At Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland: Storm 24 (Justin Olam 6 min, Harry Grant 25 min, Jahrome Hughes 41 min, Nick Meaney 53 min tries; Meaney 3 goals, Cameron Munster goal) Warriors 12 (Edward Kosi 20 min, 33 min, 63 min tries)
HT: 10-8.
On report: Nelson Asofa Solomona (Storm), Josh King (Storm).
The Warriors have once again come away from an NRL game being able to feel positive about their performance, but without the two points to go with it.
In their second game at Mt Smart Stadium this season they lost 24-12 to the Melbourne Storm on a chilly Friday night, for their 14th defeat from 19 games this season.
Cameron Munster had a quiet first half, but helped the Storm to a comfortale lead to the second half.
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Winger Edward Kosi, who has had his struggles this year, scored all the Warriors’ points and showed why the club have have persisted with him for the past two years.
Having not beaten the Storm since 2015 and going through a dreadful season, not much was expected from the Warriors in this game.
However, they were in this contest for a long time and really could have come away with a win.
It was an improved performance from Reece Walsh, who was no doubt humbled by his demotion to the bench for the game against the Raiders last weekend.
His blindingly quick footwork regularly caused panic in the Storm defence and he showed the reactions of a first slip in cricket as he plucked a kick out of the air with one hand, close to the goal line.
Brett Phibbs/Photosport
Reece Walsh had a better game for the Warriors than his performances in recent weeks.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona looked to make an early impression, making a dodgy tackle on Kosi in the first few minutes, then did a crusher tackle on Wayde Egan.
How it wasn’t at least a sin bin left Warriors fans bemused and they let referee Peter Gough know that as the hooker left the field for an HIA.
While it was a bright start from the Warriors, it was embarrassing how easily Justin Olam got through a small gap in the line between Shaun Johnson and Adam Pompey for the opening try.
Midway through the half Storm lock Josh King eye gouged Jazz Tevaga, but once again the officials were lenient and he copped nothing more than being put on report.
But from the ensuing set, the Warriors picked up a try, with Chanel Harris-Tavita throwing a great looping pass to Kosi, for him to score in the left corner.
In the 26th minute Harry Grant had the Storm’s second try, this time it was the Warriors’ left edge defence that opened up.
Harris-Tavita picked up an MCL injury in the play, which resulted in Egan playing at five-eighth and Freddy Lussick on at hooker. Harris-Tavita could be out for five weeks, so may have played his last game for the Warriors.
In his absence, Egan was a sensation in the halves. He instigated Kosi’s second try, in the 33rd minute.
Down 10-8 at the break the game was wide open, but as has happened so often this season, the Warriors had a bad start to the second half, with Jahrome Hughes running through untouched for a Storm try.
Fullback Nick Meaney took the score to 20-8 with a try in the 53rd minute and he kicked a penalty soon after to extend the Storm lead.
Kosi secured his hat-trick in the 63rd minute to cap off a breakthrough night for him, but as far as the game went, it was already a lost cause.
The big moment
Jahrome Hughes’ try at the beginning of the second half was a crucial blow for the Warriors and until they can start the last 40 minutes with the same intensity they finish the first, they’ll continue making it hard for themselves.
Match rating
7.5/10: Plenty of mistakes from both teams, but it was still an entertaining game with a couple of spectacular tries.
The big picture
The Storm may have got the two points, but it was far from a vintage performance from Craig Bellamy’s team and although they’ve ended their four-game losing streak, they don’t look like a team that can win the Premiership this year.
MVP
Tohu Harris was immense up the middle, giving the Storm a reminder of what they lost when he moved to the Warriors a few years ago. Harris ran the ball for 120 metres in the first half alone for a captain-like performance.
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