Josh Addo-Carr and Cameron Munster pushed Melbourne’s lead out to 20 points, however there have been plenty of errors and a few uncharacteristic passages of play for the normally impeccable Storm.
That’s led league icon Paul Vautin to question whether the Storm are in the right frame of mind at the pointy end of the season.
« In the next couple of weeks they play the Tigers and the Dragons, bottom-placed teams, so they’re going to want to pick it up before the finals. »
« I think Melbourne are cruising a little bit. Look like they’re in second-gear at the moment, » Fittler said of the Storm.
But the NRL legend expressed more disappointment at McGuire « showing no discipline » and letting his team down after a positive opening to the game.
« It’s on the back of some lack of discipline as shown by McGuire, » he said at halftime.
« They nailed the start, the perfect start, and then for their most experienced player -who has played over 220 games – to be sin-binned for foul language towards the referee is just pathetic really.
Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow gave the Cowboys the perfect start, reaching over the try-line in the corner to get the lead.
Cowboys enforcer Josh McGuire was taking a hit-up on his own 20-metre line, and after the 2nd tackle was complete, he played the ball before saying something to the referee which instantly caused the whistle to be blown.
As teammates continued to make metres up-field, play was stopped and the ref pointed to McGuire and sent him to the sin-bin. All of a sudden the Storm – who were defending at the time – had a penalty in prime position!
« He’s said something to the ref and he’s been put in the bin. That’s unheard of.
The Storm immediately scored their first try from there through Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui extended their lead soon after.
« They’re running rampant aren’t they the Storm, » Vautin noted just before McGuire was able to return to the field.
Suli Vunivalu is set to return from a broken jaw injury and Nelson Asofa-Solomona is also back in place of Christian Welch, who is suspended.
The North Queensland Cowboys will have Tom Gilbert making his first career start in the second-row, with Gavin Cooper moving to the bench.
With the NRL minor-premiership looking more and more likely to be headed to Penrith, the Melbourne Storm will push to secure a top-two finish when they come up against the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon.
Despite currently being displaced in the Sunshine State due to Victoria’s COVID outbreak, the Storm have enjoyed scintillating form up north.
Securing a home semi-final, as it were, would go a long way to dislodging the efforts of either the Roosters or the Eels in the semi-finals who would be forced to travel to hostile ground for a blockbuster showdown.
A win of the Cowboys on Sunday afternoon will go a long way to bringing that plan one step closer to reality.
With the Cowboys’ season all but over, the Queenslanders will fight to impress incoming coach Todd Payten as he prepares to claim the reins at North Queensland next season.
The Cowboys are also still in touch of being caught by the Broncos who sit behind them by two-points. North Queensland will be desperate to avoid a late-season hiccup to fall behind Brisbane and finish as the Sunshine State’s lowest places side come round 20.
SOURCE: https://www.w24news.com/news/live-storm-pounce-after-mcguire-sin-binned/?remotepost=269754
