StephenP
ArnoldStorm claim NRL crown
September 30th 2007 11:53
The Melbourne Storm has been crowned the 2007 NRL champions after completing an emphatic 34-8 victory over the Manly Sea-Eagles at Telstra Stadium on Sunday night.
Melbourne’s seven tries to two shutout was just reward for two years of complete dominance, with Storm sensation Greg Inglis capping a tremendous season by being awarded the Clive Churchill medal for best player on ground.
It was a fairytale end to a dazzling NRL career for Storm centre Matt King, with the lanky three-quarter tasting premiership glory in his final match before heading to the UK Super League.
After a brutal opening ten minutes, it was the minor premiers that posted first points through a brilliantly constructed team try scored by Storm winger Anthony Quinn.
With the Storm on the attack inside the Manly red zone, it was a beautiful decoy run by Billy Slater that opened up a two man overlap, with Inglis drawing the last line of defence to put Quinn over unopposed.
Storm skipper Cameron Smith duly converted to hand Melbourne a 6-0 advantage.
With the Sea-Eagles central defence holding their own against the powerful Storm forwards, the speedy Storm outside backs began to find holes in Manly’s outside defence, with Slater in particular making numerous half breaks.
Melbourne went further ahead in the 23rd minute through a sensational solo effort by Inglis, with the talented five-eighth powering through attempted tackles by Anthony Watmough, Matt Orford and Chris Hicks to barge over for a determined four pointer.
Smith’s conversion attempt sailed wide, but the Storm appeared in control at 10-0 after 25 minutes.
Manly finally got on the board just thirty seconds before the half time siren through a barnstorming try to hulking centre Steve Matai.
After receiving back-to back sets from a Storm error, it was a precision Michael Monaghan cut out pass that allowed Matai to power through Israel Folau and Cooper Cronk to score wide out.
Sea-Eagles half Matt Orford failed to convert from the sideline to leave the Storm leading 10-4 at the half-time break.
The Storm started where they left of in the first half, with a massive hit by Michael Crocker on Manly fullback Brett Stewart seeing the flying fullback carried off.
It was another piece of individual brilliance by Crocker that saw the Storm extend their lead, with the rampaging backrower steaming through three Sea-Eagles defenders to score a typically tough grand final try.
After missing an earlier penalty shot from close range, Smith again missed from an easy position to leave Melbourne leading 14-4 after 45 minutes.
With Melbourne dominating both possession and field position, the Storm juggernaut continued when Matt King strolled through some soft outside Manly defence to push the Storm out to an 18-4 lead after 53 minutes.
The NRL trophy appeared to heading south when Inglis burst downfield off a brilliant Cross short ball, with the prodigious talent scorching sixty metres to score a brilliant four pointer.
Smith again missed with yet another conversion attempt, but Melbourne had complete control at 22-4.
The Sea-Eagles closed the gap in the 62nd minute when a fifty metre bust by Jamie Lyon was finished off by winger Chris Hicks, with Orford’s missed conversion leaving Manly trailing 8-22.
But Melbourne closed out the match in typical clinical fashion, with a try to King and a grand final double for Quinn to seal the Storm’s second premiership.
Melbourne Storm 34
Tries: Anthony Quinn 2, Greg Inglis 2, Michael Crocker, Matt King, Clint Newton
Goals: Cameron Smith 3
Manly Sea-Eagles 8
Tries: Steve Matai, Chris Hicks
Goals:
At Telstra Stadium
Referee – Tony Archer
Crowd – 81,392
Melbourne’s seven tries to two shutout was just reward for two years of complete dominance, with Storm sensation Greg Inglis capping a tremendous season by being awarded the Clive Churchill medal for best player on ground.
It was a fairytale end to a dazzling NRL career for Storm centre Matt King, with the lanky three-quarter tasting premiership glory in his final match before heading to the UK Super League.
With the Storm on the attack inside the Manly red zone, it was a beautiful decoy run by Billy Slater that opened up a two man overlap, with Inglis drawing the last line of defence to put Quinn over unopposed.
Storm skipper Cameron Smith duly converted to hand Melbourne a 6-0 advantage.
With the Sea-Eagles central defence holding their own against the powerful Storm forwards, the speedy Storm outside backs began to find holes in Manly’s outside defence, with Slater in particular making numerous half breaks.
Melbourne went further ahead in the 23rd minute through a sensational solo effort by Inglis, with the talented five-eighth powering through attempted tackles by Anthony Watmough, Matt Orford and Chris Hicks to barge over for a determined four pointer.
Smith’s conversion attempt sailed wide, but the Storm appeared in control at 10-0 after 25 minutes.
Manly finally got on the board just thirty seconds before the half time siren through a barnstorming try to hulking centre Steve Matai.
After receiving back-to back sets from a Storm error, it was a precision Michael Monaghan cut out pass that allowed Matai to power through Israel Folau and Cooper Cronk to score wide out.
Sea-Eagles half Matt Orford failed to convert from the sideline to leave the Storm leading 10-4 at the half-time break.
The Storm started where they left of in the first half, with a massive hit by Michael Crocker on Manly fullback Brett Stewart seeing the flying fullback carried off.
It was another piece of individual brilliance by Crocker that saw the Storm extend their lead, with the rampaging backrower steaming through three Sea-Eagles defenders to score a typically tough grand final try.
After missing an earlier penalty shot from close range, Smith again missed from an easy position to leave Melbourne leading 14-4 after 45 minutes.
With Melbourne dominating both possession and field position, the Storm juggernaut continued when Matt King strolled through some soft outside Manly defence to push the Storm out to an 18-4 lead after 53 minutes.
The NRL trophy appeared to heading south when Inglis burst downfield off a brilliant Cross short ball, with the prodigious talent scorching sixty metres to score a brilliant four pointer.
Smith again missed with yet another conversion attempt, but Melbourne had complete control at 22-4.
The Sea-Eagles closed the gap in the 62nd minute when a fifty metre bust by Jamie Lyon was finished off by winger Chris Hicks, with Orford’s missed conversion leaving Manly trailing 8-22.
But Melbourne closed out the match in typical clinical fashion, with a try to King and a grand final double for Quinn to seal the Storm’s second premiership.
Melbourne Storm 34
Tries: Anthony Quinn 2, Greg Inglis 2, Michael Crocker, Matt King, Clint Newton
Goals: Cameron Smith 3
Manly Sea-Eagles 8
Tries: Steve Matai, Chris Hicks
Goals:
At Telstra Stadium
Referee – Tony Archer
Crowd – 81,392
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