NRL: Hot streak puts finals in reach

Warrior Brent Tate tries to evade the tackle of Melbourne Storm's Billy Slater. Photo / Getty Images

The Warriors and Storm contested last night's 19th round match with a silent fury - but the Warriors reinforced a belief they are worthy finals contenders long before five-eighth James Maloney slotted the safety net field goal four minutes from the end.

It was the Warriors' fifth straight win - the first time they have achieved that since 2003 - and pushes them into the competition top five. Coinciding with that is the sight of beards emerging everywhere in the Auckland-based side's ranks as they attempt to emulate the success they had in the 2008 campaign in the same hairy manner.

The first 20 minutes proved the difference, when the Warriors scored two emphatic tries that had the Storm wilting. It was a significant reversal of the 40-6 beating they took in round seven on the back of the initial salary cap rort revelations.

The Warriors showed more discipline throughout and combined that with hard-hitting tackles and incisive running to run their vulnerable opponents, often literally, into the ground.

The Storm looked a side whose season has started to dissolve with their fifth loss in six matches. It was the first time they had lost three in a row since 2002. The players often seemed distant rather than playing with the determination of men looking to be picked up by other clubs when their roster is shredded next year.

The examples were plentiful. Greg Inglis' mind was possibly on other things - like a potential contract with Brisbane - as he lost the ball two metres from the line, two minutes into the second half.

New Zealand-born wing Matt Duffie did the same in Melbourne's best initial surge while Kiwis Sika Manu and Jeff Lima were guilty of similar blemishes and ill-discipline at various stages that eased any rare pressure the Storm had built up inside the Warriors' 20-metre line.

In contrast, the Warriors defence was often inspiring. Simon Mannering dispatched Brett Finch backwards in the 33rd minute, driving into the tackle parallel to the ground.

Ukuma Ta'ai also delivered Duffie into touch late in the first half as the Warriors left little to chance near their own line.

Coach Ivan Cleary said: "That was satisfying: a nine out of 10 ... the best part again was that the defence was so solid, although we did let in a soft try against a smart operator [Billy Slater]. There are signs we have been getting better the last two months, putting the whole package together.

"They were slippery conditions but you've got to give the Storm defence credit. We knew what they are capable of, we understood what was coming."

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said the Storm could pretend the salary cap controversy didn't affect them "but we know it does. I don't want to take anything away from the Warriors, who applied themselves defensively and worked really hard. We could have put the cue in the rack but we didn't and I'm proud of our guys for fighting back. It's been a tough week, in fact it's been a tough three months.

"The Warriors defence has got stronger in the last month when oppositions get inside their 20-metre zone. Ivan Cleary will be feeling more comfortable there now."

Storm captain Cameron Smith said: "Compared with last time [40-6] we couldn't muster the same feeling. It's a three-month drama and it's taking its toll. Their line was just too tough to crack with their style of footy.

"I don't really know what's happening. The last few games have been frustrating after putting in so much effort. Plenty of guys are uncertain about their futures; it's not in their interest to play like bums."

The Warriors lost no impact or cohesion with the return of Kevin Locke, Brett Seymour, Brent Tate and Lance Hohaia.

Seymour continued his dynamic influence but did have a spell on the sidelines after taking a knock to the head tackling Duffie late in the first half. His skills were on display for the first Warriors try in the ninth minute when Tate knocked back a Maloney bomb, Micheal Luck hot-potatoed the ball through the line and Seymour hit it on the bounce at pace.

It was a superb piece of spontaneity, which then had Seymour flick it on to Manu Vatuvei. There must be few more daunting opposition sights than seeing Vatuvei unopposed five metres from the line.

Vatuvei was never far from the attacking action, bullocking 30 metres from the early Duffie mistake and then being on hand to knock the ball back to Jerome Ropati from an Aaron Heremaia chip to the left flank. Ropati dived over in the 15th minute, another illustration of Vatuvei and Ropati rekindling their bond out wide.

Ropati slotted into fullback with Lewis Brown moving into the centres in the 63rd minute when Hohaia left the field with a thigh injury.

Warriors 13 (M. Vatuvei, J. Ropati tries; J. Maloney 2 goals, Maloney field goal)

Storm 6 (B. Slater tries, C. Smith goal).

Halftime: 12-0.