Round 6
Canberra Raiders 16 l. Melbourne Storm 23

2008 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Storm's dominance over Raiders continues
Mon April 21, 2008
Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

Melbourne has continued its recent domination over the Raiders, albeit in a close, tough encounter, recording their 12th straight win over the boys from the capital with a 23-16 win in front of 15,550 fans at Canberra Stadium.

Billy Slater was once again the star of the show, surely sewing up the Kangaroos fullback spot, running for 230 metres, with three line breaks, a hand in several tries and a spectacular try of his own.

Before the game Canberra lost a couple of their star players, Lincoln Withers and their captain Alan Tongue, forcing coach Neil Henry to make an astounding six positional and personnel changes.

For the first 65 minutes, the Storm struggled to counter the enthusiasm of the Raiders' play, but the cream rose to the top in the final 15 minutes, with the Storm posting a couple of crucial tries and a field goal from halfback Cooper Cronk.

Canberra had won five of their past six games at home, and from the outset it looked like they might make it six from seven and cause an upset over the reigning premiers.

"I was really disappointed with the way we started the game," said Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

"But I must say, the Raiders had a few guys out. A couple of important guys dropped out of the team in Alan Tongue and Withers, who are good players and important players, so for them to perform the way they did is a real credit to them.

"They controlled the ball so well in the first-half that it doesn't matter who you've got in your team you're going to be competitive.

"Our defence was really poor in the opening 20 minutes and that got us into trouble."

The Storm were let off the hook as early as the fourth minute. A cross-field kick saw David Milne challenge Anthony Quinn in the air, the loose ball falling into the welcoming arms of Joel Monaghan who put the ball down, only for the video referee to adjudge that Milne had knocked on.

Melbourne weren't so lucky six minutes later. A grubber kick through the Storm's defensive line caused confusion with Slater looking to usher the ball over the dead ball line, only for Canberra's Colin Best to touch the ball down with barely millimetres to spare to put the home side up 6-0; Todd Carney slotting the conversion.

Several minutes later the Raiders were over again. A bullocking run from backrower Nigel Plum saw him crash through the Storm's defence, leaving Slater exposed, and there was nothing the fullback could do to stop him scoring only metres from his own try-line.

Melbourne got themselves back in the game when a brilliant long ball from Cronk hit Storm centre Will Chambers on the chest, and he had the easiest of jobs crossing in the corner to reduce the deficit to eight points.

Another cross-field kick by the Raiders, this time to the opposite corner, saw Purtell score in the corner after Michael Dobson had the caught the kick, then offloaded in the tackle, sending Canberra in at half-time leading 16-4.

Canberra gave the Storm another let-off early in the second-half. Another cross field kick caused problems for the Storm with Best out-jumping the pack and crossing in the corner, only for it to be ruled no-try as he had only just gone into touch before planting the ball down.

A superb try moments later by Melbourne gave the away fans something to cheer about. A terrific offload by Michael Crocker saw the ball pass from Cam Smith to Slater who in turn put Anthony Quinn through a hole. Quinn then gave it back to Slater fed Steve Turner who easily crossed in the corner. Cam Smith made the conversion look easy from the side line.

With 15 minutes to go the Storm evened the scoreline. Again it was Slater at the heart of it. A superb short inside ball from Cronk found Slater who brushed aside one tackle before easily sidestepping his opposite number for the Raiders Bronx Goodwin to score between the posts.

A field goal from Cronk with eight minutes to go put the Storm in front for the first time.

The final nail was put in the Raiders' coffin when a kick out to Israel Folau's wing saw the giant centre leap above the pack and get the ball down to end Canberra's gallant efforts against the reigning premiers.

The Storm now travel directly to Townsville to prepare for next Saturday night's clash against the Cowboys at Dairy Farmers Stadium.

STORM 23 (Tries: Chambers, Turner, Slater, Folau; Goals: C. Smith 3; Field Goal: Cronk) def. RAIDERS 16 (Tries: Best, Plum, Purtell; Goals: Carney 2) at Canberra Stadium.

News sent by: www.melbournestorm.com.au


Learoyd-Lahrs returns for Raiders
Tue April 15, 2008
Source: www.raiders.com.au

Raider's enforcer Tom Learoyd-Lahrs will make his first appearance for the Green Machine in 2008 on Monday night, after he was named on the bench for the Raiders big heritage round clash against the Melbourne Storm at Canberra Stadium.

Learoyd-Lahrs has spent the past three weeks playing for the Souths Logan Magpies in the Queensland Cup, and has been playing some consistent football and getting valuable on field minutes.

Raiders forward Trevor Thurling will face the NRL judiciary on Wednesday night and will plead not guilty on his grade one dangerous throw charge, while Ben Jones will escape suspension after taking the early guilty plea on his grade one dangerous throw charge.

If Thurling is suspended later this week the door will open for either David Milne to come into the 17, or it could see Joel Thompson make his NRL debut.

Thompson has been in solid form for the Raiders Toyota Cup side over the past few weeks, and trialled with the NRL side in their three trial matches at the start of the season.

Raiders forward Josh Miller was today ruled out for 4-6 weeks, after he sustained an ankle injury in the sides 30-24 win over the Wests Tigers on Sunday.

Raiders Coach Neil Henry said the club would plead not guilty to Thurling's charge, and mentioned Miller's injury as a key loss for the Green Machine.

Henry said, ""We're going to contest the charge and I think we have a good case there with Trevor, we've named him in the side so hopefully he gets off with that. Josh will be out for four to six weeks with his ankle injury, normally he recovers quite well and he assures me he'll be right in three weeks."

Henry said the return of Tom Learoyd-Lahrs was a bonus for the team, and the Raiders would use the big forward closer to the action than in the past.

"He's into the frame for a game and we'll have to see how he trains in the week after a few weeks in Queensland playing for Logan and hopefully we'll throw him in the front row this weekend," he said. "I think playing in the middle he prefers that rather than playing out on the edge, so that's his future I think."

Facing an inform Melbourne will test the Raiders on Monday night, and Henry said the team would need to improve, and keep up the effort of some recent performances against the Victorian based team.

Henry said: "We're going to need to lift again this week against Melbourne, Billy Slater at the back has been sensational. Both games were tough last year against them and very physical and there wasn't much in it at halftime in both games and they got us at the back end of the second half.

"Our ball control has been pretty good and it will need to be again on Monday night."

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP
Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm
Canberra Stadium
Monday 21st April 2008
7.00pm

Raiders (NRL):
1. Bronx Goodwin
2. Colin Best
3. Marshall Chalk
4. Joel Monaghan
5. Adrian Purtell
6. Terry Campese
7. Todd Carney
8. Scott Logan
9. Lincoln Withers
10. Dane Tilse
11. Joe Picker
12. Nigel Plum
13. Alan Tongue (c)

Subs:
14. Trevor Thurling
15. Tom Learoyd-Lahrs
16. Ben Jones
17. Troy Thompson
18. David Milne
19. Joel Thompson
(two to be omitted)

Coach: Neil Henry

Injuries/Suspension
Josh Miller - Ankle - Round 10-12
Michael Weyman - Suspended - Round 13
Ryan Hinchcliffe - Thumb - Round 11
Glen Turner - Ankle - Round 7
Neville Costigan - Quad - Round 7-9
William Zillman - Knee - Season
Phil Graham - Knee - Season

TOYOTA CUP
Canberra Raiders v Melbourne Storm
Canberra Stadium
Monday 21st April 2008
4.45pm

Raiders (NYC):
1. Josh Dugan
2. Michael Brophy
3. Jarrod Croker
4. Justin Carney
5. Steve Naughton
6. Michael Picker
7. Matt Smith
8. Todd Grace
9. Brock Dunn
10. Todd Rheinberger
11. Shaun Fensom (c)
12. Jarrad Kennedy
13. Zac Merritt

Subs:
14. Travis Waddell
15. Matt Britt
16. Andrew Edwards
17. Brendon Wheatley
18. Levi Freeman
(one to be omitted)

Coach: Tony Adam

News sent by: www.raiders.com.au

Tue April 15, 2008
• Storm unchanged for Raiders clash - includes NYC squad
  

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