Pat Carrigan. It doesn’t look good for Brisbane’s little maestro.

Reynolds partner-in-crime Ezra Mam has been absolutely unstoppable on the left edge, while SuperCoach’s worst-kept secret Jesse Arthars, who is actually owned by almost 15 per cent of all SuperCoaches, is having an absolute blinder.

He has a try, a try assist and two line breaks to notch 77 points over the first 40 minutes.

The winger has had a hand in all of Brisbane’s tries, including scoring a cracker of a Reynolds left-foot kick through the line.

But he is being bettered by Melbourne rival Eli Katoa with the rampaging backrower sitting on 87 points thanks to two first-half tries.

A brave group of people have put the blue marker on Katoa this week, would you be looping?

While we all can’t wait for the second half of this, the Broncos will welcome the halftime break to get a full assessment on Reynolds and his health.

NRL SuperCoach HT card
NRL SuperCoach HT card

25TH MIN: HUMAN HIGHLIGHT REEL STRIKES AGAIN

The Human Highlight Reel, Xavier Coates, has added another to his kitbag this season.

It’s so good, it has to be seen to be believed.

There might not be any AFL in Melbourne this weekend, but Coates has made sure aerial ping pong fans aren’t disappointed with his best ‘Up There Cazaly’ impression over the top of a defenseless Deine Mariner.

The Broncos rookie looked all at sea and in desperate need of a paddle to stop his rival scoring.

Don’t worry about the Broncos though with the left-edge attack absolutely firing.

Tristan Sailor threw a cullet cut-out to send Arthars streaming down thew touchline, who easily set-up Mam.

This game is just a series of highlights cut and pasted next to each other. What a way to start the week!

Arthars has now cracked the half century with that second line-break and try assist, while on the other side try-scorer Eli Katoa is leading the charge for Melbourne with 50.

20TH MIN: MARINER STRIKES, WHAT A START

The Storm have been rewarded for a dominant start to the game with the Broncos, but it 0only came after the visitors struck first against the run of play.

The Storm full-strength spine has looked slick to start the contest at AAMI Park, but it was all undone by an errant pass intended for Ryan Papenhuyzen.

Ezra Mam managed to snuff out the attack before tearing off upfield.

Deine Mariner scored off the next play to kick clear of the rest of the field with 37 SuperCoach points.

Jesse Arthars is one of the early eye-catchers with a line break and five hit-ups over 8m, whie Hughes has produced similar efforts on the other side of the field.

But the Storm would waste little time hitting back after Eli Katoa steamrolledMam on his way to the tryline.

Mam looks shaken, but he has stayed out on the field for the time being.

30MINS TO KICKOFF: CAN PAPI GET BETTER WITH MUNNY?

Ryan Papenhuyzen has been incredible in his return to the NRL after back-to-back season write-offs.

But the question is: can Papi still get better?

The Storm fullback has a three-round average of 80, and unsurprisingly is owned by more than a quarter of all SuperCoaches.

He also averages more than 123 points per game against the Broncos.

But could he be about to reward that faith with the return of Cameron Munster.

The enigmatic Storm five-eighth, who has had a late surge in ownership this week with almost 2000 SuperCoaches bringing him in, but it is what he provides for those around him that could be more important tonight.

NRL SuperCoach blog - cardomatic.
NRL SuperCoach blog - cardomatic.

Looking at the top three-round averages leading into tonight’s game it is unsurprising to see Papenhuyzen and Patrick Carrigan both up there in ownership, but could Jahrome Hughes at only 3.8 per cent ownership be a touch of a sleeper?

Coming off a week suspension and the bye, Hughes will be refreshed and looking to grow on his early season average of 65.

LATE MAIL: STORM MAKE CHANGE, MUNSTER CONFIRMED IN

Craig Bellamy has made a late switch just before kick-off, giving young backrow tyro Jack Howarth his first game in first grade this season.

Howarth, a long touted rookie to watch at Melbourne, impressed in the pre-season when he started in the backrow for the Maori All Stars.

He has been forced to bide in time in reserve grade to start the season, but gets his chance against the Broncos after Tepai Moeroa was dropped to 18th man.

Cameron Munster is confirmed to take the field for the first time this season, with the Storm finally rolling out their first-choice spine in an ominous sign for the Broncos.

Broncos coach Kevin Walters has refrained from any late changes, with Tristan Sailor remaining at fullback and Corey Oates on the bench.

Marty Taupau is 18th man for the Broncos.

EARLIER

Melbourne star Ryan Papenhuyzen says Cameron Munster looks back to his old self as the star five-eighth gears up to play his first NRL game of the season on Thursday night.

Munster has been grounded with a frustrating groin injury in the first three games of the year but has trained consistently this week ahead of a monster clash with Brisbane at AAMI Park.

“He’s looking like Cam Munster as we know him so he should be playing and doing everything,” Papenhuyzen said after captain’s run on Wednesday.

“He’s excited to be back, he’s been a bit of a pest about it.”

For SuperCoaches there is plenty to keep an eye on tonight. Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen — who has a break-even of -6 — has been one of the most traded-in players this week, while SuperCoaches will be keen to see how Munster fares in his first run for 2024.

Cameron Munster returns to take on the Broncos. Picture: NRL Photos
Cameron Munster returns to take on the Broncos. Picture: NRL Photos

With wet weather set to soak Sydney this weekend Storm hooker Harry Grant (in 25% of teams) shapes as an early captaincy choice, while Broncos back-rower Patrick Carrigan (13%) is another popular player in action tonight.

Melbourne’s Eliesa Katoa is another intriguing prospect for SuperCoaches looking to upgrade to a solid 2RF.

And for those who jumped on early to bring in Brisbane youngster Xavier Willison, make sure you hit that reverse trade button as he is OUT following a head knock at training.

The Storm are coming off a bye, while the Broncos looked super-impressive in their big win over the Cowboys despite the absence of big guns Reece Walsh and Payne Haas.

Originally published as NRL live scores and SuperCoach analysis from Storm v Broncos

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