The Melbourne Storm have moved to first on the NRL ladder after a dominant 22-2 win over the Broncos, who suffered a major triple injury blow.
Adam Reynolds and Ezra Mam both suffered hamstring injuries while attempting to chase down Xavier Coates in the 21st minute and will be sent for scans on Friday.
Star winger Selwyn Cobbo was then assisted from the field in the final three minutes of the game with a reported hamstring injury too.
FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer >
It came after a thrilling contest between the two heavyweight sides that really heated up when Coates intercepted a Broncos pass and ran 95 metres only to be taken over by the sideline by Cobbo with arguably the tackle of the season.
While that was happening there were major dramas unfolding back up the field. Reynolds limped off before Mam followed seconds later with both later ruled out for the remainder of the game.
The double injury blow forced the Broncos into a major reshuffle with Kotoni Staggs and Ben Hunt moving into the halves, Billy Walters to hooker and Jack Gosiewski to centre.
With the Broncos reeling from the chaos the Storm struck with back-to-back tries to go into halftime with a 10-point lead.
The Storm picked up where they left off in the second half with Coates scoring back-to-back tries to seal the result.
To the Broncos’ credit they hung in there and showed plenty of courage to stay in the game but they now face a nervous wait on the scan results for Reynolds, Mam and Cobbo.
BRONCOS ROCKED BY INJURIES
The Broncos’ premiership hopes are hanging by a thread after a pair of hammer injury blows in the first half of their loss against the Storm.
After an attack that included multiple offloads, Xavier Coates intercepted a pass and came desperately close to scoring, with Selwyn Cobbo delivering a try-saving tackle.
However, during his chase, Reynolds pulled up lame and stopped in his tracks, hobbling off the field with a hamstring injury.
Then, his halves partner, Ezra Mam followed in a worst-case scenario for Michael Maguire.
Luckily for the Broncos, the versatile Ben Hunt and Billy Walters were able to slot into the halves, but they didn’t do enough to inspire their side to victory.
Fox League’s Michael Ennis was in shock at halftime saying he’d “never seen it before”, before declaring: “in a matter of seconds the Broncos’ season has nosedived.”
To make matters worse, Selwyn Cobbo was assisted from the field in the final three minutes with a reported hamstring injury too.
STORM MOVE TO FIRST ON NRL LADDER
The Melbourne Storm have taken a big step towards securing their seventh minor premiership after their win over the Broncos took them to first on the ladder.
They will have to continue this form over the final month of the season though to get the job done- but that won’t be an easy feat when you have a look at their run home.
Next week they face the Panthers, who are running hot on an eight-game winning streak, before facing the Bulldogs and Roosters. They then finish the regular season off by meeting the Broncos again in the final round.
If they can secure the minor premiership it would be a seriously impressive feat given they lost their star halfback and reigning Dally M medallist Jahrome Hughes to a shoulder injury.
GRANT STARS IN MILESTONE MATCH
Harry Grant celebrated his 100th NRL game with a stellar performance in the Storm’s statement win over the Broncos.
It was clear from the get go that Grant was in a mood with the milestone man taking every chance he had to run.
In fact, at the 15-minute mark he had already racked up 45 metres – the most of any Storm player and only second to Broncos powerhouse Payne Haas.
“What a threat Harry Grant has been, in the opening 10 minutes of this game their attack has revolved around what happens at dummy-half,” Fox League’s Greg Alexander said.
“He has great deception, he looks one way and runs the other. He’s just got them under the pump all the time.
“Is there a more influential No.9 in the game? He has been a threat every time he’s had the ball.”
Meanwhile, Michael Ennis — a premiership-winning hooker — added: “Harry Grant has been brilliant, he has been superb out of dummy-half.”
Grant finished with a try assist, two linebreaks, two linebreak assists, three tackle busts, 75 running metres and 21 tackles — three misses.
Originally published as Storm’s minor premiership dream grows as Broncos’ horror night could ruin season