Mitchell Moses can’t do it all himself.
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That was the biggest takeaway from a scrappy game on Saturday night as the class of Melbourne’s superstar spine showed up in a comprehensive 34-8 win over Parramatta.
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In an error-riddled contest that never really reached any great heights, Cameron Munster put to bed any suggestions that poor club form could cost him his Queensland five-eighth jumper.
Munster put on a clinic with three try assists and just as many linebreak assists to go with 92 run metres, while he scored a try of his own too to cap off a standout performance.
He wasn’t the only big name to teach Parramatta a lesson, with Harry Grant picking his moments perfectly from dummy-half as he ran for 61 metres and made two linebreaks.
Sua Fa’alogo had a few poor errors but was dynamic with the ball in hand, running for a game-high 225 metres while Jahrome Hughes had some classy touches at halfback.
As for Parramatta, Moses did all he could but there was a stark difference between Melbourne’s first-class spine and the inexperienced Eels in key positions.
That was amplified by two moments where Moses couldn’t hide his frustration, first at a forward pass from fullback Joash Papalii and then the halfback was “blowing up” according to Luke Keary as hooker Tallyn Da Silva hit Jack de Belin on a last-tackle play in the second half instead of going to Moses out the back.
‘Right direction’: Ryles talks positives | 03:54
MUNSTER DELIVERS WHEN IT MATTERS MOST
State of Origin must be around the corner because Cameron Munster is on fire.
This was vintage Munster. If he wasn’t scoring tries, he was laying them on in the Storm’s 34-8 win. His form has been questioned at times this season to the point where Munster himself suggested he was so frustrated with how he was playing he was considering retirement.
It may have been a throwaway line from the enigmatic Munster, but it showed how difficult he and his teammates were finding it as they endured a long losing streak that was only snapped a week ago.
Thoughts of retirement were put on the back burner on Saturday night as Munster toyed with the Eels. The Storm No. 6 kickstarted his night when he had a hand in a sensational team try finished by Moses Leo.
He then grabbed a try of his own when he ran onto a Jahrome Hughes pass and forced his way over the line. He then laid a try on a platter for young forward Cooper Clarke with a delicate inside pass that handed the teenager a saloon passage to the line.
Storm spine sparkle in win over Eels | 01:53
“Those people who were saying Munster was too out of form to play Origin were on another planet,” former Storm teammate Cooper Cronk said on Fox League.
Queensland coach Billy Slater, watching from the sideline in his commentary commitments with the Nine Network, would have watched with relief as his captain delivered again for his club.
Melbourne and Queensland hooker Harry Grant wasn’t far behind. The pair put the finishing touches on their night when they combined for Grant to score after a lengthy Sua Faalogo bust with six minutes to play.
This performance suggested that Munster and Grant are finding their best form at the right time. The Blues better be ready.
Cam Munster had a big night.Source: FOX SPORTS
ENEMIES ONE DAY, TEAMMATES THE NEXT
Sean Russell and Nick Meaney will be teammates in Perth next season. On Saturday night at Suncorp Stadium, they were mortal enemies who just happened to be playing opposite each other in the centres for Parramatta and Melbourne.
It didn’t take long for them to come up against each other. In the fourth minute, the Eels sent the ball wide and it finished in the hands of Russell. He used his speed and a fend to get on the outside of Meaney and open the scoring for the Eels.
It was Russell’s fourth try of the season as he showed the nose for the try-line that convinced Mal Meninga and the Bears to take a punt on him.
Meaney, meanwhile, will have better moments. He finished his night with 99 metres and ended up missing only two tackles.
It just so happened one was on a future teammate.
Russell and Meaney will soon be teammates. (Photo by Hannah Peters/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images
ERROR FEST
Melbourne and Parramatta have been all over the shop this season and they looked like two sides struggling to find their best form in this game.
All told, there were 15 errors in the first half. Melbourne were the most culpable with nine and the worst part for Bellamy was that many of them were when his side was attacking the Parramatta line.
If you thought things couldn’t get any worse, think again. The opening five minutes of the second half was a series of calamities which began from the kickoff when Storm forward Davey Moale – no doubt with Bellamy’s advice ringing in his ears – dropped the ball from the kickoff.
No real need to panic though because true to form, the Eels dropped the ball from the resulting scrum when Brian Kelly couldn’t get a grip on a pass with the try line beckoning.
They then traded another two errors in the blink of an eye. It was ugly stuff and neither coach would have been happy with their performance.
Inevitably, the side that held onto the ball was going to win the contest and sure enough, Melbourne managed to get on the attack, with two of their superstars combining when Hughes sent Munster over to score.
By full-time, Melbourne’s class had prevailed and the error count had reached a total of 27 for the two teams.
JUDICIARY WATCH
Luca Moretti was placed on report for a high shot on Sua Fa’alogo. He has never been charged previously.
STAT ATTACK (via Fox Lab)
Storm wins their eighth straight game over Parramatta including the third against them at Magic Round
Eels longest losing streak against an opponent since 1996 against North Sydney Bears
Eels have not scored more than 18 points across the losing streak; they have not had a longer streak against an opponent since 1997 (12 v North Sydney starting in 1990)
Eels concede 30 points for the fourth straight game and eighth time in 11 matches this season
The 379 points conceded through 11 games is the fifth most in Premiership history and most since Cowboys in 2002 (380)
Sixth time in the past seven clashes Melbourne has scored over 30 points against Eels
Outscored Parramatta 300 points to 98 over the eight game win streak
Melbourne wins back-to-back games for the first time since the opening two rounds of the season
Least points Storm have conceded since their opening round 52-4 win over Eels
Fifth straight Magic Round defeat for the Eels; one win from seven appearances (2021 v Warriors)
Storm only had 16 tackles inside the Eels 20m zone compared to the 30 Parramatta had in Melbourne’s redzone
Harry Grant scored his 11th try against Parramatta from 12 appearances. All 11 have come in the past nine games
Fox Lab POTM
Cameron Munster heads into Origin on the back of two top notch performances. Had a hand in five of the Storm’s six tries with 3 try assists, a try contribution and try to go with 92 run metres – has now won 54 of 55 matches when scoring, including 50 straight
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