Melbourne are hopeful Nelson Asofa-Solomona will avoid a ban and be free to play in the NRL grand final, after the Storm surged into the decider with a 48-18 win over the Sydney Roosters.
In a dominant preliminary-final performance, Ryan Papenhuyzen and Jahrome Hughes blew the Roosters off AAMI Park on Friday night to book the Storm’s first appearance in a decider since 2020.
After they led 22-6 at the break, minor premiers Melbourne were forced to withstand a brief Roosters comeback early in the second half before winning well.
Hughes scored a hat-trick of tries and Papenhuyzen a double as the Storm ended the NRL careers of departing Roosters favourites Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Luke Keary.
But it wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Storm, who will face the winner of Saturday night’s preliminary final between Penrith and Cronulla.
Giant prop Asofa-Solomona found himself in immediate hot water when he knocked Lindsay Collins out with a high shot when making the first tackle of the match.
He was sin-binned and placed on report, and will find out on Saturday morning if he if he faces a ban.
Anything more than a grade-one charge would leave Asofa-Solomoa facing at least a three-match ban, and needing a win at the judiciary to play in the decider.
“You’d hate to see him miss a big game,” Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy said.
“I didn’t think it was a sin bin. Penalty I thought it was fair enough, but that’s just me.
“I’ve seen it live and seen one replay, and that was my impression … I didn’t think there was a whole lot in it.”
Collins was clearly dazed by the hit, and got up to play the ball facing the wrong way before being taken from the field and not returning.
“He’s ok,” Roosters coach Trent Robinson said.
“The fuse got lit early in the week with (Victor Radley’s) comments and how the game started last week, so we knew it was going to be on. Which is fine.
“It’s tough when you see one of your important players you rely on not be able to play. His first hit up and he’s gone for the game.
“He’s a very good player who wasn’t able to take any part in the game, so obviously that has an impact.”
Melbourne utility Tyran Wishart was also placed on report in the second half for a crusher tackle.
Nick Meaney was also benched early with a knee complaint, while Harry Grant (calf) and Hughes (neck) also had minor concerns.
If the Storm are anywhere near full strength, they appear hard to beat.
They won the middle against the Roosters, were fast in their ruck speed and found a great roll on in attack.
Papenhuyzen was superb in what was easily his best game in a number of injury-plagued seasons.
After the Roosters scored first through Daniel Tupou, he helped Melbourne draw level when he got between Keary and Angus Crichton to score.
The fullback had his hands all over the Storm’s next try when he got outside of the defence and turned a ball back inside for Meaney, before Hughes loomed up in support to score.
Another first-half try came when Papenhuyzen beat the Roosters defence for speed off a 20-metre tap, and put centre Jack Howarth over at the other end of the field.
And when Hughes took defender Angus Crichton over the line to score just before halftime, it was 22-6 at the break.
The Roosters briefly got the game back to 24-18 early in the second half, and missed a chance to go level when Joey Manu spilled a ball short of the line.
But again it was Hughes and Papenhuyzen who took the game away.
Any hope of a Roosters comeback was snuffed when a Hughes bomb was allowed to bounce, and the halfback stepped his way over on the next play.
Storm forward Alec MacDonald appeared to knock the ball on into an offside teammate after the kick.
But there was no doubt about Melbourne’s next, when skipper Harry Grant got out of dummy-half and turned a ball back inside for Papenhuyzen to score.
The result closes the door on one of the Roosters’ great chapters, with Waerea-Hargreaves to exit the club for Hull KR as the Tri-colours’ most-capped player.
Keary is also bound for England, while Joey Manu and Joseph Aukuso-Suaalii will leave for rugby union but could one day return.
