Storm give ‘rookie’ tough initiation
DARREN Nicholls waited 10 years for this one.
But as for his St George Illawarra side … well, their long wait for success against Melbourne down south continues.
Without a win in the Victorian capital since 1999, the Dragons worrying hoodoo is set to continue for at least after year after they were beaten 52-30 by the Storm at AAMI Park.
And no prize for guessing who brought them undone.
For while all the headlines leading into this one were, quite rightfully, devoted to halfback Nicholls – the qualified schoolteacher making his NRL debut aged 29, and after humping his swag through a dozen clubs like North Sydney, Wyong, Redcliffe, even Toulouse – the match belonged to a bloke older than dirt.
Melbourne captain Cameron Smith was in everything – throwing for tries, kicking for tries, everywhere. And while the Storm cracked 50 points, this game truly was a belter.
Even with St George were missing five players to State of Origin. And Melbourne, six.
The first half alone produced seven tries. All up, the tally was twice that.
Nicholls was solid on debut, producing a couple of spiralling torpedo bombs that boasting troubling movement.