Lower grades: Comebacks fall short in twin Melbourne losses
The Warriors' NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg outfits went down to the Storm after reeling in big deficits.
While the Warriors’ ended an 11-year NRL drought against Melbourne, the club’s NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Cup sides were edged out by their Storm counterparts in nail-biters.
Both clashes followed remarkably similar scripts.
After recently re-signed Warriors fullback Joseph Ratcliffe scored the opening try in the Jersey Flegg encounter at Grosch’s Paddock — the ground just outside AAMI Park — the Storm piled on four unanswered tries to lead 20-4 five minutes into the second half.
The Warriors rallied spectacularly to snatch the lead just after the hour mark: winger Brandon Norris, centre Taipari Wikitera, winger Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi and five-eighth Harry Inch all scored in the space of 11 hectic minutes.
Inch could only manage two conversions, however, and the Storm prevailed 26-24 thanks to hooker Jai Bowden’s 67th-minute try.
Melbourne powered to a 24-0 lead in the NSW Cup fixture at AAMI Park, scoring five tries inside half an hour.
A six-minute spurt late in the first half from the defending champs narrowed the gap to six points at the break, with winger Daeon Amituanai (from a trademark Jack Thompson floating cut-out ball), lock Morgan Gannon and centre Jeremiah Lemana dotting down.
Following a Storm penalty goal, a solo try to halfback Jett Cleary — who finished with a team-high 172 metres — pegged the Warriors back to 26-24 in arrears. But the Storm steadied to claim a 32-24 victory with winger Blake Kehl crossing in the 61st minute.
Englishman Gannon (42 tackles, 161 metres) put his hand up for further NRL consideration, while NSW Cup rookie Christian Sikuvea (148 metres, 22 tackles) put up big numbers off the bench. Kayliss Fatialofa coupled 120 run metres with a break and brilliant kick to set up Lemana’s try.
The Warriors’ NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg teams sit mid-table with 3-3 records. They both play Manly Sea Eagles in Auckland next Saturday in Round 7.