KEY POINTS:
Warriors skipper Steve Price said earlier this week they wanted a tough start to the National Rugby League (NRL) season.
The Melbourne Storm duly delivered by comprehensively beating the Warriors 30-12 at Olympic Park in Melbourne today.
The Auckland-based Warriors started the season with impressive wins over the
Parramatta Eels and defending premiers Brisbane, but were put to the sword by a rampant Storm.
Last year's losing finalists ruthlessly exposed the Warriors' defensive frailties down both flanks to race to a 14-0 lead inside 16 minutes.
The Warriors inflicted Melbourne's only defeat at Olympic Park last year, but the ground lived up to its 'graveyard' monicker today.
Fullback Billy Slater and winger Israel Folau buried the visitors with two tries each as Melbourne posted six tries, with Warriors wing Manu Vatuvei scoring one in return before Sam Rapira grabbed a late consolation try.
Melbourne remain unbeaten after three rounds.
The Warriors deserved all the plaudits after their best start to an NRL season, but today's loss will provide coach Ivan Cleary with a few headaches.
A slow start saw them rocked early, and their defence out wide was too easily prised apart with simple plays.
They had one solid stint when they gorged themselves on possession in the final 10 minutes of the first half, but could not crack a cast-iron defence.
They too often coughed up the ball, and Melbourne were classy enough to punish such errors.
The Warriors were soon aware of the difficult task facing them.
Just four minutes after the opening whistle their defence was easily sliced apart down the right-hand side.
A combination of quick passing and the Warriors' defence rushing forward saw Matt King find space down the touchline to feed Slater for a try, which hooker Cameron Smith converted.
From the kickoff the Warriors put the restart over the dead ball line.
It was an ominous sign as Smith was called into action three minutes later when the Warriors were found wanting on the other side of the field.
There was nothing special in Melbourne's second try, just poor defence from the Warriors again.
A long cutout pass hit the ground, but was gathered by Folau, 17, who coasted to the tryline.
Cameron missed the extra two points, but in the 16th minute he converted a four-pointer from Ryan Hoffman.
At 0-14 the Warriors were visibly stunned but still the opportunities came for the hosts.
A poor pass saw one try go begging and Slater crossed for his second after a classic regather, only for the video referee to rule offside.
The Warriors' best chance of scoring before the break came when second rower Simon Mannering was held up over the tryline.
The momentum quickly reverted after the halftime back to Melbourne.
In the 50th minute Vatuvei fielded a bomb, only for Folau to steal the ball and dot down.
Vatuvei compensated when he crossed in the 59th minute, but any faint hopes of a revival at 6-20 were dashed when wing Matt King scored for Melbourne six minutes later.
Slater completed the rout when he gathered a Matt Geyer grubber and slid across the tryline before Rapira's late strike.
Melbourne Storm 30 (Israel Folau 2, Billy Slater 2, Ryan Hoffman, Matt King tries; Cameron Smith 3 con) Warriors 12 (Manu Vatuvei, Sam Rapira tries; Tony Martin 2 con). Halftime: 14-0.
- NZPA
