Melbourne are the new NRL ladder leaders while Brisbane’s hopes of a top-four finish have suffered a hammer blow with halves Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam both injured in bizarre circumstances at AAMI Park.
The Storm continued their one-sided record against the Broncos, banking a 22-2 victory but the Thursday night match was evenly poised before both Reynolds and Mam exited in the 21st minute with hamstring injuries.
Reynolds and Mam tried to chase down Xavier Coates after the Storm winger intercepted a looping pass 10 metres out from the tryline.
While Selwyn Cobbo pulled off a miracle try-saving tackle, taking Coates into touch as he attempted to get the ball down, the play still proved extremely costly for the visitors.
While Mam suffered the injury in a diving tackle, 35-year-old Reynolds pulled up 20 metres later, grabbing at his leg.
They will both undergo scans to determine the severity of the injuries, and there are fears Cobbo also suffered a hamstring injury late in the game, with the likely loss of the trio putting a dent in sixth-placed Brisbane’s hopes of a snatching a top-four berth in the closing rounds.
The Storm celebrate a Ryan Papenhuyzen try.Credit: Getty Images
At that stage the Broncos were in front 2-0, with fullback Reece Walsh blowing a certain try with a forward pass after a 30-metre charge by prop Payne Haas, who showed no ill effects from the leg infection that sidelined him last match.
But Melbourne’s makeshift halfback Tyran Wishart gave his team the lead in the 28th minute with the opening try as he stumbled through a hole in the defence..
Ryan Papenhuyzen then pushed the margin to 12-2 by halftime when his step and electric turn of speed left Jordan Riki unable to get a firm hold of the Storm fullback.
To Brisbane’s credit, they kept pace with the high-flying hosts after shifting hooker Ben Hunt and centre Kotoni Staggs to the halves but their attack lacked some finishing polish.
Coates couldn’t be denied in the 61st minute, diving over the line after a quick ball from dummy-half, with skipper Harry Grant playing his 100th game for the club.
Xavier Coates scores for Melbourne.Credit: Getty Images
Coates was then involved in a penalty try in the final minutes.
His action planting the ball was called a double movement but the bunker ruled the burly winger was tackled in the air and otherwise would have scored.
The result extended Brisbane’s losing record at AAMI Park to a ninth year, the Storm now winning 17 of their past 18 clashes overall.
Melbourne’s reign at the top of the ladder may be short-lived with Canberra able to regain the lead with a victory over Manly on Friday night.
AAP