Round 26
Melbourne Storm 42 d. South Sydney Rabbitohs 4

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

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

Storm seal minor premiership
Sun September 7, 2008
Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

Thousands of Storm fans gathered at Olympic Park tonight to celebrate a 40-4 win over the South Sydney Rabbitohs, a third consecutive minor premiership and to say goodbye to a club legend.

The chase was on at Olympic Park on with the Storm winning by 36 points to snatch top spot from Manly at the end of the home and away season. A margin of 26 points and a win was needed by Melbourne to claim the J.J Giltinan Shield.

Olympic Park also welcomed for the last time n a home-and-away game veteran Matt Geyer, who has been with Melbourne since their induction into the league in 1998.

The script could not have been written any better for Geyer with a great pass from fullback Billy Slater setting him up for the first try of the match to send the loyal home fans into delirium.

The Storm looked like a team on a mission as Smith converted the try and drew the chance of Melbourne's third consecutive minor premiership six points closer.

The Storm were all about attack in the opening ten minutes of the match with constant pressure being put on the Rabbitohs at both ends of the field.

A spanner was thrown in the works when Slater was sin-binned for 10 minutes for a professional foul only metres from his own try-line. But the Rabbitohs couldn't capitalise, and in fact it was the Storm who scored next.

Anthony Quinn took on the South Sydney defence and slammed the ball over the line for the team's second try.

The Rabbitohs were not without spirit, with Nathan Merritt scoring a try with less than ten minutes remaining in the opening term bringing the margin back to ten points.

Just as there seemed to be a momentum shift in favour of South Sydney, the Storm were rewarded for their continual attacking efforts with, a try from Ryan Hoffman moments before half-time swinging the moments back in Melbourne's favour.

The second half opened up quietly with ten minutes passing without a score. The silence was broken at 'The Graveyard' with a classic Slater run sending the ball over the line and setting the crowd alight.

Suddenly, what had seemed to be a formidable challenge at the beginning of the match was only four points away. With 26 minutes remaining, a single try would steal top spot from Manly.

With a play that was a combination of all that makes Melbourne a deserved minor premier, Folau gathered the loose ball and Slater, with speed slammed the ball over the line to seal top spot.

Smith provided Melbourne with a little bit of breathing room, converting the try with 21 minutes remaining, providing the Storm with a 28-point lead.

The Rabbitohs continued to press forward, but Melbourne's pressure at both ends of the field forced mistakes and led to loss of possession for the visiting team.

Brett Anderson was next on the scoresheet for the Storm, a Cooper Cronk kick sending the winger on his way over the try-line.

In a match that went all Melbourne's way a late try from Jeremy Smith crowned the Melbourne Storm as minor premiers for the third year in a row.

It was even sweeter for Matt Geyer, taking the opportunity to kick the final goal, putting it through in style to a standing ovation from the Melbourne crowd.

STORM 40 (Tries: Slater 2, Geyer, C Smith, J Smith, Quinn, Hoffman, Anderson; Goals: Smith 3, Geyer) def. RABBITOHS 4 (Try: Merritt) at Olympic Park

Report Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au


Storm Round 26 v Rabbitohs Game Notes
Fri September 5, 2008
Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

Melbourne suffered a setback in their quest for a third straight minor premiership with a tight 17-16 loss to the Newcastle Knights at EnergyAustralia Stadium last weekend.

The loss saw the Storm drop from top spot to second on the ladder.

After letting the Sydney Roosters slip out to a 22-0 lead, South Sydney almost pulled off the comeback of the season last round, going down 22-20 in a nail-biter.

The loss saw the Rabbitohs remain in 14th position.

WHO: Melbourne Storm v South Sydney Rabbitohs
WHAT: Round 26 of the 2008 Telstra Premiership season
WHERE: Olympic Park, Melbourne
WHEN: Sunday, September 7th @ 7.00pm
ON TV: Fox Sports 2 LIVE from 7.00pm
CHECK IT OUT: Melbourne Storm's website with all the latest stats, profiles, updates, schedule and training times, alerts, news etc - www.melbournestorm.com.au

FAST FACTS
* Melbourne has won their past six clashes against South Sydney
* Melbourne has averaged a 31-9 winning scoreline at Olympic Park this year
* South Sydney has conceded the first try in 11 of their past 12 games

DID YOU KNOW?
After 11 season, 258 games in a Storm jersey, 111 tries and 104 goals, club legend and foundation player Matt Geyer will be playing his last home-and-away game at Olympic Park.

Geyer will be retiring to the Gold Coast after this season where he will take up a position as a club ambassador in Queensland.

HEAD-TO-HEAD
Total: Played: 13, Storm: 11, Rabbitohs: 2
At Olympic Park: Played: 6, Storm: 6, Rabbitohs: 0

FOR AND AGAINST 2008
Points for: Storm: 542, Rabbitohs: 449
Points against: Storm: 278, Rabbitohs: 624
Tries for: Storm: 98, Rabbitohs: 79
Points differential: Storm: +264, Rabbitohs: -175

LAST ROUND MATCHES
Storm def. by Knights 17-16 @ EnergyAustralia Stadium
Rabbitohs def. by Roosters 22-20 @ Sydney Football Stadium

LAST EIGHT CLASHES
2008 Storm def. Rabbitohs 15-10 @ Bluetongue Stadium
2007 Storm def. Rabbitohs 12-8 @ Bluetongue Stadium
2007 Storm def. Rabbitohs 26-10 @ Olympic Park
2006 Storm def. Rabbitohs 38-14 @ ANZ Stadium
2005 Storm def. Rabbitohs 48-6 @ Olympic Park
2005 Storm def. Rabbitohs 38-12 @ Sydney Football Stadium
2004 Rabbitohs def. Storm 28-26 @ Sydney Football Stadium
2004 Storm def. Rabbitohs 50-4 @ Olympic Park

THE STORM STORY SO FAR
WORLD CLUB CHALLENGE: STORM 4 (Try: Hoffman) def. by RHINOS 11 (Try: Donald; Goals: Sinfield 3; Field Goal: Sinfield) at Elland Road, Leeds
ROUND 1: STORM 32 (Tries: Slater 3, Johnson, Tagataese; Goals: C. Smith 5, Turner) def. WARRIORS 18 (Tries: Vatuvei 2, Ropati; Goals: Witt 3) at Telstra Dome, Melbourne
ROUND 2: STORM 16 (Tries: Aitken, White, Falou; Goals: C. Smith 2) def. by SHARKS 17 (Tries: Kearney, Gallen, Simmons; Goals: Covell 2; Field Goals: Kimmorley) at Olympic Park, Melbourne
ROUND 3: Storm (Try: Slater; Goal: C. Smith) def. by ROOSTERS (Try: Kenny-Dowell; Goals: FitzGibbon 3) at Sydney Football Stadium
ROUND 4: STORM 28 (Tries: Quinn 3, Folau, Hoffman; Goals: Smith 4) def. BRONCOS 8 (Tries: Robinson, Stagg) at Olympic Park, Melbourne
ROUND 5: STORM 26 (Tries: Slater 2, Inglis, Quinn, Hoffman; Goals: Smith 3) def. SEA EAGLES 4 (Try: Barney) at Olympic Park
ROUND 6: 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
ROUND 7: STORM 12 (Tries: Inglis, Folau; Goals: C. Smith 2) def. COWBOYS 10 (Tries: Williams 2; Goals: Thurston) at Dairy Farmer's Stadium
ROUND 8: BYE
ROUND 9: STORM 18 (Tries: Folau 2, Quinn; Goals: C. Smith 3) def. KNIGHTS 4 (Try: Mullen) at Olympic Park, Melbourne
ROUND 10: STORM 12 (Tries: Chambers, Manu; Goals: Smith, Turner) def. by DRAGONS 36 (Tries: Nightingale 2, B. Morris, J Morris, Lett, Soward; Goals: Soward 6) at ANZ Stadium
ROUND 11: STORM 15 (Tries: Chambers, J. Smith; Goals: C. Smith 2, Field Goals: Cronk) def. RABBITOHS 12 (Tries: Vagana 2; Goals: Luke) at Bluetongue Stadium, Gosford
ROUND 12: STORM 46 (Tries: Geyer 2, C. Smith, Folau, Turner, J. Smith, Crocker, Cronk; Goals: C. Smith 7) def. BULLDOGS 0 at Olympic Park
ROUND 13: STORM 0 def. by TITANS 18 (Tries: Delaney, Meyers, Jeffrey; Goals: Rogers 3) at Skilled Park
ROUND 14: BYE
ROUND 15: STORM 48 (Tries: Inglis 3, Turner 2, J Smith, Slater, Geyer, Folau; Goals: C Smith 6) def. COWBOYS 20 (Tries: Henry, Williams, Webb, Cashmere; Goals: Thurston 2) at Olympic Park
ROUND 16: STORM 22 (Tries: Manu 2, Tomane, Cronk; Goals: Turner 2, Cronk) def. by EELS 24 (Tries: Tautai, Williams, Reddy, Inu; Goals: Burt 4) at Parramatta Stadium
ROUND 17: STORM 30 (Tries: Inglis 2, Slater, Manu, Quinn, Turner; Goals: Smith 3) def. RAIDERS 14 (Tries: Monaghan, Carney, Chalk; Goals: Carney) at Olympic Park
ROUND 18: STORM 30 (Tries: Inglis 3, Slater, Manu; Goals: C. Smith 5) def. TIGERS 18 (Tries: Tuiaki, Hodgson, Ryan; Goals: Hodgson 3) at Campbelltown Sports Stadium
ROUND 19: STORM 26 (Tries: J Smith, Lima, Geyer, Turner, Folau; Goals: C Smith 3) def. DRAGONS 0 at Olympic Park
ROUND 20: STORM 6 (Try: Manu; Goal: C Smith) def. by WARRIORS 8 (Try: Fai; Goals: Hohaia 2) at Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland
ROUND 21: STORM 44 (Tries: Folau 2, Inglis 2, Turner, Quinn, Hoffman, Geyer, J Smith; Goals: Cam Smith 4) def. TITANS 4 (Try: Ropana) at Olympic Park
ROUND 22: STORM 16 (Tries: Geyer, Folau, Cronk; Goals: C Smith 2) def. SEA EAGLES 10 (Tries: Hall, Williams; Goals: Matai) at Brookvale Oval
ROUND 23: STORM 30 (Tries: Quinn 2, C Smith, Cronk, Slater; Goals: Smith 5) def. ROOSTERS 6 (Try: M Aubusson; Goal: Roberts 1) at Olympic Park
ROUND 24: STORM 40 (Tries: Inglis 3, Turner 2, Quinn, C Smith, Lima; Goals: C Smith 4) def. PANTHERS 6 (Try: N Smith; Goal: Gordon) at CUA Stadium, Penrith
ROUND 25: STORM 16 (Tries: Inglis, Folau, Manu; Goals: C Smith 2) def. by KNIGHTS 17 (Tries: Hilder, Royal; Goals: Gidley 4, Field Goal: Hilder) at EnergyAustralia Stadium

2008 TRY SCORERS (STORM)
Inglis 16, Folau 13, Slater 11, Quinn 10, Turner 9, Manu 7, Geyer 6, J. Smith 5, Cronk 4, Chambers 3, Hoffman 3, C. Smith 3, Lima 2, Johnson, Tagataese, Aitken, White, Crocker, Tomane

2008 GOAL SCORERS (STORM)
C. Smith 68, Turner 4, J. Smith, Cronk

2008 FIELD GOAL SCORERS (STORM)
Cronk 2

2008 POINTSCORERS (STORM)
C Smith 148, Inglis 64, Folau 52, Slater 44, Turner 44, Quinn 40, Manu 28, Geyer 24, J. Smith 22, Cronk 20, Chambers 12, Hoffman 12, Lima 8, Johnson 4, Tagataese 4, Aitken 4, White 4, Crocker 4, Tomane 4

MELBOURNE STORM MEDIBANK PRIVATE INJURY UPDATE
Steve Turner (knee): 1 week
Danny Vaughan (knee): season
Ben MacDougall (knee): season
Dane Nielsen (shoulder): season
Will Chambers (knee): season

THE STORM AHEAD
TBA

TELSTRA PREMIERSHIP LADDER
1 Sea Eagles 36
2 Storm 36
3 Sharks 36
4 Roosters 32
5 Broncos 31
6 Dragons 30
7 Raiders 30
8 Knights 28
9 Warriors 28
10 Eels 26
11 Panthers 25
12 Wests Tigers 24
13 Titans 24
14 Rabbitohs 20
15 Cowboys 14
16 Bulldogs 14

SQUAD FOR SUNDAY'S GAME
Starting team:
1. Billy Slater
2. Steve Turner
3. Matt Geyer
4. Israel Folau
5. Anthony Quinn
6. Greg Inglis
7. Cooper Cronk
8. Jeff Lima
9. Cam Smith
10. Brett White
11. Michael Crocker
12. Ryan Hoffman
13. Dallas Johnson

Interchange:
14. Jeremy Smith, 15. Adam Blair, 16. Sika Manu, 17. Antonio Kaufusi

Coach: Craig Bellamy

News Source: www.melbournestorm.com.au

Tue September 2, 2008
• Sutton to captain Rabbitohs in final round
  
Tue September 2, 2008
• Storm make one change for Rabbitohs clash
  

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