NRL: Storm stand together on road to redemption

Storm fullback Billy Slater is tackled during last night’s win over the Warriors. Photo / Getty Images

MELBOURNE - They fought side by side on Anzac Day, and then stood defiantly as one to show there was no dissention in the ranks.

Presenting a united front now seems natural for the Melbourne Storm's players as they react to the perceived injustices associated with club management's blatant disregard for the National Rugby League's salary cap.

On Saturday afternoon they strode in unison alongside Craig Bellamy before the head coach spoke of his devastation at the team being stripped of two premierships - and the opportunity to earn competition points for the remainder of this season.

Then, at last night's post-match press conference, the entire squad flanked Bellamy and captain Cameron Smith in the aftermath of the Storm's stirring 40-6 defeat of the New Zealand Warriors.

Assembled media were warned the NRL's salary cap investigation was off limits and as if to emphasise the point enforcers Ryan Hoffman and Jeff Lima stared ominously, arms folded, bookending their leaders.

It was a show of solidarity Smith hopes is genuine amid rumours teammates are already considering their futures given the club has to shave at least A$700,000 ($912,268) from its wages bill to comply with the 2011 cap.

Can the team stay together? "I have no idea," said Smith, whose third-party deals are said to have contributed to the Storm's predicament.

"It's up to (NRL chief executive) David Gallop. We'd love to stay together - we've worked too hard for too long to be dismantled."

The Storm certainly did not waste time breaking down the Warriors, the round seven mismatch was also a pointless exercise for the visitors until Ukuma Ta'ai scored their solitary try in the 78th minute.

However, it was soon forgotten as the Storm revelled in a performance that encapsulated how and why they are regarded as the competition's benchmark.

Stewing privately since news of the Storm's malpractice emerged on Thursday, the players issued an emphatic statement with seven tries, and brutal defence the results of a relentless "us against them" attitude.

Smith feared how the team would perform knowing their season was already over, though only for the opening set.

"I think a lot of people around the country and probably around the world would have doubted us. I think we've proved to a lot of people what it means to play for the Melbourne Storm."

Smith led the team as it lapped the ground to acknowledge the support of almost 24,000 fans and later rated the experience as surpassing the now defunct premiership wins of 2007 and 2009.

"We've played in grand finals and they're huge occasions but I don't think we've gone over a bigger hurdle (than last night).

"We had to get through a lot of adversity this week.

"We've been sitting around home not knowing how we're going to feel today and how we're going to feel next week.

"To a man I'd say it's probably the proudest moment of all our careers."

The next challenge is for the Storm to thrive in a hostile environment, the first venue is Townsville and the North Queensland Cowboys.

Bellamy admitted there was no guarantee last night's performance could be replicated for the Storm's 17 remaining games.

"There was a lot of emotion there and they might have pushed us to what we did (last night). That might be hard to do in six or 12 weeks time."

Meanwhile, Warriors coach Ivan Cleary and captain Michael Luck were diplomatic when asked if it was especially bitter to lose to a side assembled illegally.

Cleary pondered for a moment and said: "I'd be pretty bitter regardless. I'm probably not in a great position to answer that question."

Luck also refused to be critical of his fellow professionals.

"You play what's in front of you.

"Every week there's 13 blokes on the other side of halfway. Regardless of how they got there and what they're being paid you've got to play well to beat them.

"The way we played in the first half an under-20s side could have given us a run."

Cleary agreed the error-prone Warriors were too compliant on a night they could have made life even worse for the Storm.

"We played the accommodating visitors really," he said.

"We played it perfectly."

- NZPA