NRL Round 21 2024: Melbourne Storm win 32-14 over Parramatta Eels

They were far from their best, but the Melbourne Storm still managed to fire a warning shot to the rest of the NRL, with the Eels are now locked in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon.

They were far from their best, but the Melbourne Storm were still far too good for the Parramatta Eels. Picture: NRL Imagery

The Storm were a long way off their clinical best, but they still managed to fire an ominous warning shot to the rest of the NRL after the ladder leaders heaped more pain on Parramatta on a night superstar five-eighth Cameron Munster finally returned from injury.

The 32-14 win puts them six points clear at the top for now after they picked up their seventh win on the trot, although coach Craig Bellamy stormed out of the box a couple of times after some uncharacteristic errors with the ball.

While their attack wasn’t as slick as we’ve seen this year, the only thing that really mattered was that Munster got through unscathed in his first game since Magic Round when he left the field with a serious groin injury.

They were far from their best, but the Melbourne Storm were still far too good for the Parramatta Eels. Picture: NRL Imagery

Munster missed the entire Origin campaign but is back on deck for the Storm at the perfect time with the rep star to get plenty of games in before the finals.

A small crowd at CommBank Stadium had to wait 30 minutes for him to come on after he started on the bench for just the second time in his NRL career, and while he didn’t produce any explosive plays, he didn’t appear troubled by the injury.

The Storm have hardly had their first-choice spine on the field at the same time this year, but they finally all look fit with Ryan Papenhuyzen and Harry Grant both scoring, while halfback Jahrome Hughes had three line-break assists.

Cameron Munster had some classy touches in his return from injury, but more importantly, got through the game unscathed. Picture: NRL Imagery

CARDINAL SIN

Jake Tago couldn’t have asked for a better start when he crashed over for his first career try after just three minutes, but it only got worse from there with the rookie winger sent to the sin bin on the stroke of halftime for a professional foul.

The Storm slotted the goal after the siren and then punished the Eels with a Will Warbrick try as they turned an 8-6 deficit into one of their biggest wins of the season.

Parramatta had their moments with a couple of early tries and a terrific three-man tackle on Trent Loiero to drive him back into the in-goal, but they also gifted the Storm two tries with costly errors and missed 38 tackles.

The hosts should have led at halftime on the back of 21 play the balls inside the attacking 20 compared to none for Melbourne, but they lacked polish in attack and were unable to maintain their intensity once the Storm got on top.

Parramatta are now locked in a battle to avoid the wooden spoon after yet another poor performance. Picture: Getty Images

SPOON RACE

They were 80 minutes away from a premiership two years ago, but the Eels are now locked in a battle for the wooden spoon that could come down to the final round.

The Eels are two points clear of the Wests Tigers who still have another bye to come, with the teams to meet in Campbelltown in round 27.

The blue and golds have lost six in a row, and it doesn’t get any easier with games against the Warriors, Panthers, Roosters and Broncos coming up next month.

Originally published as NRL Round 21 2024: Melbourne Storm win 32-14 over Parramatta Eels