Roosters Overcome By Storm in Melbourne

Heroic defence from co-captain Jared Waerea-Hargreaves halted the Storm's opportunity to strike first in the opening minute through returning halfback Jahrome Hughes who sprinted towards a loose ball in-goal. 

The resuming goal-line drop-out by Sam Walker was executed to perfection. Electing to go short, the young playmaker's kick found the 10-metre line before bouncing out, gifting the Roosters possession of the ball. 

After receiving a penalty for offside, the Roosters progressed down field through some brave carries from Waerea-Hargreaves and Lindsay Collins. A crafty kick from Brandon Smith off dummy-half forced Harry Grant to bat the ball over the dead-ball line. 

Leaping through the air to snatch the ball, Storm winger Will Warbrick knocked-on, with Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii picking up the scraps to give the Roosters another chance in their attacking half. 

Engaging the defence off dummy-half, Smith flicked a pass to Walker who delivered a superb long-ball to flyer Jaxson Paulo, who crossed uncontested for his sixth try of the season. The 20-year-old's conversion from the sideline found the target, giving the Roosters a six-point lead in the 13th minute. 

An error from the Tricolours handed possession back to Melbourne four minutes later. On the attack, an offload from captain Christian Welch opened the door for Xavier Coates to respond with a left foot step on the sideline, evading Drew Hutchison to claim the Storm's first try. Nick Meaney kicked the conversion to level the scores. 

Hughes conceded a penalty off the restart, after deliberately batting the ball forward while leaping out of play, giving the Roosters a chance to get back on the front foot through a penalty goal kicked by Walker. 

Brilliant defence by fill-in fullback Joseph Manu got the Tricolours out of trouble minutes later after the Storm were awarded repeat sets within close-range. The New Zealand International sprinted across the field to gather a loose ball, sliding out of the in-goal. 

A line-break from Cameron Munster carried the Storm into their attacking half once again in the 26th minute. Victor Radley was sent to the sin-bin 60 seconds later for making late contact on the five-eighth with no intent to tackle. 

Fatigued and under-manned, the Roosters failed to defuse a kick by Munster, who set up Meaney in-goal with a perfect bomb. The fullback converted his own try to cement a four-point lead for the home side. 

The Storm found the stripe once again six minutes later with Meaney faking a pass to draw in the Roosters' defence before breaking the line. The goal-kicker connected with Munster through an inside ball, sending him over under the uprights. Meaney extended the margin to 10 with his conversion.

In the final minutes of the half, Sydney successfully challenged a knock-on call against Paulo, evading trouble as they continued defend their try-line tirelessly. 

Coates snagged two tries in the opening 10 minutes of the second half. The first after Munster identified a four-on-two left edge overlap, sending a bomb up for the winger to put down. 

In between the second and third try from Coates, Manu produced yet another incredible try-saver on Eliesa Katoa as the forward charged towards the try-line. 

But after consecutive errors, the Storm made the Roosters pay, with another Coates try coming in the 48th minute, as the winger gathered and grounded a grubber by Justin Olam. 

With Meaney undergoing a head injury assessment, Munster took the opportunity to extend the Storm's lead to 20-points in the 63rd minute with a penalty goal from close range. 

Sydney struggled to hold onto the ball, making numerous infringements across the park in the final fifteen minutes of the game as the rain began to take its toll. 

Sydney Roosters 8 (Jaxson Paulo Try; Sam Walker 2 Goals) def by Melbourne Storm 28 (Nick Meaney, Cameron Munster, Xavier Coates 3 Tries; Cameron Munster 1, Nick Meaney 3 Goals)