Melbourne keep Souths horror record intact

The Melbourne Storm have inflicted even more misery on the South Sydney Rabbitohs with a 16-12 win in front of 18,000 fans at a Seagull infested AAMI Park.

Despite a good win from the Storm, all the talk will be about Cameron Smith and the fact that he could be missing origin 1 after replays show the QLD hooker kicking Isaac Luke 3 times including one to the face.

The game opened with a spate of penalty goals and Melbourne took an early 4-2 lead before they were able to cross for two typical Storm plays. The first try to Jesse Bromwich came off some flimsy defence including an arm-grab from Greg Inglis to score.

The Storm's second try came just before the half time break when Will Chambers was on the receiving end of another typical Melbourne set piece where the defence parted like Moses parted the seas and Chambers strolled through to score.

The Rabbitohs needed to make an impressive comeback from and they showed a sign of the comeback with two tries within the first 15 minutes of the second half.

The first try was to Alex Johnston who took a leap that wouldn't have been across town at the AFL game at Etihad Stadium when he flew through the air to take a marvellous catch to score the Bunnies opening try of the match.

Aaron Gray scored the Rabbitohs second of the night after a great piece of play to score over in the corner but Isaac Luke hit the post with the conversion which could have taken the margin back to two.

That was the end of the scoring for the night and Melbourne defended hard to secure the victory and keep Souths record to zero in Melbourne.

Next weekend the Storm will have the bye whilst Souths will take on Parramatta next Friday night at ANZ Stadium.

Match Details

Melbourne Storm 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs 12
Venue: AAMI Park
Crowd: 18067
Halftime Score: Melbourne Storm 16 South Sydney Rabbitohs 2

MELBOURNE STORM (16)
Tries: Jesse Bromwich, Will Chambers
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (2/2)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (12)
Tries: Alex Johnston, Aaron Gray
Field Goals:
Conversions: Issac Luke (1/2)
Penalty Goals: Bryson Goodwin (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Jesse Bromwich
2 points - Cameron Smith
1 point - Alex Johnston

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

PLAY UNDERWAY at AAMI Park - Melbourne kick off and Souths have first use defending the Southern (Swan Street end)

1: Great opening set for the Bunnies and then off the kick, Mahe Fonua is driven into touch, Souths now inside the 20m zone

3: ANOTHER repeat set coming up for the Bunnies after Dylan Walker's kick bounced up just short of the dead ball line and Koroibete has to take it dead

4: PENALTY SOUTHS: Storm penalised for being too slow on the ruck and GI says to Henry Perenara they will take the 2

5: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Penalty goal attempt by Bryson Goodwin successful.
Bryson Goodwin slots the penalty goal from 30m out to open the scoring

7: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Tim Glasby makes an unforced error.
Tim Glasby goes to charge on the ball and doesn't take it, Bunnies on the attack again

10: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL MELBOURNE STORM
Penalty goal attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith has no issues with the conversion from in front to level the scores

13: Luke Keary goes for a 40/20 but it ends up in the CBD of Melbourne, it was that far out on the full

14: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Tohu Harris makes an unforced error.
Luke Keary puts a rib tickler in and dislodges the ball from Tohu Harris

14: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
George Burgess makes an unforced error.
First play from the Scrum - George Burgess puts the ball down

15: PENALTY STORM - Bunnies hang around too long in the tackle and the Storm will go for 2 agai

16: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL MELBOURNE STORM
Penalty goal attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
No problems from close range again for the Storm and they take the lead

16: PENALTY STORM: Some innocuous contact is penalised and Melbourne go on the attack

19: GI pulls out a try saver and the Bunnies get a repeat set on the next play

21: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Jesse Bromwich. Kick to come.
Cameron Smith holds the ball up, then gives a good ball to Jesse Bromwich who just goes straight past GI

SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith converts from close range

23: PENALTY STORM: A high tackle is pulled up by Matt Cecchin and the Storm will go on the attack once again

24: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Kurt Mann makes an unforced error.
Oh Mann, The Storm have the ball and have the line open and they drop the ball

27: PENALTY SOUTHS: High tackle again and the Bunnies are now on the attack

28: Well that was interesting piece of play but we have a dropout

32: Video Referees step in and resolve a dispute over whether the ball touched the line on the full

35: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Tim Grant makes an unforced error.
Souths are wishing they could've capitalised on that field position but that wish wasn't granted as they lose the ball

37: PENALTY STORM: Souths infringe in the ruck and the Storm go on the attack again

38: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Will Chambers. Kick to come.
Cronk dummies and creates the hole that Will Chambers goes through to score

38: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith again doesn't have any problems from close range and the lead is extended

41: Back underway at AAMI Park - Storm using the ball first

45: Right Hand corner causing all sorts of problem - its almost like an elephant on a skating rink

46: Marika Koroibete goes for the line but he loses the ball and it goes dead and the Bunnies get a 20m restart

49: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Alex Johnston. Kick to come.
Alex Johnston takes a leap that the GWS Giants would be proud of, flies through the air and scores the try

49: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Issac Luke successful.
Isaac Luke puts the ball through the posts and closes the gap

53: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Mahe Fonua makes an unforced error.
Mahe Fonua slides in to catch the ball and makes an absolute meal of it

55: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Aaron Gray. Kick to come.
The book says there is 50 shades of Grey but Souths have their own shade of Aaron Gray that is

55: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Issac Luke unsuccessful.
Isaac Luke from the other side of the field hits the upright and ball bounces away

62: PENALTY STORM: John Sutton blatantly takes out Billy Slater on a kick that Slater was not even getting close to

64: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Tim Glasby makes an unforced error.
Tim Glasby loses the ball in the tackle and the Storm give up the pressure they were beginning to build

66: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Chris Grevsmuhl makes an unforced error.
As quickly as Melbourne gift possession to Souths, Souths decide to recycle the gift and give it back

69: Not much happening, Souths forced to dropout again but Melbourne aren't able to turn it into points

70: Thats the 3rd time tonight Cameron Smith has sent the ball out on the full tonight

72: GI loses the ball behind him but luckily its called play on and they work it out from their own line

73: Some luck there for Melbourne as Smith plays at the ball but its not called six again and Souths lose 30m because of it

75: NO TRY as the touch judge called, Alex Johnston left from outside the field of play to tap the ball back in

80: 80m, 4 tackles for the Bunnies to level it up