Papenhuyzen masterclass

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Melbourne Storm v Warriors

Ryan Papenhuyzen was simply untouchable as he helped steer the Storm to just the 10th score of 70+ by a team since 1908, Melbourne winning 70-10 over the Warriors at AAMI Park on ANZAC Day.

The first half of the game was largely even, but was typified by the Storm taking advantage of the Warriors mistakes. The Storm were by no means perfect, getting penalized repeatedly for high tackles, all of which were sloppy and lazy. The second half though was a nightmare for the Warriors.

The Storm opened the scoring in the eighth minute when Edward Kosi dropped a ball with the open tryline in front of him. Ryan Papenhuyzen sweeping across in defence, picked up the loose ball 8 metres from his own line, ran up the wing, passed inside to Jahrome Hughes who raced 70 metres to score untouched. Papenhuyzen's sideline conversion hit the upright and was waved away.

Six minutes later the Warriors hit back with a tidy short-side play where Chanel Harris-Tavita threw a stunning long ball to Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and he runs down the narrow corridor to dive over in the corner. Reece Walsh failed to convert from the sideline.

In the 23rd minute, Hughes piled more misery onto Kosi, when he put in a grubber which the Warriors winger fumbled. Xavier Coates was on the spot to ground the ball for a gift four-pointer.

Just 4 minutes later and Nick Meaney raced away to give the Storm a two-try lead. Papenhuyzen converted to make the margin 10 points.

Shaun Johnson produced some magic in the next Warriors set when he chipped early in the set. The ball bounced horribly for Papenhuyzen but perfectly for Wayde Egan who cleaned up the loose ball and dived over near the posts. Walsh converted.

Papenhuyzen landed a penalty goal right on half time to give the Storm a 16-10 lead.

The second half started with a Papenhuyzen penalty goal after just a minute.

In the 46th minute, Melbourne's attack was doing nothing on the last when the ball ended up in Nelson Asofa-Solomona's hands. He casually put up a kick that Papenhuyzen caught brilliantly above his head to score. Papenhuyzen converted, but only after Watene-Zelezniak was stretchered off after a freak accident in back play saw him fall into Asofa-Solomona's leg.

The Warriors restart went dead in-goal and from the penalty on halfway, the Storm went on the attack. Cameron Munster dummied inside and then floated a long ball over the edge defenders who rushed up, where he found Meaney perfectly who scored in the left corner. Papenhuyzen converted.

Another Kosi dropped ball gave the Storm a fresh set which they promptly turned into points three minutes after their last try. Papenhuyzen ran himself, fought his way out of a tackle, slipped, but kept on his feet enough to reach out and dunk the ball over the line for a try. Harry Grant failed to convert the try while Papenhuyzen tended to some soreness in his leg.

The points kept coming for the Storm in the 59th minute when Harry Grant barged over from dummy half to score. Papenhuyzen converted. Two minutes later he broke through the Warriors right side defence, came to the fullback and grubbered to the wing where Coates followed the ball and waited for the right bounce before diving over to score in the corner. Papenhuyzen failed to convert from touch.

In the 67th minute Papenhuyzen produced a double pump before delivering a perfect long ball to the unmarked Coates, who strolled in to score untouched. Papenhuyzen converted from in front to bring up the 50 points.

The points continued to come in the 70th minute when Hughes kicked for the corner and turned Kosi around. Coates came flying down on the kick chase and miraculously planted the ball down before it rolled into touch. Munster failed to convert from touch.

In the 73rd minute Munster put Hughes into a gap, who then stepped to beat Walsh to score under the posts.  Meaney added the extras from in front.

The Storm crossed yet again in the 77th minute when Jesse Bromwich carried a hit up and a few Warriors defenders over the line to score. Meaney converted.

With just over a minute to go, Grant put Munster through a gap who then got a good ball to Justin Olam who set sail for the sideline, and despite being tackled, the defender slipped off, Olam crawled and slammed the ball down over for a try to bring up 70 points. Meaney failed to convert.