NRL: Table-topping Storm charge past Warriors

Kevin Proctor of the Storm fends off Brett Seymour of the Warriors. Photo / Getty Images

Melborune Storm 16
NZ Warriors 8

Two tries from Storm fullback Billy Slater succumbed the NZ Warriors to a 16-8 defeat at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

The former Golden Boot winner was the standout player of the match scoring the winning try and playing a text-book role in the backfield taking bombs cleanly and organising his side's defence.

The well-drilled Storm outfit cemented top spot on the NRL ladder as Slater, halfback Cooper Cronk and captain Cameron Smith directed their side around the park efficiently.

Giving away only four handling errors compared to the Warriors 13, the Australian side also restricted their go forward, holding the opposition to less than 10 points - their seventh straight week the feat has been achieved.

On the other-hand the Warriors continued their mid-season collapse as they fell to their fourth loss in a row which will see them drop outside the top eight after being as high as fifth spot a month ago.

The homeside were first to put points on the scoreboard with five-eighth James Maloney striking a penalty in the 7th minute after a repeat indiscretion from their opponents.

It was only a brief deficit for the Storm as they responded with two tries in five minutes.

Their first try came after a schoolboy error by fullback Lance Hohaia let in Gareth Widdop in the 12th minute.

Halfback Cooper Cronk skied a midfield bomb which Hohaia let bounce for the Englishman to easily catch and run 25 metres unopposed to score behind the uprights. Cameron Smith converted.

Fullback Billy Slater added his side's second in the 16th minute after an obstruction penalty gave the Storm a repeat set in the Warriors red zone.

The visitors swept across to the left-hand side with Widdop throwing a pass behind a decoy runner to Slater who put in a deft little grubber which he regathered to slide over in the corner.

The Warriors were stunned to find themselves two tries down in the opening quarter after a promising start which had their side holding parity with their counterpart.

The introduction of Feleti Mateo off the interchange injected sparked the homeside as he made a couple of telling breaks and offloads to nearly see the Warriors over the tryline.

However their best attacking sequences of the firsthalf were undone by handling errors close to the Storm tryline just as they were looking to crack after sustained Warriors pressure.

After a stalemate opening to the second stanza the Warriors finally broke the duck through a try to veteran Hohaia in the 54th minute.

Receiving a penalty for an Adam Blair penalty in the Storm half, the Warriors fed the ball wide to Hohaia who threw a dummy and streaked past centre Maurice Blair into a big gap to score. Maloney converted to trail 8-10.

The Warriors search for a second try never arose as they weren't able to force their way into any threatening field position with the staunch Storm defence keeping them out of their 20 metre zone.

The clumsiness of the Warriors backfield to defuse Cronk's high bombs repeated itself for Slater's second try in the 75th minute.

Hohaia went up to catch the ball but spilled it for Slater to pick up and plant it over the tryline to seal the victory.

Warriors halfback Brett Seymour was put on report late in the first half for a swinging arm in a tackle on winger Matt Duffie.

Melbourne Storm 16 (Billy Slater 2, Gareth Widdop tries; Cameron Smith 2 goals) New Zealand Warriors 8 (Lance Hohaia try; James Maloney 2 goals). Halftime: 10-2.

- Herald online