Storm v Raiders: Melbourne claim tough encounter; Corey Harawira-Naera set to miss rest of season

Corey Harawira-Naera says he cried post-match after delivering an out-of-character brutal high shot on Melbourne star Jahrome Hughes. Read his full apology.

Jahrome Hughes suffered serious head injury after a Corey Harawira-Naera high hit. Picture: Getty Images

Canberra forward Corey Harawira-Naera is set to miss the rest of the regular season after he was sent off for an ugly high tackle in the final minutes of Thursday night’s clash against Melbourne.

The Match Review Committee charged Harawira-Naera with a grade three reckless high tackle for a shot on Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes in the final minutes of Melbourne’s 26-16 win against the Raiders on the Sunshine Coast.

If Harawira-Naera takes the early plea he will miss three matches. If the Raiders opt to challenge the charge and lose, the forward will be rubbed out for four weeks.

Watch The 2021 NRL Telstra Premiership Live & On-Demand on Kayo. New to Kayo? Try 14-Days Free Now >

Corey Harawira-Naera is facing serious time on the sidelines after a hit which saw him sent from the field. Picture: Getty Images

Harawira-Naera penned an emotional apology saying he ‘bawled his eyes out’ after being sent-off for his sickening high shot on Hughes.

“In all my days of playing this game of rugby league, I have never left the field feeling so disgusted in myself to the point where I had sat in the sheds and balled (sic) my eyes out for a good five minutes,” he posted on Instagram.

“The picture I have in my head of when I first looked up after the collision of your eyes rolled back to your head and your body stiff bro @jahromehughes and being the cause of it gave me a feeling I never want to feel again or would never want anyone else to feel.

“What happen (sic) last night I wouldn’t wish upon my biggest enemy and struggling to sleep last night hopefully shows how remorseful and sorry I am my bro, and I have what’s coming to me when it comes to judiciary and will serve the time I have to.

“All love my bro and I hope to see you back to full health firstly and back on the field in no time bro.”

He had a seven year incident free discount added to his grade-three reckless high tackle charge.

Hughes has also posted on his social media account on Friday morning.

He indicated he was recovering and thanked Harawira-Naera for checking on him. Hughes is unlikely to play against the Titans on Thursday.

“Thanks to @horitecorey and the other Raiders lads who checked in on me after the game, appreciate it fellas,” Hughes wrote.

No other players were charged. The Storm are also expected to be without Dale Finucane (concussion) next week.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy insisted he didn’t see the Harawira-Naera hit in real time but revealed Hughes, who was taken from the field in the 75th minute was unwell after the hit.

“He’s not well. He can’t remember anything about the game,” he said.

Fox League commentator and former Storm halfback Cooper Cronk labelled the shot as “one of the worst we’ve seen”.

“I know he’s trying to change momentum for his team, but he has clearly got that wrong,” Cronk said.

“He is going to spend a long, long time on the sidelines I’m guessing.”

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart had no objections to the decision to send Harawira-Naera off and insisted there was no malice in the tackle gone wrong.

“If he has hit him in the head, yes, but it is not in Corey’s makeup to hurt someone like that. It is a collision game and he has come in fast,” Stuart said.

Jahrome Hughes after the hit from Corey Harawira-Naera.

‘The precious jewels’: The Cheese’s hilarious post-win banter

Rough and ready Melbourne Storm star Brandon Smith has given one of the funniest post-match interviews you will ever see.

Fresh off the first try in the Storm’s 26-16 dogfight with Canberra, a battered and bruised Smith revealed he had an interesting incident in the bathroom on the morning of the game.

“It was a terrible start to the day, I was having a sleep and then I woke up and I went to go to the toilet and I was naked and then I walked straight into the glass shower and the whole thing smashed all over me,” Smith said, leaving teammate Harry Grant in stitches.

“Cut me everywhere, terrible start to the day.”

The Cheese had teammate Harry Grant in stitches.

Smith was in the wars during the match with one particular knock bringing a tear to the eye.

“Didn’t I cop a knock man? Copped a knock to the gonads, the precious jewels and then I copped a knock to the neck and then the AC joint.

“Hopefully Bells (coach Craig Bellamy) gives me the week off next week.”

Told to enjoy the night, he signed off with “thanks guys, I don’t think I will.”

Another day in the life of The Cheese.

Smith hams it up before the game. Picture: Getty Images

Storm go the distance as Harawira-Naera is sent off

Raiders forward Corey Harawira-Naera was sensationally sent from the field in the final minutes for a high shot on Storm half Jahrome Hughes in Melbourne’s thrilling 26-16 win over a brave Canberra.

A record that has stood for 46 years is now in striking distance for the Storm after their 18th win in a row against a defiant Raiders on the Sunshine Coast.

Courtesy of the win, the Storm can equal the great 1975 Roosters outfit’s all-time record of 19 consecutive wins if they can beat the Titans next week.

The Storm got off to a flying start but then got into an arm wrestle.

The Storm led 20-4 at halftime but the Raiders came storming home thanks to inspirational five-eighth Jack Wighton who set up three tries for Bailey Simonsson. They got the margin back to a six-point deficit before Harawira-Naera caught Hughes high and Ryan Papenhuyzen landed the match-sealing penalty.

Raiders coach Ricky Stuart had no problem with the send-off.

“If he has hit him in the head, yes, but it is not in Corey’s makeup to hurt someone like that. It is a collision game and he has come in fast,” Stuart said.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said he didn’t see the Harawira-Naera hit but conceded Hughes, who was taken from the field, was groggy.

“He’s not well. He can’t remember anything about the game,” he said.

Champion Storm playmaker five-eighth Cameron Munster poked, probed and prodded on his merry way in the first half.

Premiership-winner Matty Johns noted this week how the Storm’s form had slipped in recent weeks and that was certainly in evidence against Canberra with little intensity in their play.

An almighty spray from coach Craig Bellamy would surely have been waiting for them in the sheds. Melbourne rarely got out of second gear in the first half and didn’t need to, but that all changed in the second.

The Storm lost inspirational lock forward Dale Finucane in the second minute to concussion, and he was sorely missed.

Bellamy said his side “lost the plot in the second half for the first twenty minutes” but losing Finucane was a huge loss.

As for his side’s recent form he said “we are probably not playing well but we are still winning games and finding a way.”

STORM STREAKY

The Roosters won 19 straight in the 1975 season and then lost the major semi to the Dragons before towelling up St George 38-0 in the decider.

The Storm win took them beyond the previous second longest streak of 17 wins in a row held by the 2020 Panthers and 2002 Bulldogs. Neither of those teams won titles in those years, which is the only prize coach Craig Bellamy has his sights on.

Melbourne needs a second wind in the race to go back-to-back and have plenty to work on, including their leaky right edge defence.

WONDERFUL WIGHTON

Canberra five-eighth Wighton was superb, which will give the Raiders fans hope of a late run at the semis. In the spotlight for a lacklustre year, Wighton threw two pinpoint cutout passes to send Simonsson over and catch out the wonky Storm right side defence that Manly exposed the previous week.

Bailey Simonsson scored a hat-trick for the Raiders.

When Storm winger Dean Ieremia let a Sam Williams bomb bounce, Wighton pounced to send Simonsson over in the corner for his hat-trick and cut the Storm lead to 20-16. Wighton was on the ball and in everything to show what a class act he is.

RAIDERS ALIVE

The Raiders remain, with the Knights and Titans, on 20 points and just inside the eight for now, but most likely will need to win two of their remaining three games to have a shot at playing finals footy.

Josh Hodgson said before the Storm clash that his side needed to be at their best to beat the best, and the Raiders were in the second half but not in the first. With champion fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad’s return from a neck injury imminent, the Raiders need to find their best in the run home against the Sea Eagles, Warriors and Roosters.

Originally published as Storm v Raiders: Melbourne claim tough encounter; Corey Harawira-Naera set to miss rest of season