NRL: Warriors shut out Storm fightback

Brent Tate of the Warriors tries to shrug off the tackle of Billy Slater of the Storm. Photo / Getty Images

The New Zealand Warriors, again showing defensive resilience, turned the tables on the Melboure Storm tonight to make it five wins in a row in the National Rugby Leauge.

In a tense finish, five-eighth James Maloney sealed victory with a field goal four minutes from time.

The result was revenge for the Warriors after the sides' last meeting, which came days after Melbourne's salary cap scandal first broke and the fired-up Storm reacted by thumping the Warriors 40-6.

However, the Storm still had enough attack options to make for a tight finish at Mt Smart Stadium With Melbourne's salary cap controversy flaring up again this week, some of the 13,118 crowd reminded the visitors of the club's predicament.

Midway through the second half, as skipper Cameron Smith lined up a conversion of fullback Bill Slater's try, a brief chant of ``cheat'' rose up.

It brought an ironic smile and shake of the head from Smith before he landed the goal.

The Warriors had the better of the opening half.

After an early penalty from Maloney, they pulled further ahead after the five-eighth put up a bomb that the Storm failed to deal with.

Instead, centre Brent Tate batted the ball back and the Warriors kept the move alive for winger Manu Vatuvei to score his 12th try in just 11 appearances this season.

It was also Vatuvei's 70th touchdown of his career, putting him just seven shy of Stacey Jones' club record of 77.

The Warriors were showing greater enthusiasm and they were rewarded again on the quarter-hour when centre Jerome Ropati crossed.

Vatuvei provided the assist, knocking back an Aaron Heremaia cross kick into Ropati's hands.

Maloney added the extras from the sidelines to take the home side out to 12-0.

The Storm had their moments, but the Warriors' defence followed up their sterling display against Penrith last week to snuff out each attack.

Melbourne did get over the tryline just before the interval, but centre Greg Inglis' final pass to winger Justin O'Neill was forward.

The Storm had another great chance early in the second half, but Inglis failed to take five-eighth Brent Finch's pass with the line open.

The visitors finally got on the board on 57 minutes when Slater scored a soft try from dummy half, which Smith converted.

They almost got another a minute later when halfback Cooper Cronk superbly pulled in a bomb from winger Matt Duffie, but replays showed Cronk was offside.

Maloney had a chance to push the Warriors eight points ahead, but missed a penalty Melbourne continued to press over the final stages, before, before Maloney's field goal allowed the home side breathing room.

NZ WARRIORS 13 (J Ropati M Vatuvei tries J Maloney 2 goals J Maloney field goal) bt MELBOURNE 6 (B Slater try C Smith goal) at Mt Smart Stadium. Referee: Steve Lyons, Gerard Sutton.

- NZPA