Storm clouds build after lacklustre loss to Sharks
MELBOURNE coach Craig Bellamy has questioned his team’s hunger to defend its NRL title in a stinging assessment of his players’ performance in a 17- 14 loss to Cronulla.
The Sharks stopped the Storm’s return to the top of the NRL ladder and helped their own top- four hopes in an enthralling match at AAMI Park yesterday. Moving to sixth, Cronulla proved its defence was title- worthy, holding the Storm up over the tryline three times and preventing a matchwinner, with the dying minutes uncannily similar to their 2016 grand final decider.
Bellamy was scathing of his team’s poor ball control and game management in the first half, hinting that heads could roll before a Friday night clash with Parramatta.
“It looks like we lack hunger at the moment,” Bellamy said. “We looked like we started the game waiting for things to happen rather than making them happen and I’m not quite sure why that would be. We will need to change that.”
The Storm trailed 13- 4 at halftime, with hooker Jayden Brailey and Valentine Holmes both scoring as the Sharks searched for just their second win in Melbourne since 2009.
The home side pegged it back to 13- 10 through Billy Slater – who announced his retirement midweek – running on to a Cameron Munster grubber. But Munster then threw a loose pass that led to the Sharks’ final try.
It was scooped up by centre Jesse Ramien and despite being brought down by Josh Addo- Carr after a 60m dash, Cronulla winger Josh Dugan took the ball from dummy- half and burst through some soft defence.
Will Chambers set up winger Suliasi Vunivalu for his second try in the 72nd minute to pave the way for an exciting finale, but the visitors held firm.
Further souring the loss, veteran Storm second- rower Ryan Hoffman looks to have played his last NRL game after suffering a hamstring injury.