Warriors’ new start ends with 50-6 thrashing
MELBOURNE has wasted no time making itself at home in Sydney, wiping the floor with the Warriors 50-6 at Jubilee Stadium.
Two days after being forced to leave Victoria indefinitely due to a spike in coronavirus cases, the Storm ran in nine tries on Friday night to snap a two-game losing run.
Suliasi Vunivalu netted a hat-trick and Ryan Papenhuyzen and Paul Momirovski nabbed two each, while Jahrome Hughes tallied four try assists.
The Warriors, playing in their first match since the shock sacking of Stephen Kearney, simply had no answer to a ruthless Melbourne attack.
The victory for Melbourne may have come at a cost however, with star five-eighth Cameron Munster suffering a suspected MCL injury to his right knee.
Munster was caught awkwardly in a Karl Lawton tackle in the fourth minute and played out the rest of the half, but was interchanged at halftime.
The Kangaroos representative will have scans on Saturday, however coach Craig Bellamy feared being without Munster for up to six weeks.
“They’re saying 4-6 weeks ... It was a really brave performance. I said to him, ‘mate can you play the second half too?’,” Bellamy said post-game.
“But the physio hit that on the head straight away. (He) said he’s done well not to do any more damage in that first half and he shouldn’t be going back out again.”
That setback comes a week before the Storm’s blockbuster clash with two-time defending premiers the Sydney Roosters.
IN the other game last, the Roosters beat the Dragons 26-12 but lost Victor Radley and Sam Verrills to serious knee injuries.