Storm get the job done, Eels jump Manly into fifth

Australia World

Updated September 06, 2019 22:10:42

The Melbourne Storm completed the home and away season as expected, with a 24-16 win over the Cowboys at AAMI Park, to finish three games clear as minor premiers.

Earlier, Parramatta beat Manly 32-16 at home in a match that proved damaging for the Sea Eagles, with Martin Taupau on report and in doubt for week one of the finals.

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Storm roll the Cowboys to wrap up season

Melbourne will steam into the NRL qualifying final at full pace after rolling over the top of North Queensland 24-16 in a final round clash at AAMI Park.

The Storm were presented with the JJ Giltinan Shield after the match in clinching their third minor premiership in four years.

The win was their 20th for the season, the fourth time they have achieved such a feat with the last in 2017 when they won the grand final.

With the Cowboys out of finals contention there was little on the line for both teams and they showed a willingness to throw the ball around.

After a big win against Manly last round, the Storm were determined to build their momentum with a final looming next weekend against either Souths or Canberra.

Their performance wasn’t up to the same standard as the Sea Eagles showing but they still did enough to dominate their opponents.

Melbourne trailed early with Cowboys catching the Storm short out wide with winger Murray Taulagi dotting down in the 18th minute.

But the home side hit soon back through their own winger Sandor Earl and from there it was all Storm with three further tries.

Giant prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona was rewarded with a try after clocking up impressive figures of 174 run metres from just 44 minutes on the field.

Full-back Ryan Papenhuyzen didn’t get across the line but proved a handful for North Queensland with a game-high 284-run metres.

His opposite number Scott Drinkwater, who headed north from Melbourne mid-season, was among the Cowboys’ best.

The North Queensland side was far from disgraced and after a disappointing season at least finished on a good note, with second rower Gavin Cooper crossing in the 80th minute.

Manly in strife after loss to Eels

Manly’s finals campaign could be dealt another blow after prop Martin Taupau was reported for a high shot in Friday’s 32-16 loss to Parramatta.

Taupau was sin-binned after his second-half swinging arm whacked Eels forward Ray Stone across the jaw and forced him from the field in a medicab.

Having already lost star full-back Tom Trbojevic to a season-ending pectoral injury, the Sea Eagles could now be without Taupau for next week’s elimination final.

Further souring the defeat was a knee injury to rookie forward Taniela Paseka, while second-rower Curtis Sironen also failed to finish the match a leg issue.

The 16-point win means Parramatta finish fifth and the Sea Eagles sixth, however their week-one opponents will be decided on Saturday and Sunday.

Manly will face Brisbane should the Broncos defeat Canterbury on Saturday, while the Eels will meet either Cronulla or the Wests Tigers in Parramatta.

Eels front-rower Kane Evans was also binned and cited after his shoulder made contact with Sea Eagles centre Brad Parker later in the match.

Replays later showed Evans’ shoulder bounced up off Parker’s arm and into his head, however it was enough to send him for a concussion test.

The Taupau shot drew fierce criticism from the commentators.

“If they don’t think that’s sent off… there’s no other high tackle you can do that’s worse than that,” said Fox Sports commentator Braith Anasta.

Led by three tries from breakout star Maika Sivo, the Eels were the better side for most of the match and were leading by 16 points when Taupau was marched.

The Sea Eagles showed plenty of courage to stay in the contest with two tries to back-up hooker Manase Fainu to be within eight with 20 minutes to go.

Manly got to within six on a 65th-minute penalty goal, however Sivo sealed the victory with two tries in the final eight minutes.

The crowd of 25,034 chanted Sivo’s name after both four-pointers.

The Eels flew out of the blocks with two tries in the space of three minutes to Michael Jennings and Clint Gutherson.

Jennings’ fifth minute opener came off a devastating Sivo run, before Waqa Blake got in the clear for Gutherson in the next set.

Their lead blew out to 14 after a Mitchell Moses penalty goal before Manly stabilised with two try-saving plays to be down by 12 at the break.

The Sea Eagles were left to rue two golden chances either side of half-time, with Jorge Taufua and Reuben Garrick bombing certain tries.

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AAP

Topics: nrl, rugby-league, sport, sydney-2000, brookvale-2100, parramatta-2150, nsw, melbourne-3000, vic, brisbane-4000, townsville-4810, qld, australia

First posted September 06, 2019 17:32:23