Round 2
Roosters 18 l. Storm 22

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Sydney Roosters
Craig Fitzgibbon [PR] 6 Pts; 3/3g
Amos Roberts [WG] 4 Pts; 1t (62nd)
Ryan Cross [CT] 4 Pts; 1t (78th)
Jamie Soward [HB] 4 Pts; 1t (58th)

Melbourne Storm
Cameron Smith [DH] 6 Pts; 3/4g
Ryan Hoffman [BE] 4 Pts; 1t (36th)
Cooper Cronk [HB] 4 Pts; 1t (51st)
Greg Inglis [CT] 4 Pts; 1t (9th)
Steve Turner [CT] 4 Pts; 1t (20th`)



Late fadeout almost costs Storm game
Sun March 19, 2006
Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

Melbourne Storm overcame the loss of star centre Matt King before the game as well as a string of less than impressive statistics to defeat the highly fancied Sydney Roosters 22-18 at Aussie Stadium in Sydney.

The Storm had only won once in their past nine visits to Aussie Stadium and had only beaten the Roosters twice in their past eight encounters. Add to this the fact Melbourne had only won twice in eight attempts after returning from Auckland and the Melbourne boys had everything going against them.

However, the Storm started in impressive fashion and by the middle of the second half had built a commanding 22-0 lead.

But on an already hot day, Storm coach Craig Bellamy would have steamed up the coach's box as his team hit the wall at the 63 minute, almost letting that lead slip to gift the Roosters an unlikely victory.

Even though the Storm ran in four tries to three, and the final 20 minute fade out almost cost them the game, once again it was their defence that won them the game.

The likes of Cameron Smith, Dallas Johnson and the young front-row brigade of Garrett Crossman, Brett White, Ian Donnelly and Antonio Kaufusi were instrumental in giving the Storm a perfect start to the season.

The first try of the game came in predictable fashion.

After dominating the opening passages of play, the Storm were rewarded when a Cooper Cronk cross-field kick was effortlessly plucked out of the air by Greg Inglis to give the visitors the early advantage.

Storm's second try came in the 20th minute when a terrible mistake at the play the ball by Rooster Shane Shackleton gifted Storm possession 20 metres out. The resultant play sifted its way through several pairs of hands before finding its way to winger Steve Turner who, after Smith's conversion, extended the Storm lead to 10-0.

Ryan Hoffman ensured the Storm went into the half-time break with a healthy 16-0 lead when a Cronk pass found the second-rower in a hole big enough to enable him to find his way to the try line.

Ten minutes into the second half the Storm were at it again with Cronk taking the ball from the scrum, charging his way through a couple of would-be Roosters defenders before putting the ball down under the posts to extend the Storm lead to 22-0.

The turning point of the match came half way through the second half when Johnson was taken off with a groin injury which seemed to unbalance the Melbourne defence.

With 17 minutes remaining, the Roosters were thrown a life line when a stray pass found its way into the hands of their captain Craig Fitzgibbon who in turn passed it on to halfback Jamie Soward to score under the posts.

Soward's try seemed to spark the Roosters into life and when another mistake in possession resulted in a turnover, the home team took full advantage.

A high kick by Soward caused confusion in the Storm in-goal area. No one took the responsibility to catch the ball and the ball hit the deck without touching anyone's hands. Amos Roberts pounced on the loose ball to score and edge the home side a little closer.

With three minutes remaining Roberts brought the Roosters to within one try of levelling the scores when another Soward run caught the Storm defence napping, and his offload put his teammate in the clear to score under the posts.

Form the restart Cameron Smith kicked out on the full, gifting the Roosters possession on the halfway line. However, after a late scare, the Storm managed to hold on for a victory that was far closer than it should have been.

The first Roosters try took the Storm by surprise and the Melbourne found it difficult to regain the ascendancy.

"Their first try came off an error from us and Fitzgibbon intercepted the ball and Soward just got away," said Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

"The Roosters really aimed up on us then and that's something we could learn from them. They were behind but they came out and put a lot of pressure on us. Defensively they came up and got stuck into us.

"We ended up watching the clock instead of concentrating on what we were meant to be doing."

The only sour note was the facial injury Michael Crocker sustained at the halfway point of the first half that will keep him out for three to four weeks.

"He's got a busted nose and a cut where the bone came through so I don?t think it's too good," Bellamy said.

Report sent by: www.melbournestorm.com.au

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