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STORM 24, RABBITOHS 16
The Storm have continued South Sydney’s misery in Melbourne, stretching the Rabbitohs’ winless streak against them to 20 matches with the visitors’ captain Latrell Mitchell also put on report.
Competition heavyweights Melbourne rebounded after last week’s heavy loss to take a tight AAMI Park win 24-16 in a sell-out match in wet conditions on Anzac Day.
Latrell Mitchell is sent to the sin bin.Credit: Getty Images
Mitchell – who faced five charges last season – was sent to the sin-bin and put on report in the 50th minute for a high shot on Sua Fa’alogo, with the Melbourne winger then failing a HIA.
While Souths have still never tasted victory south of the border, they delivered a much-improved effort on their shut-out by Canterbury last round.
The teams were locked at 10-10 at half-time, which showed Souths’ effort given they only had 43 per cent of possession and 34 per cent of territory.
An error by Campbell Graham from the second half kick-off gave the Storm possession, and second-rower Eli Katoa plucked a Jahrome Hughes kick out of the air to score three minutes into the second half.
That lead went out to 18-10 when Ryan Papenhuyzen kicked a penalty following Mitchell’s sin-binning.
Starting at his preferred fullback for the first time this season and captaining in the absence of injured five-eighth Cody Walker, Mitchell otherwise had a solid game.
Rabbitohs centre Jack Wighton bagged two tries while youngster Jye Gray, starting at halfback, was also a stand-out, with a couple of try-saving tackles.
Gray was involved in a bizarre incident with eight minutes remaining when he made a break and kicked ahead but collided with Papenhuyzen.
The Storm fullback challenged the decision, but the bunker denied the challenge and also ruled it was a professional foul with Papenhuyzen spending the remainder of the match in the sin-bin.
While that gave Souths a sniff, the home side had built a 14-point lead courtesy of a 66th minute try to Tyran Wishart, with the Storm able to send the ball wide before Nick Meaney turned it back inside to his teammate.
Wighton got his second with three minutes remaining and while his team kept pressing, the margin proved too big to peg back, consigning Souths to their third straight loss.
That’s full-time in Melbourne, where the Storm has gotten away with a 20th consecutive victory against South Sydney in Melbourne.
The home side were lucky to walk away with victory, after Ryan Papenhuyzen sat out the last nine minutes of the match thanks to a sin bin for foul play, but coach Craig Bellamy did not look pleased with his team’s performances.
The focus will be on Latrell Mitchell though, who now faces time on the sideline for that ugly tackle of Sua Faalogo that saw him leave the field.
Full-time: Storm 24, Rabbitohs 16
The Rabbitohs hit back with a try, making use of the extra man on the field as they strip Melbourne for numbers on the outside.
It’s Jack Wighton who dives over to score, getting his second for the night.
The difference is just eight, and South Sydney get a penalty to lift them up the field – can they break a 19-year-losing streak in the final two minutes of the game?
Storm 24, Rabbitohs 16 with two minutes to go
Melbourne will spend the last eight minutes of the game with one less man, after Ryan Papenhuyzen was sent to the bin for a professional foul.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is sent to the sin bin.Credit: Getty Images
The Storm only hold a 14-point lead, but is the mountain too high for South Sydney to climb?
Time for Latrell Mitchell to fire up.
Storm 24, Rabbitohs 10 with eight minutes to go
The Rabbitohs have spent almost the whole second half defending and they look pretty exhausted now as we hit the final 10 minutes.
The Storm will sense this and want to run up the score but we’ve seen plenty of times before that South Sydney have a lot of pride and won’t want to gift any points to the Storm.
Possession sits at 56 to 44 in Melbourne’s favour according to NRL.com’s stats.
Storm 24, Rabbitohs 10 with 10 minutes to go.
Melbourne are starting to take firm control of the game now, with Jahrome Hughes making a break down the right edge before passing back to Tyran Wishart on the inside.
Wishart adds the points for the Storm after the cut-out pass from Hughes slipped pas South Sydney fullback Latrell Mitchell.
Storm 24, Rabbitohs 10 with 13 minutes to go
Latrell Mitchell is back on the field, and South Sydney haven’t conceded a try while their captain is in the bin.
Bad news for Storm though, with Sua Faalogo failing his head injury assessment as a result of that tackle.
Because Faalogo left the field as a result of foul play, it means Melbourne get to activate their 18th man which is Kane Bradley.
Storm 18, Rabbitohs 10 with 18 minutes to go
It’s errors galore for South Sydney, who get a penalty, but Jayden Sullivan doesn’t find touch.
It’s a costly error for the Rabbitohs who need all the help they can get at the moment with Latrell Mitchell in the sin bin.
Storm 18, Rabbitohs 10 with 26 minutes to go
More drama in Melbourne.
Latrell Mitchell is off to the sin bin for high contact on Sua Faalogo.
Although not intentional, it’s a nasty and careless high tackle from Mitchell, and things are starting to unravel for South Sydney.
Melbourne decides to slow things down and take the two points with a penalty kick.
Storm 18, Rabbitohs 10 with 29 minutes to go
Latrell Mitchell is sent to the sin bin.Credit: Getty Images
