NRL 2022, Melbourne Storm, South Sydney Rabbitohs, Round 2, Match Report, Highlights, Key Moments

The Melbourne Storm held a fast-paced South Sydney match to ensure Supercoach Craig Bellamy celebrated his 500th game in style with a 15-14 golden point victory at AAMI Park on Thursday night.

Leading 14-0 with 12 minutes to play, the Storm conceded three quick attempts to see their lead on two before a booming two-point field goal from 48 yards out by Latrell Mitchell sent the game to the golden point.

After 84 minutes, Ryan Papenhuyzen came on for the home side.

After 11 minutes, a mistake by the home side’s left defense allowed Jahrome Hughes to get through. He outclassed the home side’s keeper, adding another goal for the visitors.

A mistake by the home side’s central defense after 22 minutes allowed Lachlan Ilias to score for Ryan Papenhuyzen. It was 8 – 0 at the break.

Harry Grant then ripped a hole through the heart of Rabbitoh’s defense and ran 60 yards before pulling Latrell Mitchell and taking over Cameron Munster for a third attempt.

After 14 at the break, the Rabbitohs started the second half as they finished the first, with a poor pass from Cameron Murray Feeler that cut off their first attacking opportunity.

49 minutes had elapsed when a great chance for Jaxson Paulo to take the lead after a good cross from the right found Alex Johnston alone with the keeper, but he chipped it to the wrong side of the post.

The Storm then came in a whisker of a fourth attempt, as Kenny Bromwich went ahead and stopped a scramble for the ball with Dean Ieremia shot, but the bunker found an offside game in the lead.

Melbourne were sent off again in the 59th minute when Grant was digging for Justin Olam, but the PNG center was determined to hit the ball as he tried to break the ground.

The Rabbitohs attack finally played with 11 minutes when a brilliant Cody Walker pass found Taane Milne who sent the ball to Johnston for the 138th attempt of his career.

With five minutes to play, the storm dropped to 12 men as Olam sinned after repeated offside violations against Olam and Paulo crossed into the right corner to make it 14-8.

A quick move to Souths’ right found Mitchell, who delivered a pearl of a pass for Campbell Graham to shoot, but a third missed conversion by Mitchell left Souths two points behind.

Incredibly, Mitchell then stepped up to land a two-point field goal from 48 yards out to send the game to the golden point before Papenhuyzen had the final say.

Match Snapshot

• Craig Bellamy becomes the fourth man in Premiership history to coach 500 players behind Wayne Bennett (890), Tim Sheens (669) and Brian Smith (601).
• South Sydney have all lost 18 games in Melbourne, including all 11 at AAMI Park.
• Audiences at AAMI Park paid tribute to the cricket icon and one of Melbourne’s favorite boys, Shane Warne, in the 23rd minute with sustained applause. Warne became No.23 in one day internationally for Australia.
• The Rabbitohs had almost no hope for the Storm in the 40th minute, coming up with 10 errors and concluding at 50 percent.
• After 51 minutes, a mistake by the home side’s left defense allowed Tepai Moeroa to get through. He outclassed the home side’s keeper, adding another goal for the visitors.
• Storm half Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster had 14 tackle breaks between them.
• Rabbitohs center Campbell Graham never stopped in a hit side attempt to make 176 yards out of 19 runs and brake nine tackles.

Players of the game

Harry Grant had his fingerprint all over the opening 40 minutes as Storm stormed to a 14-0 lead. His precise kick set up the game’s opening attempt for Xavier Coates and his explosive outburst from Dummy half embarrassed the Bunnies and gave Cameron Munster a saloon pass to the line for Melbourne’s third attempt. Grant finished the night with 145 running yards, two attempted assists and 41 tackles for good measure.

What they said

“Glad to win Belza’s 500th. He’s definitely someone to be admired as a coach, but also as a person. He’s a very special coach and a special person. He’s getting to know our families, getting to know everyone. around the place.It doesn’t matter if you are the Janitor or the President, he treats everyone the same and that is to have a really good character and it is contagious in the whole group. “ – Storm Fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and Hommage and Craig Bellamy on Channel Nine

“We have to keep believing in ourselves and it will come, I have no doubt. I’m pretty proud of the boys because at 14-0 with a 50 percent completion rate in the first half that match could go anywhere. We are in Confidence grew as the game went on, but we were pretty clunky when it came to our last pass in particular, I thought we were going to bomb four chances but we just have to keep playing through that. ” – Rabbitohs Trainer Jason Demetriou

“I mean, we only finished one set in the last 20 minutes of the second half and for 20 minutes we had a man short so we were under pressure everywhere. I’m not quite sure how we got there in the end with 12 Men … we probably have luck in the end, but sometimes you deserve your luck. ” – Storm Trainer Craig Bellamy

What’s next

The Storms are back home in the 3rd round against the Eels. These two sides have had some monumental conflicts in recent times, including Round 24 last year when the Blue and Golds stopped the Melbourne record 19-game winning streak.

The Rabbitohs meet the Roosters in a highly anticipated showdown at Accor Stadium. The book of feuds will be dusted off during the week and much attention will be focused on the last chapter written in round 24 last year, when Latrell Mitchell’s high shot left Joey Manu with a broken cheekbone.