Munster mash leads Storm rearguard over Titans

Melbourne produced a 30-point second half to down a gallant Titans in front of 10,521 fans at AAMI Park.

It was a statement game for the Storm after their humiliation at Leichhardt and they answered in style with Cameron Munster's hat-trick leading them to a convincing win over the struggling Gold Coast Titans.

Gold Coast stunned the home side in the opening minutes with their adventurous football, finding some gaps in the Storm line and forcing them to concede the opening points - Aiden Sezer piloting a penalty goal through the sticks.

With Sezer Canberra-bound next season, it was his halves partner Kane Elgey. The halfback gave Titans fans a glimpse into his immense talent to hopefully bridge the gap after he backed up a Mortimer break to extend the lead out to 8-nil.

Melbourne were stuttering but got into their groove on the half-hour mark. Matt Duffie returning from multiple surgeries tailed Cooper Cronk in space and reaped the rewards to make it 8-6 going into the break.

The machine whirred into gear right after the break - using the numbers and LeagueUnlimited Man of the Match, Cameron Munster to find fan-favourite winger Marika Koroibete to regain the lead.

Following that, it was an onslaught, Munster shot himself out of a cannon, to breach the Titans line. Melbourne were breaking the line with regularity but it was a regulation Storm play that pushed the lead to twelve. Cooper Cronk pin-pointed a kick onto the hands of Duffie for a double.

Titans continued to compete, almost pulling a try back when David Mead was held back by Koroibete but it was judged to be just a drop out. Their endeavour brought it's reward in the 65th minute in a fortuitous manner when a spilled kick was pounced upon by Josh Hoffman, to briefly give the visitors a sniff.

Melbourne weren't allowing them to fill their nostrils though, with Munster crossing twice from similar plays just backing up and using his speed to find the line. Will Chambers added the other with a forward's charge against a dispirited Titans defensive line for the justified 36-12 final scoreline.

Next week, Melbourne head to Cronulla for Monday night football while the Titans have an away trip to a Coast of a different kind - the Central Coast - when they face Canterbury on Sunday afternoon.

Match Details

Melbourne Storm 36 Gold Coast Titans 14
Venue: AAMI Park
Crowd: 10521
Halftime Score: Melbourne Storm 6 Gold Coast Titans 8

MELBOURNE STORM (36)
Tries: Matt Duffie (2), Marika Koroibete, Cameron Munster (3), Will Chambers
Conversions: Cameron Smith (4/7)

GOLD COAST TITANS (14)
Tries: Kane Elgey, Josh Hoffman
Conversions: Aidan Sezer (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Aidan Sezer (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Cameron Munster
2 points - Matt Duffie
1 point - Cameron Smith

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Melbourne for the first of two games this afternoon - both predicted to be walkovers. Melbourne were chastened at Leichhardt Oval by the battling Wests Tigers while Gold Coast picked up their seventh win of the season against fellow strugglers Parramatta on Monday night. This shapes today's contest as vital for the Storm to solidify their place in the top eight.

TEAM CHANGES:

MEL: Two changes for Craig Bellamy - the St George bound, Kurt Mann comes back into the centres with Tohu Harris shifting into the pack. Kenneath Bromwich joins a bench that reads Hinchcliffe, Welch and Asofa-Solomona.

GLD: Raise the bats Titans! David Hala is the 100th player to pull on the expansion club's jersey since 2007 due to a flu-riddled Eddy Pettyborne. Daniel Mortimer is preferred to Beau Falloon with Matt White also replacing captain Nate Myles.

Earlier in the National Youth Competition, Melbourne recovered to post a stunning 39-30 victory over the Gold Coast.

1: Here come the Titans onto the field here at AAMI Park. Gaz gives the Storm banner crew a wrap before the Storm resplendent in their indigenious jersey run through said jersey They take their mark to receive the kick-off.

1: KICK-OFF!

3: Kane Elgey with some smart play on last almost sent David Mead in but the pass was forward.

6: Six more for the Titans, who have been adventurous to start the game.

8: PENALTY Titans! Smart from Mortimer, he saw the markers offside and went right at them.

9: SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL GOLD COAST TITANS
Penalty goal attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
They opted for two, and Sezer slams it through.

11: PENALTY Storm! Sezer was caught in the play-the-ball, Can Melbourne respond after the Titans early adventure.

12: Nice play for Jesse Bromwich to slice through but FORWARD.

14: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Matt White makes an unforced error.
Oh dear, Matt White tried to play it quick and spilled it.

14: PENALTY Storm! Luke Doulgas clipped Jesse Bromwich high

15: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Kevin Proctor makes an unforced error.
Great last ditch defense from the Titans to prevent Proctor scoring.

18: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Kane Elgey. Kick to come.
Lovely work from Mortimer to support in the middle, busted them up the middle and found Elgey to run away!

19: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION GOLD COAST TITANS
Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
Sezer puts it through for an eight-point lead.

21: PENALTY Storm! Inside the ten were the Titans.

22: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
James Roberts makes an unforced error.
James Roberts with a vital knock on, to prevent a sweeping Storm movement.

22: VIDEO REFEREE: Duffy might be over, we're checking though.

22: RED LIGHTS..NO TRY! Duffie just brushed his hand on the chalk.

22: Now that bombed try is backed up with a conceded PENALTY. Titans work it out.

24: Nice stabbed kick from Mortimer earns a repeat set.

25: Well then.. Storm kicked it short and regathered!

26: Heady play from Kalifa Fai Fai Loa there. He dragged a toe out to make Cronk's kick out on the full.

29: PENALTY Titans! Hand on the ball. They are really turning these Storm forwards around.

30: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
David Mead makes an unforced error.
Tough pass to take for Mead, right at his ankles.

33: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Matt Duffie. Kick to come.
Duffie gets this one! Cronk made the break, found Duffie who collided with the post but got it down.

34: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Right in front, and Smith converts it.

37: PENALTY Storm! Tide is turning here.

38: VIDEO REFEREE: Going up to see what happened after Dave Taylor knocked on.

38: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Dave Taylor makes an unforced error.
It was knocked on. Scrum ten out for the Storm.

39: Munster was through the line, could sniff the line himself but flicked it forward to Koroibete.

40: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Cameron Munster makes an unforced error.
Munster makes a meal of a simple catch. HALFTIME.

40: KICK-OFF!

43: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
David Mead makes an unforced error.
Mead knocks on to give Storm six more and it leads to..

44: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Marika Koroibete. Kick to come.
They had the numbers left and Mann found Koroibete to dive over.

44: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Tougher assignment for Smith for his second one. Just inside the touch-line, walks in and slashes it wide.

44: Greg Bird might have to go to England! He spun that ball better than Nathan Lyon to fool Chambers,

46: PENALTY Titans! Advantage was played.. tapped.

47: FORWARD! Big reprieve for the Storm as Taylor arrived too early for Moseley's pass.

48: It's a forward pass-a-thon! Hinchcliffe floats a pass forward.

51: PENALTY Storm! That whistle gets a huge cheer from the faithful.

52: VIDEO REFEREE: We're checking something?.. oh everyone's favourite, obstruction.

52: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Cameron Munster. Kick to come.
Munster was shot out of a cannon there, finding the line and extending the lead.

52: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith makes his second of the afternoon.

54: Once again Gold Coast get a result from the kick-off. Cronk didn't get his foot down when receiving the kick so Titans ball.

54: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Greg Bird makes an unforced error.
Titans try to get back to their positive style from the opening twenty but produce some drops.

55: PENALTY Storm! Rubbish on the ground gets Storm closer.

58: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Matt Duffie. Kick to come.
What a mark! Matt Duffie turns back the clock to his rookie year with a lovely catch and put-down.

59: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith converts to push it out to 14.

60: Third time's a charm! Titans have bowled them again. Cronk was nutmegged there.

62: Eagle-eyed spot from the referees to see the dropout no one else did.

62: VIDEO REFEREE: Checking if Koroibete held back Mead..

62: Obviously NO TRY. They didn't call it a PENALTY, so it's only a dropout.

64: PENALTY Titans! Crusher from Glasby. ON REPORT too.

65: VIDEO REFEREE: Titans claiming one.. checking the contest.

65: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Josh Hoffman. Kick to come.
GREEN LIGHTS..TRY! It was unconventional but it is all worth the same. Koroibete dropped the bomb and in the ensuing scramble, Hoffman planted it down.

66: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION GOLD COAST TITANS
Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
Sezer makes it eight the difference.

69: Wobbly, wobbly kick from Smith but it got the desired result. dropout incoming.

70: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Will Chambers. Kick to come.
Crashing run from Chambers and he plants it down backwards!

72: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Smith misses. Still twelve the difference.

74: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Cameron Munster. Kick to come.
Simple in the end, Cronk once again, busted through and found the fullback to make it a double!

74: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith this time slots it.

78: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Nene Macdonald makes an unforced error.
Quick hands, only went quickly to the ground.

79: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Cameron Munster. Kick to come.
Hat-trick to Munster! He took the dart on last and sliced through.

80: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Smith misses again.

80: SHort kick-off doesn't go the ten. PENALTY.