The Melbourne Storm have scored their first back to back wins of 2018 with a 34-20 win over the Brisbane Broncos in front of over 30,000 fans at Suncorp Stadium
An end to end start was what was on show to begin with at Suncorp Stadium. The Storm had the first attacking raid inside three minutes when Cameron Munster stripped the ball off Jamayne Isaako on the Broncos 10m line in a one on one tackle. The Broncos had the win of the early battle when Jamayne Isaako took a high Anthony Milford cross-field kick and found James Roberts who put the burners on and scored.
The Storm then took great delight in the Broncos tactic of a compressed defensive line by finding plenty of space but their first try came with a touch of controversy when Billy Slater put a kick into the ingoal and despite Slater admitting that he knocked it on and didn't score, a technicality in the rules gave the Storm their opening four pointer. The Storm then added another four pointer five minutes later when Josh Addo-Carr was given space on the outside of the Broncos defensive line compressed and JAC put boot to ball and found Billy Slater who had a second try within 15 minutes.
On the otherside of the field it was Vunivalu who managed to find plenty of space and yards and then when he put boot to ball he too found Billy Slater charging through to the inside but instead of Slater scoring the try had to wait a play and it all came off a beautiful long ball from Suliasi Vunivalu out to Josh Addo-Carr who crossed in the corner and after bunker referral the Storm were leading comfortably.
The Broncos fought back early on in the second half with back to back tries to start the second half scoring, the first came when the Broncos took advantage of the Storm's own defensive fragility when Josh Addo-Carr rushed up for no reason and Kodi Nikorima found Jamayne Isaako with a pinpoint ball for the Broncos winger to score. The margin then closed to within four points when Alex Glenn scored after a great set up from Tevita Pangai Junior.
The Storm managed to wrestle back the momentum when Cameron Munster turned on the special game when he kicked inside for JAC who scored his second of the night.
Anthony Milford managed to go from hero to zero in a matter of minutes when he turned on the brilliance to score a try of his own after grubbering the ball through for himself but undid all the damage when a lacklustre approach to a kick ingoal from Will Chambers saw Vunivalu pick up a try reaching for the ball whilst Milford dawdled hoping it went dead.
The Storm finished the game with a try to Will Chambers when the Storm yet again took advantage of compressed defence from the Broncos.
The Broncos have a trip to ANZ Stadium next Thursday night when they take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs whilst the Storm have a short turn around this week with their traditional ANZAC day game coming up against the Warriors on Wednesday.