NRL 2020: Storm hit by injuries and reports after six-year low against Eels

Melbourne Storm’s six-year low was compounded by injuries and indiscretions but one player miraculously escaped with a blatant act of foul play.

Brandon Smith adds to the injury toll, while Nelson Asofa-Solomona may come under judiciary scrutiny.

The Storm’s grip on a top two spot is looking shaky after a rough night against the Eels saw Melbourne held scoreless for the first time in six years.

Melbourne’s eight-game winning streak came to an end as the Eels ended a four-game losing run against the Victorian powerhouse to draw level with them on the ladder with 12 wins.

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It’s the sixth time in the Storm’s history they’ve been held scoreless and the frustration was clear to see in coach Craig Bellamy, who was close to bursting a blood vessel as he screamed from the coaches box.

Bellamy was beside himself after the Storm crashed over in the second half, only for the referee to call a forward pass.

Despite a strong finish attacking the line, the Storm were unable to crack the Eels, with Michael Jennings even stripping Ryan Papenhuyzen of the ball in mid-air to deny a try.

NRL fans were quick to pounce on the Storm’s disorganisation in attack, but without Cameron Munster, Cameron Smith and Jahrome Hughes from the club’s full strength team, it was always going to be an uphill battle.

Several Storm stars could be looked at by the match review committee as well with two crusher tackles from debutant Cooper Johns and Albert Vete put on report and Nelson Asofa-Solomona sin binned for a shoulder charge that hit Marata Niukore flush on the nose.

RELATED: Bellamy’s savage swipe in crusher furore

“He has led with the shoulder,” Andrew Voss said. “The replay does not paint Nelson Asofa-Solomona in a good light at all and the bunker is going to look at this real close. It was flush into the head of Niukore.”

Centre Justin Olam could also draw the attention of the judiciary after what Andrew Johns called “a good old-fashioned coathanger” on Mitchell Moses that the referee missed.

Moses was hit high in backplay.

And he took quite the tumble.

“I’ve never seen a player spin like that,” Phil Gould said of the incident. “Mitchell Moses is screaming for a penalty in back play.

“He was hit by Justin Olam in one of the most awkward looking tackles you’d ever imagine. He fair dinkum cartwheels in the air. You watch this. He nearly does a 360. I can’t believe they didn’t go back and give a penalty.

“It could have been really ugly. He could have come right down on his head. I don’t know what Olam was trying to achieve.”

Mitchell Moses went 🙃

📺 MATCH REPLAY: https://t.co/EscgCEKwi8 pic.twitter.com/XL9ETwVj3c

— Fox League (@FOXNRL) August 20, 2020

And it got worse late in the game when Brandon Smith suffered a nasty injury to his jaw, with the hooker clearly in pain when the trainer touched it.

Brad Fittler reported Smith was “not in a good way” after a tackle from Niukore with reports later suggesting he has a broken jaw.

The NRL Physio was concerned by the vision.

Some concern there Brandon Smith suffered a broken jaw. Very apprehensive to have trainer assess jaw. Hopefully more hurt than injured but didn’t look good. Any jaw fracture usually at least 4-6 weeks recovery for adequate bone healing #NRLEelsStorm

— NRL PHYSIO (@nrlphysio) August 20, 2020

The @storm would miss Brandon Smith as much as they miss their other stars. He has been a constant game-changer this season, his try-saving tackle on Jennings before showed it. #NRL

— Roy Ward (@rpjward) August 20, 2020

The Eels’ inability to punish a Storm side with a mounting injury toll left commentators unconvinced with Parramatta.

Cooper Cronk said on Fox League in the final minutes: “Coach Brad Arthur wouldn’t be too happy sitting in the coaches box regarding their ability to close out this football game. Multiple errors from senior players have given the Storm still this slight chance.”

A win is a win for the Eels.

“I think what we’ve seen from the Eels tonight is what they’ve been offering for the last six weeks,” Greg Alexander added. “They’ve been winning games but they’ve beaten sides outside of the eight but not in a convincing fashion. I thought the key thing was to get a victory, they had to beat a Melbourne Storm side that was decimated with injury. They’ve made a lot of errors in the second half that would have you think they haven’t gone on with the game in a manner they should have.”

But the result sees the Eels move onto equal points with the Storm and also gives the Panthers a chance to move three points clear on top of the ladder with a win over the Sharks on Friday.