Storm crush Warriors as Fisher-Harris, Hughes injured
Oliver Caffrey |
Melbourne have made an emphatic statement, crushing the Warriors 42-14 in a nightmare outing for the New Zealand side as they also lost captain James Fisher-Harris to injury.
Trying to end a 16-match losing run against the Storm after coming to Melbourne with a 3-1 record this season, the Warriors were dismantled yet again by the NRL powerhouse.
Star Storm winger Xavier Coates scored after just two minutes, setting the tone for a day of celebration in front of Melbourne’s second-biggest regular-season crowd at AAMI Park.
The Warriors’ defence appeared to be holding up well for the next 10 minutes after that try, before the dam wall broke in stunning fashion.
Melbourne piled on five converted tries in 16 minutes of brilliance to enter halftime 36-0 ahead and certain of going to 4-1 this season.
The Warriors salvaged some of their reputation by outscoring the Storm 14-6 in the second half through tries to Leka Halasima, Rocco Berry and Luke Metcalf.
The visitors had to deal with losing superstar Fisher-Harris for the day after lasting just 11 minutes with a pectoral injury.
The four-time Penrith premiership winner has made an immediate impact after his high-profile signing with the Warriors ahead of this season.
Fisher-Harris will have scans on Monday back in Auckland, and Warriors coach Andrew Webster said he was unsure on the severity of the injury.
“We would rather have him there (on the field), but that’s not an excuse,” Webster said of the side’s performance after losing Fisher-Harris.
“We’ve got 17 players that we believe in that can do the job, and the other 16 know their roles and know what’s required.”
The Warriors went a man down midway through the first half when Jackson Ford was sent to the sin bin for obstructing Storm fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Ford’s act came in the same sequence of events that Warriors playmaker Luke Metcalf made an inspiring tackle to deny Moses Leo a certain try.
Metcalf’s desperate act did nothing to stop the carnage, as Trent Loiero charged over the line a minute later, with the Storm crossing three times when the Warriors were down to 12 men.
Gun Storm half Jahrome Hughes failed to take to the field in the second half.
Hughes grabbed at his shoulder early in the game and appeared in serious pain, but the 30-year-old bravely played on until halftime.
But with the result assured at the main break, Melbourne opted to take no chances with their playmaker in the second half.
However, Hughes will undergo scans and is in some doubt for the Storm’s Good Friday clash with the Dolphins at Suncorp Stadium.
“(Hughes) was keen to play on, but we just thought with the way the game was, the best option was to take him off,” Storm coach Craig Bellamy said.
“He was in a fair bit of pain early, but it seemed to get a little bit better as it went on, so hopefully there’s nothing too serious there.”
Fisher-Harris was joined on the sidelines by Warriors fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, who failed a head injury assessment early in the second half.
The Warriors’ extraordinary losing streak against the Storm of 17 is now the longest of any team since St George beat Newtown in 21 straight matches between 1962 and 1972.
Webster’s team have just six days to regroup before hosting Brisbane, who will be smarting after a shock defeat at home to the Sydney Roosters.
AAP
