Warriors v Storm match report: Cameron Munster on report for second time in a week for kicking

For the second time in a week, Cameron Munster has been fined for lashing out with a boot as his club coach, Craig Bellamy, warns the Origin star to ‘cut that right out your game’.

Queensland can breathe a sigh of relief with Storm star Cameron Munster avoiding suspension despite being placed on report for the second time in a week week for lashing out with a boot.

Munster has been issued a grade one contrary conduct charge by the NRL’s match review committee for an incident with Warriors fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, but it only carries a fine of $1700 with an early guilty plea.

After Munster helped Melbourne to a 42-16 win over the Warriors on Sunday, his club coach, Craig Bellamy, warned the Maroons star - who was also fined for kicking Liam Martin in the State of Origin opener - needed to “cut that out of his game”.

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Cameron Munster was placed on report for kicking Liam Martin in Origin.

“He has to rein it in a lot because you just can’t do that,” Craig Bellamy said, admitting he hadn’t seen the incident.

“I’d have to have a look at it, but he just needs to cut that out of his game. We don’t want that in his game and he doesn’t want that in his game.

“I’d have to have a look at it, but it probably wasn’t the smartest thing if that’s what he’s done.”

Why Storm’s rise to the top has run into a Munster problem

Cameron Munster is playing with fire after he was placed on report for the second time this week for lashing out with a boot as Melbourne jumped to the top of the table with a 42-16 win over the Warriors.

The Maroons star was slapped with a $1150 fine for kicking Liam Martin in the State of Origin opener on Wednesday, but he clearly hasn’t learnt his lesson after he was put on report for a similar incident on Roger Tuivasa-Sheck.

The pair hugged it out moments after the toe poke, but Munster needs to address the tactic immediately given he was sin-binned for a more aggressive kick on Roosters centre Joseph Manu in the 2018 Grand Final.

Craig Bellamy wasn’t impressed that Cameron Munster was in trouble again.

Munster is a passionate player who often lets his emotions do the talking, but another brain snap could come back to bite him if he’s not careful.

“He has to rein it in a lot because you just can’t do that,” Craig Bellamy said, admitting he hadn’t seen the incident.

“I’d have to have a look at it, but he just needs to cut that out of his game. We don’t want that in his game and he doesn’t want that in his game.

“I’d have to have a look at it, but it probably wasn’t the smartest thing if that’s what he’s done.”

Harry Grant was outstanding against the Warriors.

WISH GRANTED

He was kept quiet behind a well-beaten pack in the Origin opener, but Harry Grant showed why he is the best hooker in the competition and the reason why Melbourne should be favourites to defend their title.

In his first club game since Round 9, the crafty rake came on after 21 minutes and made an instant impact when he darted from dummy-half to help set up the Storm’s first try.

He was at it again five minutes later when he played short to Brandon Smith to send his partner-in-crime over for a gift four points. He then grubbered through to set up Jahrome Hughes for the first try of the second half and also burrowed over for his own meat pie in the closing stages.

Grant’s one-two punch with Smith is the most damaging combination in the game and a reason why they’ve scored the most points through 14 rounds in the NRL era, although the latter is on report for a high shot on Josh Curran.

“I thought he (Grant) was outstanding,” Bellamy said.

“I’m really happy with both those guys.”

Victory is sweet for Storm superrstar Josh Addo-Carr.

INJURY CRISIS

Chanel Harris-Tavita dished out one of his trademark big hits to stop Brandon Smith in his tracks, but the Warriors halfback won’t get the chance to unleash more monster shots after he suffered a suspected season-ending pec injury.

The playmaker missed the start of the year with a foot injury and had looked good since his return, but he won’t play again in 2021 which could see Reece Walsh move to the halves when he returns from suspension.

“It’s been an unhappy year for him. It’s disappointing,” Nathan Brown said.

In further bad news, Wayde Egan was sent to hospital after a nasty head clash late in the game.

“He’s not very stable and he’s very blurred. He’s not in a very good way,” his coach said.

NO KEN-FUSION

The Wests Tigers announced that Ken Maumalo would join the club effective immediately, so it’s no surprise there were a few raised eyebrows when the hulking winger was named to start for the Warriors on Sunday.

He’s technically not due at his new club until Monday, but Tigers officials would have been praying that he didn’t get injured. Fittingly, he bid farewell to the Warriors with three spectacular tries in the left corner.

“He held himself quite well and did a good job. He’s a good fella,” Brown said.

Originally published as Warriors v Storm match report: Cameron Munster on report for second time in a week for kicking