South Sydney Rabbitohs again fail to breach Melbourne Storm fortress

MELBOURNE STORM 24 SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 16
TOM SMITH, AAMI Park, Friday

CRAIG BELLAMY once again got the better of old mentor Wayne Bennett as Melbourne outmuscled South Sydney to conclude the ANZAC Day triple header.

The Bunnies threatened an upset in the first half, but the Storm arrested control in the second, as stand-in skipper Latrell Mitchell found himself in the sin bin for a late and high tackle on a runaway Sualauvi Faalogo.

Storm halves Jahrome Hughes and Cameron Munster guided their side with aplomb at a greasy AAMI Park.

The result continues the Rabbitohs’ extraordinary winless streak in Melbourne. The Bunnies have never won in the Victorian capital in 20 attempts.

It also adds to the Storm’s superb record in their traditional ANZAC Day outing on home turf, having won twelve, drawn one and lost just three of their 16 appearances at this venue on Australia’s national day of remembrance.

Plus, Bennett will have to wait until Round 16 for another shot at ending his drought against his former Broncos protege. The 75-year-old hasn’t beaten the Storm since 2016, and has outfoxed Bellamy just ten times from 45 attempts.

Seven days after the Storm slumped to a shock 42-22 loss to the Dolphins, Bellamy swapped Jack Howarth (shoulder) and Tui Kamikamica (ankle) with Nick Meaney and Lazarus Vaalepu.

He also swung a last-minute change, inserting Samoa international Faalogo onto the wing for his first appearance of the season.

Bennett chopped and changed his team sheet even more. With skipper Cody Walker succumbing to a calf complaint in a thumping Good Friday loss to Canterbury, Jayden Sullivan (suspension) and Jye Gray teamed up in the halves and new captain Mitchell shifted to fullback.

Like his debut the previous week, Lewis Dodd was limited to a cameo bench role, playing the final 17 minutes.

Lachlan Hubner’s concussion shuffled Euan Aitken into the forward pack and rookie Bayleigh Bentley-Hape onto the wing.

Some slick hands unlocked South Sydney’s left-edge defence for the opening try, as Faalogo sent Ryan Papenhuyzen over the whitewash.

But Stefano Utoikamanu’s error handed the ball straight back to the Bunnies, who immediately crossed through Jack Wighton courtesy of a brilliant Keaon Koloamatangi offload.

And against the run of play, the visitors poked their noses in front thanks to Bentley-Hape’s maiden NRL try — a straightforward put-down after Eliesa Katoa ripped the ball from Wighton’s grasp.

However, Melbourne tied things up by the half-time hooter, shifting the ball through six pairs of hands to put Xavier Coates into the left corner.

Faalogo threatened straight after the restart, before Katoa snatched a Hughes bomb to extend the Storm’s lead.

And the advantage became eight once Papenhuyzen slotted the penalty goal that followed Mitchell’s indiscretion, which ended Faalogo’s night with a head injury.

The Rabbitohs survived the remainder of the ten minutes minus Mitchell, but Nick Meaney eventually broke through to release Tyran Wishart and wrap up the contest with 15 minutes remaining.

With Papenhuyzen in the bin for a professional foul, Wighton scored a second try to shave the margin somewhat.

GAMESTAR: Jahrome Hughes’ kicking game steered the Storm expertly in the wet.

GAMEBREAKER: Tyran Wishart’s 66th-minute try made sure of Melbourne’s victory.

MATCHFACTS
STORM
1 Ryan Papenhuyzen
5 Xavier Coates
3 Grant Anderson
4 Nick Meaney
19 Sualauvi Faalogo
6 Cameron Munster
7 Jahrome Hughes
8 Stefano Utoikamanu
9 Bronson Garlick
10 Josh King
11 Shawn Blore
12 Eliesa Katoa
13 Trent Loiero
Subs (all used)
14 Tyran Wishart
15 Alec MacDonald
16 Joe Chan
17 Lazarus Vaalepu

Tries: Papenhuyzen (13), Coates (38), Katoa (43), Wishart (66)
Goals: Papenhuyzen 4/5
Sin bin: Papenhuyzen (71) — professional foul

RABBITOHS
1 Latrell Mitchell
2 Bayleigh Bentley-Hape
3 Jack Wighton
4 Campbell Graham
5 Isaiah Tass
14 Jye Gray
7 Jayden Sullivan
8 Sean Keppie
9 Peter Mamouzelos
10 Tevita Tatola
11 Keaon Koloamatangi
12 Euan Aitken
13 Jai Arrow
Suns (all used)
15 Siliva Havili
16 Davvy Moale
17 Tallis Duncan
19 Lewis Dodd