24/05/2008 10:20 PM
A weary Melbourne Storm outfit has battled to a 15-10 win over South Sydney at Bluetongue Stadium on Saturday night.
With eight players backing up from Origin duty on Wednesday night after Greg Inglis withdrew with a knee injury, the reigning premiers were forced to work hard for their seventh win of 2008 in veteran Matt Geyer's 250th NRL game.
The Rabbitohs turned in a much better display than five days earlier against the Raiders, but the visitors prevailed thanks to some more clinical finishing in a game they led 4-0 at half-time but failed to fully impose themselves on.
It was a disappointing result for Souths who dominated possession and field position in the opening 40 minutes, completing 20 of their 24 sets and making just two errors, with the Storm completing only 13 of their 22 sets and coughing up the ball six times.
And the penalty count favoured the Bunnies four to one, but with Craig Wing still out after dislocating his shoulder in Round 1, Jason Taylor's side lacked direction as its last-play options came to nothing throughout the game.
The Storm scored the only points of the first half in the 13th minute, Nathan Merritt knocking on a Cameron Smith bomb to allow Will Chambers to stroll past Nigel Vagana and score on the next play before Smith's conversion attempt hit the upright.
The closest the Rabbitohs came to scoring was moments before the break when Vagana's grubber was missed by Billy Slater, but Vagana was unable to capitalise as Cooper Cronk cleaned up at the back.
Minutes after the resumption Vagana's decision to push team-mate Dean Widders out of the way and allow a Cronk kick to bounce almost backfired as Chambers nearly forced the ball.
When Shannon Hegarty spilled a bomb the visitors looked odds-on to score but a great tackle from Issac Luke denied Israel Folau and then Chambers spilled the ball close to the line.
Melbourne finally extended its advantage to 6-0 in the 58th minute through a Smith penalty and six minutes Smith converted for 12-0 after a kick from Cronk was spilled by Vagana and Jeremy Smith was on hand to crash over.
A John Sutton bomb that Slater failed to defuse saw Vagana score, with Luke adding the extras, but a Cronk field goal and Cam Smith penalty made it 15-6 before a short kick-off saw Vagana cross for his double in the corner.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 10
Tries: Vagana 2
Conversion: Luke
Melbourne Storm 15
Tries: Chambers, J Smith
Conversion: C Smith
Penalties: C Smith 2
Drop Goal: Cronk
Sportal's NRL Player of the Year:
3 - Billy Slater (Storm)
2 - Cameron Smith (Storm)
1 - Steve Turner (Storm)