Storm Kick On Despite Silly Billy
Melbourne Storm 22-18 Canterbury Bulldogs
NRL Round 3AAMI Park
Attendance: 11923
Melbourne full-back Billy Slater was controversially spared
a potential red card tonight after his ‘karate-kick’ on Canterbury substitute David
Klemmers head.
The repeat of September’s action packed Grand Final lived up
to its billing and hinged on the incident just after half time.
Defending his own line, Slater leapt highest to claim a
hopeful high ball before straightening his leg in the direction of the
onrushing Klemmer, who was floored immediately. Referee Ben Cummings put the
Australian international on report for the 41st minute talking point
of a topsy-turvy encounter.
With the Bulldogs still reeling from the absence of English
forward James Graham, who is still suspended following a 12 match ban for
biting Slater’s ear in the Grand Final, they lacked the necessary firepower early
on to get a foothold in the game.
A moment of magic from half back Cooper Cronk, who used the
decoy runner to devastating effect, sent loose forward Ryan Hinchcliffe over
from a matter of metres midway through the first half.
On the stroke of half time, the video referee intervened to
adjudge that Mahe Fonua’s boot had not brushed the whitewash following a
beautiful passing move, contrary to the on-pitch referee’s judgement. Cameron Smith
slammed his conversion against the upright for his only miss of the night and a
ten point lead.
With the smell of injustice from Slater’s reprieve fresh in
the nostrils of the visitors, the Bulldogs responded immediately with a
devastating kick of their own. Josh Reynolds showed tremendous vision to step
back and launch a perfectly weighted ball in to the path of the flying Sam
Perrett who finished with aplomb.
The Storm, who have made a blistering start to the defence
of their crown were steady in all areas and thus epitomised by man mountain
forward Ryan Hoffman who made his 200th appearance for the club.
Both sides had tries ruled out by the video referee in quick
succession before Craig Bellamy’s World Champions hit their opponents with a
double whammy. Matt Duffie pirouetted in mid-air to ground a Cronk kick before
Lagi Setu ended a remarkable move that had started 70 metres previously with a
prop forward.
Game over? Not quite.
Krisnan Inu brushed off the attentions of three markers to
plant down and fray the nerves of most inside AAMI Park with nine minutes left.
A tired defence was once again penetrated just five minutes later after some
slick handling and great support play saw Kris Keatings over.
And who knows what the Bulldogs may have done with their
final set on the Storm line had they faced twelve shirts, instead of thirteen,
a minute from time?
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