Storm’s finals bid takes hit as certain try goes begging
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An NRL finals series without the Melbourne Storm would feel a little unusual.
After a 14-6 loss to the Roosters at Allianz Stadium on Friday night, it’s looking a tad more likely the perennial contenders may be set to miss finals football for just the second time in the Craig Bellamy era.
Craig Bellamy. NRL Imagery
With three minutes on the clock and Melbourne trailing 14-6, it appeared for a moment the Storm were about to set up a ding-dong finish to the game via a try to Nick Meaney, who had shifted to the right wing when Will Warbick was struck down by a serious Achilles injury.
All Meaney had to do was catch the ball and put it down. Daniel Tupou had scurried in off his wing to tackle Sualauvi Fa’alogo, leaving Meaney unmarked with the try line right under his nose.
But Meaney – typically one of Bellamy’s most reliable men – spilled his lollies.
“It’s been one of those years, hasn’t it?” Phil Gould said on Nine.
Season 2010 – when the Storm had their premiership points stripped because of salary cap rorting – remains the only time Melbourne have failed to qualify for finals football since Bellamy took over in 2003.
The proud Victorian club has also won three premierships in the Bellamy era, not including the two grand final victories that were taken off Melbourne because of the salary cap scandal.
But with six games remaining in the 2026 regular season, the Storm are sitting in 10th on the ladder – two wins behind the eighth-placed Cowboys.
“We’ll go and prepare the best we can and hopefully perform the best we can on the weekend,” Bellamy said when asked about his team’s finals hopes in his post-game press conference.
“We’re just going to take it week by week; we’re not going to look too far ahead. And whatever will be, will be. As long as we’re out there competing like we did today, we’re a chance of doing something.”
The injury-hit Storm were missing star playmakers Jahrome Hughes (hamstring) and Cameron Munster (knee) on Friday night, and lost Warbrick to his Achilles injury in the 28th minute.
That being said, the Roosters were without James Tedesco (concussion), Lindsay Collins (concussion), Angus Crichton (foot) and Robert Toia (rested).
Robinson rips ‘completely laughable’ penalty
Roosters coach Trent Robinson was left fuming about a penalty awarded to the Storm for high contact, labelling it “completely laughable”.
Referee Grant Atkins awarded Melbourne a penalty in the 56th minute, ruling Nat Butcher had collected Alec MacDonald high.
But Butcher had merely clipped his hair.
“Honestly, how do you fine that?” Robinson said.
“Why would a referee even look at that? It was laughable. It was completely laughable.”
Gallen blows up over ‘ridiculous’ rule
Paul Gallen blew up over what he called “the stupidest rule in rugby league”, after Harry Grant was penalised for a ball strip.
Early in the game, Atkins penalised the Melbourne hooker after he raked the ball off Reece Robson.
The Roosters hooker took a run from dummy-half and Grant, who was at marker, swiped the ball out of his hands. It was a one-on-one strip but, as the referee explained, Grant hadn’t made a genuine attempt to tackle.
Dumbfounded, Gould repeatedly asked “why?“.
“Who made up the rule?” the legendary coach said.
Gallen unloaded.
“I’ve got no idea [why the rule exists], but that is the stupidest rule in rugby league,” the former Sharks and Blues captain said.
“It’s almost as bad as the stupid short dropout [rule] where if it doesn’t go 10 metres they just get a play-the-ball instead of a penalty.
“If a guy is running from dummy-half trying to attack the defensive line, you should be allowed to do what you want – legally.
“Playing at the ball – who cares? You’re trying to make a tackle.
“It’s ridiculous. He’s running, he [the defender] hits the arm, and he drops the ball. It should be a Melbourne Storm ball.”
As Grant argued with the referee, Atkins explained “the interpretation” with a shake of his head.
