Storm v Eels: Where Melbourne’s 18-16 triumph over Parramatta was won and lost

THE Eels played some wonderful football and on another day could have beaten the Storm — we run the rule over where the match was won and lost.

NRL Qualifying Final: Melbourne Storm v Parramatta Eels at AAMI Park, Saturday, September 9, 2017. Storm celebrate a try. Picture: Mark Stewart

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IN one of the matches of the season, Melbourne overturned a 10-4 half-time deficit to beat Parramatta 18-16 and progress to week three of the finals.

The Eels played some wonderful football and on another day could have beaten the premiership favourites.

Here’s were the game was won and lost.

1) PARRA GO ON A FOX HUNT

Parramatta came into the match with Josh Addo-Carr firmly in their crosshairs.

They constantly peppered the Storm’s left side with bombs and attacking shifts, catching Addo-Carr out for Kirisome Auva’a’s try and nearly getting him again when Kenny Edwards was first to a high kick.

Melbourne are extremely strong defensively across the park, but the inexperienced combination of Addo-Carr and Curtis Scott could be an area for teams to exploit in the next few weeks.

It was puzzling that Parramatta went away from such a successful strategy in the second half — they began to favour their own left side and Will Chambers did a great job of containing Semi Radradra.

Parramatta were excellent in the first half.

2) ERRORS CRUEL MELBOURNE EARLY

The Storm made six errors in the first half alone — the week before against Canberra they made five in the entire match.

In contrast, Parramatta had one error in the entire first half and controlled possession beautifully, denying Melbourne any cheap ball down their end. Gifting any opposition that much ball is flirting with disaster and adding Cameron Munster’s sin-binning into the mix it gave the Eels a golden opportunity to take the lead.

Once Munster left the field the Eels kept attacking the Melbourne right-hand side and the try to Will Smith, which came off a Mitchell Moses pass that was too beautiful for this world, came through the hole Munster would have filled had he been on the field.

The Storm can play some dazzling attacking football.

3) THIS AIN’T YOUR DADDY’S STORM

One of the more erroneous notions around the Storm is that they’re still the grinding, clinical, methodical outfit they were five years ago when they last won the comp in 2012.

They can still play that way if required but their first instinct is now to attack with dazzling skill in a variety of formations that dazzle the eye.

You don’t finish top of the pointscoring charts if you can’t turn the flash on when required and thee tries to begin the second half to Kenny Bromwich and Billy Slater were two of the best of the season, both for the interchanges of passing and the commitment to keeping the ball alive.

Parramatta’s discipline abandoned them

4) EELS DISCIPLINE COSTS THEM BADLY

The Eels lost the penalty count in the second half 6-1 as the intensity of the match got to them in the crucial stages.

Nathan Brown is Parramatta’s best forward but his high tackle on Tim Glasby in the final moments was typical of the red mist that descended upon the entire team in the second half. Some basic errors from players who should have known better didn’t help either — despite pushing Melbourne right to the brink, there is still improvement in this Eels side.

The key for them next week will be keeping their composure in the big moments, that’s one of the final steps for the blue and golds.

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Eels fullback Will Smith is wrapped up by the Storm defence.

5) A GRAND FINAL PREVIEW?

This was a match of high quality — Melbourne will remain title favourites but Parramatta will fancy their chances against either Cronulla or North Queensland at home next week. The return of fullback Bevan French will be a major boost.

Will Smith had a fine game at fullback without a doubt, but French will give them an extra attacking threat and the likes of Mitchell Moses will be better with their finals debut out of the way.

The Roosters will be a tough out in the prelim, while Cronulla and North Queensland aren’t pushovers by any means, but once the dust settles Parramatta will give themselves a massive chance of making the grand final.

Originally published as Storm v Eels: Where Melbourne’s 18-16 triumph over Parramatta was won and lost