Storm smash Eels to boost Top 4 hopes

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Melbourne Storm v Parramatta Eels

Melbourne has responded to last week's shock loss to the Knights by trouncing Parramatta by 46-16 at Marvel Stadium tonight.
Harry Grant and Jahrome Hughes were the stars for the home side with the Australian hooker scoring a double, while Kiwi half Hughes scored one, with both playing a pivotal role in the majority of the Storm's eight tries.

It was a disappointing loss for last year's runners up, who have now lost four of their past five matches and are in real danger of missing out on this year's finals series unless they can turn things around dramatically with five games remaining in the regular season.

It was a fast start by the visitors, with winger Sean Russell scoring an incredible try to start the game, diving for the corner after some quick hands from his skipper Clint Gutherson off a beautifully executed scrum play. 

Melbourne hit back minutes later when Harry Grant caught the markers napping close to the line and snuck over to score a clever try out of dummy half. Nick Meaney converted to give the home side a 6-4 lead.

Harry Grant then scored his second try, when the crafty number nine ran a strong line off Jahrome Hughes close to the line. Meaney again converted and it was 12-4.

Grant continued to be a menace when he again snuck out of dummy half, this time firing a pass to Hughes who raced away to score under the posts to extend the lead by 14 following Meaney's successful conversion.

Parramatta desperately needed to hit back or risk the game slip away and they did so through J'maine Hopgood who crashed over off a deft pass at the line from Ryan Matterson close to the line. However just as Parramatta tried to claw back momentum, five eighth Daejarn Asi was penalised for an escort from a kick. The penalty proved critical, as it led to Storm backrower Eliesa Katoa crashing over off a neat pass from Hughes to give the home side a 24-10 lead at halftime.

The Grant and Hughes show resumed regular transmission following halftime, when they combined for lock forward Josh King to score under the posts and extend their lead to 30-10. The dominance continued from the home side, when Hughes again sliced through, and off the back of his linebreak he doubled down by finding Marion Seve off the next play to give the Storm a commanding 36-10 lead.

Parramatta finally hit back through rookie prop Luca Moretti who crashed over for his first NRL try and give his side a glimmer of hope of mounting a comeback. That comeback was quickly extinguished with ten minutes to go however, when Cameron Munster waltzed through six Eels defenders to score a brilliant individual try to put the icing on the cake for the home side.

Rookie Kiwi winger Will Warbrick dived over late to blow the scoreline out to a convincing 46-10 win in front of their home fans.

Parramatta will return home to CommBank Stadium next Sunday with their finals hopes on the line when they host the Dragons. Melbourne meanwhile travel to BlueBet Stadium for an absolute blockbuster against the defending premiers Penrith on Friday night.