World News – UA – Storm duo could face legal disputes over incidents in loss of Dragons

MATCH REPORT

For 40 minutes, the second least experienced team in NRL history had the Red V on the rocks, but now Melbourne faces anxious wait as its seemingly annual September wrestling drama resurfaces

The second Storm players saw a four-on-two semi-final disintegrate into a 30-22 loss to the Dragons on Sunday, a result that had no bearing on their position on the ladder or their final situation

Knowing this, Melbourne mapped out a line-up with just 547 games of prior NRL experience behind them

For perspective, only the famous Baby Broncos coached by Craig Bellamy in 2002 – 456 games – made it to the paddock with less to their collective name, while absent skipper Cameron Smith watched from Queensland with 427 outings to only him

Smith and the best of a dozen Storm troops will return for Saturday’s clash with Parramatta, while Melbourne’s fringe players will be in awe of their much-needed playing time

But as it seems in most Finals, the wrestling will have tongues wagging throughout the week after an ugly « hip-drop » tackle from Max King saw Blake Lawrie twist awkwardly. before the Storm pillar fell on her ankle

King has been reported for the incident, while Tui Kamikamica could also suffer repercussions for a heavy and late shot on Dragons rookie Jayden Sullivan, who intervened before the Fijian was forced to injure himself at the ankle

Panthers great Greg Alexander was scathing in Fox Sports comments, saying there was « intent to injure » in King’s tackle

« I think this incident alone is worth 10 minutes in the trash, » Alexander said

« It’s a foul, it’s an obvious foul It started this year [the hip tackle]

Despite the absence of a galaxy of regular stars, only Ryan Papenhuyzen’s four failed conversions, with a decent breeze wreaking havoc, kept the Dragons there during the first half.

With Papenhuyzen playing the puppet master, Melbourne made four tries, including three in the opening 19 minutes, as the home side struggled to keep pace

Fans of Kogarah Hill would have been watching the release at this point, only for Zac Lomax and Matt Dufty to get them back on their feet for the right reasons

The former threw a ball forward for the latter to pick up and land after a break from Cody Ramsey to bring the Dragons onto the set Kamikamica’s shot at Sullivan came upstream

A try from Tyson Frizell before the break – again from a short Dufty ball – kept them in, before the Non1 pistol and debutant Sullivan took the lead in the second half

Lomax’s 63rd-minute penalty try, awarded due to Ricky Leutele illegally knocking him off the ball in pursuit of a grubber, gave St George Illawarra a lead that Melbourne threatened , but never lost

A bit of shine in midfield from captain Cam McInnes then extended it, with Dufty scoring a 24-16 advantage

His compatriot Nicho Hynes kept the Storm in 12 minutes later, wiping and rallying for an impressive solo try and two-point ball play

Josh Kerr and Paul Momirovski’s denied kicking attempts occupied the Bunker and the result on knife edge, until a 77th-minute chip from 19-year-old Sullivan, sat down for Frizell to seal him with his second

St George Illawarra Dragons, Melbourne Storm, National Rugby League, Tyson Frizell, Max King