ID :
191176
Sun, 06/26/2011 - 14:28
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/191176
The shortlink copeid
Slater double helps Storm beat Warriors
(AAP) - Melbourne fullback Billy Slater warmed up for next week's State of Origin decider with a double in the Storm's 16-8 NRL win over the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium.
Slater capitalised on a brilliant kicking game from halfback Cooper Cronk, with their combination an ominous warning to NSW ahead of Wednesday week's crucial Origin clash at Suncorp Stadium.
The Storm scored three tries to the home side's solitary four-pointer as Melbourne exacted some revenge on a Warriors side which had upset them on home soil earlier this year.
The Warriors got on the board first via a James Maloney penalty goal but it was the visitors who showed greater proficiency with the boot as they grabbed the ascendancy.
Warriors fullback Lance Hohaia reacted slowly to a seemingly innocuous Cronk bomb on 11 minutes, Gareth Widdop cleaning up the loose ball to open Melbourne's account.
Lewis Brown did a much better job of defusing Cronk's next high ball, only for the Warriors to be harshly penalised for a Brett Seymour block on Slater.
Having earned the penalty, Slater then did it all himself as he punished the home side, the Queensland Origin fullback grubbering and regathering to make it 10-2 after 16 minutes.
Slowly the Warriors got themselves back into the contest, the injection of Feleti Mateo off the bench providing punch out wide.
A long Mateo break down the touchline was followed by a powerful Manu Vatuvei break, but on both occasions their good work was brought undone by a lack of support.
Sustained pressure on the Storm line in the earlier stages of the second half finally turned into points, the visitors not helping themselves with back-to-back penalties for holding down too long in the play the ball.
Hohaia made amends for his earlier error as he went over untouched out wide, the Warriors back within two points and controlling the play.
But Hohaia was once again the villain to gift Slater his match-winner, when he dropped another Cronk high ball on his own line with the fullback picking up the scraps to reach out and score.
Slater capitalised on a brilliant kicking game from halfback Cooper Cronk, with their combination an ominous warning to NSW ahead of Wednesday week's crucial Origin clash at Suncorp Stadium.
The Storm scored three tries to the home side's solitary four-pointer as Melbourne exacted some revenge on a Warriors side which had upset them on home soil earlier this year.
The Warriors got on the board first via a James Maloney penalty goal but it was the visitors who showed greater proficiency with the boot as they grabbed the ascendancy.
Warriors fullback Lance Hohaia reacted slowly to a seemingly innocuous Cronk bomb on 11 minutes, Gareth Widdop cleaning up the loose ball to open Melbourne's account.
Lewis Brown did a much better job of defusing Cronk's next high ball, only for the Warriors to be harshly penalised for a Brett Seymour block on Slater.
Having earned the penalty, Slater then did it all himself as he punished the home side, the Queensland Origin fullback grubbering and regathering to make it 10-2 after 16 minutes.
Slowly the Warriors got themselves back into the contest, the injection of Feleti Mateo off the bench providing punch out wide.
A long Mateo break down the touchline was followed by a powerful Manu Vatuvei break, but on both occasions their good work was brought undone by a lack of support.
Sustained pressure on the Storm line in the earlier stages of the second half finally turned into points, the visitors not helping themselves with back-to-back penalties for holding down too long in the play the ball.
Hohaia made amends for his earlier error as he went over untouched out wide, the Warriors back within two points and controlling the play.
But Hohaia was once again the villain to gift Slater his match-winner, when he dropped another Cronk high ball on his own line with the fullback picking up the scraps to reach out and score.
