South Sydney Rabbitohs have put an emphatic end to their Melbourne hoodoo with a crushing 48-6 win over a shellshocked Storm in the annual ANZAC game at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
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The Rabbitohs, led by a Tallis Duncan hat-trick of tries and doubles to 250-gamer Alex Johnston and Campbell Graham, left the home fans stunned when they led 24-zip at halftime after racking up five tries to nil in the first half, with coach Craig Bellamy pictured blowing up at the players in the sheds before storming out.
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It paved the way for the rampaging Rabbitohs to claim their first ever win in Melbourne in their 21st time of trying over 28 long years, while Melbourne lost a sixth-straight game for the first time since 2002.
The Bunnies totally carved up the Storm like no team has done at the venue in years.
Superstar centre Latrell Mitchell produced another dazzling display with 164 run metres and four tackle breaks, backing up from his scintillating four-try effort a week earlier against the Dragons.
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RABBITOHS PRESSER: Wayne not in much of a mood to talk after big Bunnies win
Craig Bellamy was not happy.Source: FOX SPORTS
BIG HITS
Can they recover?
An out-of-sorts Storm slumped to their sixth consecutive loss for the first time in coach Craig Bellamy’s tenure..
The Storm are anchored to the bottom two with a 2-6 record, while Wayne Bennett’s Souths sent a message to the rest of the competition with the commanding display to solidify their place among the top four.
The Storm were deplorable in the first half, committing seven errors and completing just 12 of 19 sets and the Rabbitohs made them pay.
Is the Storm’s season recoverable at this point?
The only bright spot for the Storm was fullback Sua Faalogo’s try of the season nomination, where he gathered his own kick off and ran 35 metres to score.
‘We didn’t talk about the streak’ | 05:59
Munster’s reality check for Storm
Cameron Munster didn’t hold back when asked by Fox League’s Lara Pitt about Melbourne’s performance.
“It’s appalling,” Munster said.
“On a special day, and we spoke about it today (on) how lucky we are to play on ANZAC Day, regardless of win or loss, you want to urn up for your teammates and turn up for your club and for the soldiers that serve for our country.
“We were all very poor tonight. We all had moments we would like to have back as a group and individuals. They ice their moments tonight, they were very clinical. It’s frustrating because we’re training so well at the moment… we’ll have to go back to the drawing board and keep working at.”
It was a big night for Latrell and tough one for the Storm.Source: FOX SPORTS
Dazzling Dufty gives Wayne welcome headache
Speedy fullback Matthew Dufty, second game back in the NRL and coming off a stunning 307 run metre game in the win over the Dragons, was awesome again.
Dufty ran for 137 metres in the opening 40 and laid the platform for the first Souths try, which started the avalanche, before finishing with a whopping 268 run metres.
Dufty admitted before his Rabbitohs debut that he wasn’t sure if he’d ever play in the NRL again when he went to the Super League.
“But look at him now?” as new teammate Jack Wighton told Fox League.
“We lost one little pocket rocket (Jye Gray) and got another one. It’s awesome. He’s been massive.”
Dufty became the first player this season to crack the 250 metre mark in consecutive weeks.
It leaves coach Wayne Bennett with a welcome headache for when Jye Gray is fit. Gray was one of the NRL’s in-form fullbacks and deserves his spot, but he may have to find space for Dufty on the bench.
Storm humiliated by Souths in Melbourne | 02:16
Injury concern for Bunnies
Souths forward Brandon Smith went down the tunnel for treatment just 15 minutes in on a right calf that he re-injured and would be ruled out for the game.
Mesmerising Mitchell
Worryingly for Storm, Mitchell picked up where he left off in his starring four-try role a week earlier, as his powerful runs created wrinkles in the Storm defence.
“I’ve just got to get him the ball, that’s all it is,” Walker said of Mitchell’s imposing performance at halftime.
Mitchell finished the game with 115 run metres, eight tackle busts, three linebreak assists and two try assists.
Jahrome Hughes leaves the ground with an injury. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
STAT ATTACK (via Fox Lab)
– Souths’ biggest ever win v Storm (was 41-14 in 2003).
– Souths’ first ever win in Melbourne – breaking a 20 game losing streak. Also easily their highest ever score there (was 28 in 2018 finals).
– Melbourne’s biggest loss at AAMI Park (Was 38-6 v Roosters in 2010) and second biggest loss in Melbourne (54-10 v Eels at Marvel in 2001). Only the 3rd time they have conceded more than 40 points in Melbourne – first since 2002.
– Six straight losses for Storm, the first time since 2002. They slump to 16th on the ladder.
– Wayne Bennett snaps a 15 game losing streak against Storm/Craig Bellamy.
– Souths 24-0 lead was Melbourne’s equal second biggest half time deficit in Melbourne (Knights 30-0 at Marvel in 2001) and equal biggest at AAMI Park.
– Souths made 15 linebreaks to 1 which was the most ever by any team against Storm.
Nick Meaney was placed on report late in the first half for a high tackle on Euan Aitken. He has not been charged since 2022.
– Alex Johnston scored two tries, taking his 2+ tally to 59.
– Tallis Duncan scored the first hattrick of his career.
– Fox Lab POTM was Latrell Mitchell. He was a constant threat to the Storm defence. He set up two tries and had a hand in another, ran for 115 metres busting eight tackles, and landed a booming 2-point field goal for good measure.
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TEAMS
Storm team: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. William Warbrick 3. Jack Howarth 4. Nick Meaney 5. Manaia Waitere 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Joe Chan 12. Cooper Clarke 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Shawn Blore 17. Davvy Moale 19. Hugo Peel 20. Trent Toelau 21. Josiah Pahulu
Rabbitohs team: 1. Matthew Dufty 2. Alex Johnston 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Jack Wighton 5. Campbell Graham 6. Cody Walker 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Sean Keppie 11. Brandon Smith 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Cameron Murray 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Lachlan Hubner 16. Jayden Sullivan 17. Keaon Koloamatangi 18. Euan Aitken 19. Liam Le Blanc 22. Edward Kosi