Canberra shock Storm with 22-6 NRL win
Canberra underline credentials as NRL premiership favourites, dealing Melbourne a stunning blow with an 22-6 victory at AAMI Park.
Canberra have underlined their credentials as NRL premiership favourites, dealing Melbourne a stunning blow with an 22-6 victory in their competition restart at AAMI Park.
The Raiders hadn’t won three games to open a season since 2005 but their English halfback George Williams helped orchestrate a hit-and-run mission to maintain an unbeaten start for last year’s grand finalists.
The win was also Canberra’s third in succession in Melbourne, rattling the Storm’s claim on their fortress.
Williams set up two tries in the first half in a commanding performance as the visitors raced to an 18-6 lead.
The opening try was scored by Jordan Rapana, who only returned to the Raiders during the coronavirus-enforced shutdown after a stint playing rugby in Japan. Rapana crossed in the fourth minute after five-eighth Jack Wighton threw a cut- out pass to centre Jarrod Croker, who sent it on to his winger with the Storm caught short.
Williams then worked some magic with a show-and-go as he ran across the field firing a long ball to winger Nick Cotric, who dived across in the corner. Melbourne got on the scoreboard through Dale Finucane in the 31st minute before Williams helped extend his team’s lead minutes later when he split the defence and offloaded for flying fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad to score under the posts.
The Raiders’ first two tries came after six-again with the Storm struggling to adapt to the new rule for ruck infringements.
They also did themselves no favours in the second half with their poor completion rate leaving coach Craig Bellamy fuming from the coaches box. Canberra also deserve credit for a massive defensive effort, leaving the Storm bereft of ideas to get across the tryline.
Melbourne’s fate was sealed with six minutes remaining when centre Justin Olam looked certain to score before second-rower Joe Tapine managed to flip him on to his back keeping the ball off the ground.
Tapine was then rewarded with a 79th minute try, winning the race to kick into the in-goal by Cotric.
AAP
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