The Melbourne Storm have come from behind to assert a 30-22 win over a gallant New Zealand Warriors at AAMI Park.
It continues the Storm’s Anzac Day dominance over the Warriors, extending its document one other 12 months because the Warriors haven’t tasted victory on the day since 2014.
Watch each recreation of each spherical of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >
The Storm have now received the previous 14 matches in opposition to the Warriors and 7 straight on Anzac Day.
The Warriors had been hit arduous by harm, ending the match with no gamers on the bench.
New Zealand hit the bottom working and led 18-6 after 21 minutes earlier than the Storm hit again by a Cameron Munster attempt.
A Dylan Walker sin bin for a head slam appeared to vary the momentum however the Warriors had been the subsequent to attain regardless of being a person down when Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored within the nook.
The Storm did rating on the finish of the ten minute benefit to maintain it shut however what would finally be the matchwinning 56th minute attempt for Nick Meaney gave the Storm the lead for the primary time within the match.
Fans had been baffled as referee Grant Atkins awarded the attempt regardless of loads of query marks over Reimis Smith’s involvement.
A kick excessive from Jahrome Hughes fell simply wanting the road nevertheless it appeared as if Smith had touched the ball whereas trying a catch in entrance of two Warriors stars.
Fox Sports commentators Dan Ginnane and Michael Ennis didn’t see a contact.
Ennis stated it was “close”, whereas Ginnane argued “we haven’t seen anything definitive”.
But referee Atkins advised Meaney to aim the conversion, a lot to the chagrin of Warriors coach Andrew Webster, who, put his hand to his head.
“He can’t believe it Andrew Webster,” Ennis stated.
However, followers had been in utter disbelief, believing they may see a “clear knock on”.
New Zealand’s model of SEN tweeted: “There is an obvious knock on by the Storm, an Nick Meaney swoops on the loose ball to score his second of the game.”
Sky Sports’ Tim Evans posted: “How the heck was that try not sent for closer scrutiny??”
Newshub NZ’s Andrew Gourdie commented: “Funny how the camera angle that best showed the knock on from Smith that led to that try wasn’t shown during the Bunker analysis.”
Fellow Newshub sports activities reporter James Regan added: “Upto bunker honestly. Absolute joke.”
Radio persona Marc Peard wrote: “If that had been the Warriors scoring … It would have gone to the bunker … And been called a knock on.”
Asked concerning the incident after the match, Webster didn’t actually wish to be drawn on the problem and stated “I wish it wasn’t a try”.
“Those are the moments we’ve got to be in charge of,” he added.
“Two players collide, there’s a ball on the ground, and we’re not there to clean it up, they are.
“That’s us saying to ourselves ‘let’s not make excuses’.
“Players are coming to me in there saying ‘things may not have gone our way at times but we’ve got to own that bit’. So why weren’t we on the loose ball, and why were we colliding in the air. Then you take it out of the referees hands.
“And I’m not critical of the decision, I don’t know.”
But the attempt was awarded and the Storm put the sport to mattress within the 76th minute when Harry Grant wrestled his option to the bottom.
Post-match, Parker stated it could be arduous to take for the Warriors.
“I thought in the second half, they got the real prickly end of the pineapple in terms to some of the calls,” Parker stated.
“From the video evidence we saw, I thought there was a touch from Reimis Smith, there obviously wasn’t or it was adjudicated that way. There was a potential hip drop on Dylan Walker.
“But at the end of the day, it comes down to having troops and they just didn’t have any troops on the park.”
Source: www.foxsports.com.au