Melbourne Storm’s NRL injury crisis deepens in 14-6 loss to Sydney Roosters, Cronulla Sharks hold on for 20-18 victory over Newcastle Knights

Thanks for joining me for a thoroughly enjoyable Friday night of rugby league action.

Tomorrow, we’ll be treated to a triple-header, with the Raiders and Bunnies kicking things off at 3pm AEST.

We hope to see you then!

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Cronulla has cemented its place in the NRL’s top four by surviving a late flurry to defeat Newcastle 20-18.

Kalyn Ponga slotted a sideline conversion after winger Greg Marzhew scored with two minutes remaining to give Knights fans a glimmer of hope at Shark Park and send shivers through the Sharks faithful.

But it was all in vain for the visitors, who suffered a second two-point loss in as many weeks after going down to South Sydney 26-24 in round 19.

Tit-for-tat tries in the first half on Friday saw the lead change four times.

The hosts took a 14-12 advantage to the break through the more accurate boot of Nicho Hynes (three from three), while Ponga missed both of his attempts.

That was in keeping with recent form, after Hynes kicked all 11 conversions in the 66-0 demolition of the Dolphins last weekend.

Sheer speed to get around defenders saw Ponga open the scoring on the right edge with the match only eight minutes old, before swinging to the left and attracting enough defenders for Marzhew to cross untouched.

Sharks fullback Will Kennedy and winger Sione Katoa were joined on the try-scorers’ list in the second half by Ronaldo Mulitalo, who gratefully accepted a floating Hynes pass and crossed in the corner to push the score out to 20-12, the biggest lead of the night.

Newcastle rallied late and second-rower Francis Manuleleua scooted to the right corner post in the 70th minute, but couldn’t ground the ball under a sea of Cronulla defenders.

But the eight-point buffer proved the lifesaver after another Marzhew effort in the 78th minute.

Roosters boss Trent Robinson is speaking to the media and is still struggling to wrap his head around the penalty that led to Stefano Utoikamanu’s second-half try.

The Roosters’ Nat Butcher was pinged for a soft high-tackle penalty, and Robinson says the decision was “laughable”.

“How do you find that?” Robinson says.

“Honestly, why would a referee even look at that?

“Like it was laughable, it was completely laughable.”

Melbourne captain Harry Grant is reflecting on the Storm career of Will Warbrick.

Warbrick is a three-sport international, having represented New Zealand in both rugby sevens and Aussie rules before making his international rugby league debut.

Grant says Warbrick is a committed athlete and will be missed after leaving for the Warriors at the end of the season.

“It’s quite remarkable, a real athlete, a real good teammate and a real good club man.

“He comes in every day to get better and the journey, few years in Queensland Cup, plying his trade and really earning the coaches respect and then got his opportunity.

“Along the way, there’s been some hiccups for sure, but like I said, he’s a really good club man and we’re going to miss him.”

Melbourne boss Craig Bellamy is speaking to the media about Will Warbrick, who went down with a season-ending Achilles injury in the first half.

Warbrick is leaving Melbourne for Canberra at the end of this season, and Bellamy says it’s an awful way for the winger to end his Storm career.

“It’s just a shame for Will to end his career with us on that note,” Bellamy says. 

“But he’s been tremendous for us and I’m sure he’ll have great success at the Warriors.”

A tearful Warbrick was consoled by a number of teammates as he was taken from the field by a medi-cab.

Melbourne captain Harry Grant says his team will support Warbrick in whatever way it can.

“Probably didn’t realise the severity of it at the time, thought he was just receiving some treatment, but yeah the medi-cab was called, and that’s not what you want to see,” Grant says.

“And especially for Will, we know what footy he has been playing for us and he only has a little time left at the club.

“You want to make that enjoyable and memorable and show our support and stay with him now.”

Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy is speaking to the media, and is full of praise for his side’s effort at the Sydney Football Stadium.

“I was really happy with the players effort for 80 minutes, just a few things we could have done technically or tactically a bit better,” Bellamy says.

“But as I just said to them, the effort they put in today was really good.

“There were a few things that didn’t go our way today but I couldn’t be prouder of our effort.”

He says he isn’t happy with a number of decisions, including when the siren seemed to sound before the Roosters took a goal line dropout.

“It is what it is and it’s not going to change,” Bellamy says.

The Melbourne Storm fight hard but ultimately fall short, with the Roosters shading the full-time statistics.

The Sydney Roosters get home against a gritty, brave Melbourne Storm outfit.

Already without key players Cam Munster, Jarome Hughes and Moses Leo, the Storm’s injury crisis deepened in the first half when a tearful Will Warbrick was wheeled from the arena after sustaining a season-ending Achilles injury.

But, the Storm stood tall after the break, frustrating the high-flying Tricolours and finding a way over the line to set up a grandstand finish.

However, the Melbournians were not aided by two bombed tries, with the Roosters doing just enough to pick up a rare win against an opponent who they so often struggle to break down.

The Bondi club rise to third.

Oh my word, Melbourne miss the chance.

The Storm are working the ball wide on the right and Sualauvi Faalogo looks like he could just charge forward and put the ball down, but instead plays a pass to Nick Meaney to his right.

Meaney drops the ball while crossing the line and it’s heartbreak for the Melbourne Storm.

With five minutes remaining at Sydney Football Stadium, the Sydney Roosters might have sealed things.

The Roosters work the ball from the centre out to the right, and there’s a Tricolour overload as Daniel Tupou is the man to complete the try in the corner.

Sam Walker finally pots a kick and the margin is out to eight points with four minutes remaining.

That could well be that in Sydney.

Roosters 14

Storm 6

Melbourne prop Josh King is pinged for a knock on.

It’s a disappointing turnover and looks pretty tight, so the Strom send it upstairs.

After a prolonged review, the original decision stands and the Roosters lose their challenge.

The Melbourne Storm are looking dangerous and finally have a line break!

It’s Tyran Wishart rushing forward with Sualauvi Faalogo to his right.

All the five-eighth has to do is find the right pass – but he can’t.

Wishart’s ball is far too weak and drops onto the foot of his onrushing fullback, who manages to kick forward and force a line dropout.

Melbourne still very much in this one.

Daly Cherr-Evans leathers one high into the night sky.

Underneath it, Mark Nawaqanitawase is readying himself to spring into action in the corner.

The Roosters flyer rises and makes first contact, but he can’t gather cleanly.

The Storm survive.

Oh my goodness, the Melbourne Storm have scored!

Totally against the run of play, on their first meaningful excursion into enemy territory since halftime, Stefano Utoikamanu charges over.

The try comes after some really clever play from Harry Grant from dummy half, who deceives a couple Roosters with a deft shuffle and pass.

The conversion is nailed and, all of a sudden, it’s a two-point game!

Roosters 8

Storm 6

Wow, this is a seriously inspired rearguard action from the Melbourne Storm.

The Roosters are circling and probing and working the ball out to the right, where Mark Nawaqanitawase gathers and looks destined to slide over.

However, the Storm cavalry arrives in the nick of time, with Tyran Wishart performing the try-saving intervention.

It remains an eight-point game in Sydney.

The second half has begun just how the second ended, with the Roosters exerting a whole bunch of pressure and the Storm holding firm with serious commitment.

Daly Cherry-Evans bombs a high kick forward and Daniel Tupou loses track of the ball.

It thuds into his back and the Storm survive.

The undermanned Storm with all the work to do as the second half begins at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Very, very big ask for the men from Melbourne – but their body language looks good, for what it’s worth.

Sam Walker goes for a field goal on the siren but shanks his effort wide.

Not a great kicking day for the usually dependable Walker, who missed both of his conversions earlier in the half.

But the Roosters were dominant in that opening period, with Siua Wong and then Billy Smith sliding over for the Bondi club.

The undermanned Storm, however, have done well to restrict the Roosters to just those two scores, defending with real grit in the face of some pretty slick Tricolour play.

But the real story of that half were the tears of Will Warbrick.

The winger was helped off with the assistance of a motorised cart after sustaining what will surely be a season-ending injury.

An awful moment for Warbrick and more injury agony for the already depleted Melbournians.

Alec MacDonald copped a nasty head knock in the tackle and blood is streaming from his brow.

He’s up and walking and looking okay (minus the claret) but is off for an HIA.