Storm secure home semi in Warriors blitz

Melbourne have stormed their way to a home semi-final, thrashing the Warriors 30-0
in Auckland on Saturday night.
The six-try-to-nil blitz sends out a clear warning to the other seven finalists that
Melbourne, who will finish the season in fourth place, are again serious title
contenders.
In front of 14,734 diehard Warriors fans at Mt Smart Stadium, Melbourne rained on
Stacey Jones' 261st and final NRL game for the Kiwi side.
The crowd turned up to give their legendary halfback a fitting farewell but had to
sit and watch as Melbourne methodically took the Warriors apart.
Melbourne's key players Greg Inglis and Billy Slater both scored for the Storm while
centre Will Chambers went over for a double.
The win secures the Storm a home semi-final in the first week of the playoffs, while
the Warriors are wallowing in 14th place, securing their title as the biggest
disappointment of the season.
Melbourne dominated the first 10 minutes, keeping the Warriors pinned inside their
20-metre line.
But to the Warriors credit, they weathered the Storm battering.
An arm wrestle ensued for the next 10 minutes before the old firm of halfback Cooper
Cronk combined with fullback Slater to put Melbourne on the board.
Cronk put in a deft chip kick on the last tackles and Johnny-on-the-spot Slater
gathered the chip to score next to the posts.
Cameron Smith added the extras to give the Storm a 6-0 lead at the 23rd minute.
Chambers put Melbourne further ahead 10 minutes later when he made a 15-metre dash
for the line, giving the visitors a 12-nil lead at halftime.
Their smooth run continued into the second half when star centre Inglis skirted out
of dummy half and took giant strides for 50 metres to lay one down in the 46th
minute.
Poor blind side defence by the Warriors saw Chambers waltz over the line for his
second try eight minutes later.
Dane Nielsen scored the Storm's fifth try followed by another from Ryan Hinchcliffe
after the Warriors defence opened like the red sea.