Perfect Storm arrives for Smith's 300th

The Melbourne Storm have snapped a four game losing streak with a resounding 52-10 victory over the Penrith Panthers in front of 11956 at Aami Park tonight.

Buoyed by the pre-game celebrations for skipper Cameron Smith who chalked up his 300th game of top grade footy, the Storm got off to a lightning start with three tries inside the opening twenty minutes.

The first came in the 6th minute when man of the moment Smith showed the vision he has throughout his career to chip into the backfield for his partner in crime, halfback Cooper Cronk to win the race to the bouncing ball and crash over. Smith added the extras to give his team an early six point lead.

For the second straight week, the Panthers ball control was abysmal in the opening exchanges and the Storm are a team that you don't want to invite into your end of the field easily. On the back of another error, Smith and Cronk were again quick to capitalize. Smith threw a beautiful ball out of dummy half hitting Cronk on the fly who in turn laid on a short ball for back-rower come centre, Tohu Harris to score in the 10th minute. Smith missed the conversion from out wide but his team held a 10-0 lead.

It wasn't long until man of the match Cronk was at it again, kicking a 40/20 under pressure before laying on another try to back-rower Kevin Proctor from the ensuing quick tap in the 16th minute, earning his team a 14-0 lead.

Storm winger Marika Koroibete was denied a try by the video referee minutes later but it wouldn't be long before the flying Fijian would cross the stripe. After hulking interchange forward Nelson Asofa-Solomona burst into the backfield, five-eight Blake Green got amongst the action with a well timed grubber setting up his winger in the 25th minute. Smith from the sideline faded his conversion attempt right to left and through the sticks in a shot the lads currently competing at the British Open would've been proud of.

Late in the half, it appeared Cronk was about to score a double after chasing a kick in behind the line from Green. Cronk was held back in the chase though and Panthers centre Isaah Yeo was given ten in the bin for his troubles. The mercurial number seven was in some mood tonight though and in the ensuing set of six, stepped off his right foot twice to get the try he was denied. Smith converted to give his team an eventual 26-0 halftime lead.

It didn't take long for the home time to pick up where they left off in the second stanza with a length of the field effort from Koroibete in the 44th minute. After fielding a cross-field kick from Panthers captain Peter Wallace, the Fijian turned on the after burners to skip clear down the left hand touchline and give his side a commanding 32-0 lead.

After a try to Blake Green in the 52nd minute in which he showed some good speed of his own, the visitors finally got on the board with tries to Waqa Blake in the 59th and Tyrone Peachey in the 64th minutes.

That was as good as it got for the Panthers though, with the Storm scoring three tries in the final ten minutes, the last of which was set up with the vision of 300 gamer Smith to chip over the top for winger Richard Kennar to score.

Next week, the Storm take a home game to Napier in New Zealand on Saturday evening, where they'll be looking to continue their form resurgence against the St George Illawarra Dragons.

The Panthers season may well have capitulated tonight, but they'll be clinging onto hope and face a must win game against the Canberra Raiders at Pepper Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

Match Details

Melbourne Storm 52 Penrith Panthers 10
Venue: AAMI Park
Crowd: 11956
Halftime Score: Melbourne Storm 26 Penrith Panthers 0

MELBOURNE STORM (52)
Tries: Cooper Cronk (2), Tohu Harris, Kevin Proctor (2), Marika Koroibete (2), Blake Green, Mahe Fonua, Richard Kennar
Conversions: Cameron Smith (6/10)

PENRITH PANTHERS (10)
Tries: Waqa Blake, Tyrone Peachey
Conversions: Jamie Soward (1/2)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Cooper Cronk
2 points - Kevin Proctor
1 point - Marika Koroibete

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to Aami Park for this crucial Round 19 match-up between the Melbourne Storm and Penrith Panthers. The two points will be of the highest priority for both teams, the Storm could get back into the top 4 with a win, but a loss could see them slide out of the 8. The Panthers sitting 2 points out of the 8 are getting to the stage of having to win to stay in finals contention. Storm captain Cameron Smith will notch up his 300th top grade appearance tonight, adding extra incentive for the home team.

LATE MAIL STORM - Kenny Bromwich has been named to play in the centres in place of Hymel Hunt. Ryan Hinchcliffe trades places with Dale Finucane to join the run on team. Mahe Fonua and Christian Welch have been added to the bench with Felise Kaufusi missing out.

LATE MAIL PANTHERS - Dallin Watene-Zelezniak is out, replaced by Will Smith at fullback. Robert Jennings replaces David Simmons on the wing. Dynamo hooker James Segeyaro returns from injury pushing Api Koroisau to the pine. Lewis Brown joins the run on side in place of Sika Manu in the second-row who misses out altogether tonight.

1: We're underway at Aami Park and Melb get 1st use of the steeden

2: Green kicks down field on the last & Smith takes it on route to the 20m

3: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Bryce Cartwright makes an unforced error.
An early error with a sloppy play the ball. Not the way Penrith wanted to start this one after their error riddled opening last week

4: Green earns a repeat set with a well timed grubber forcing Smith to bat it dead

6: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Cooper Cronk. Kick to come.
Vintage Melbourne. The captain chips over the top with the fullback out of position and Cronk was there to touchdown

7: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smiths adds the extras from close range

8: Smiths kicks deep from dummy half & Smith catches & brings it back over his 10m

8: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Bryce Cartwright makes an unforced error.
Cartwright again coughs it up

11: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Tohu Harris. Kick to come.
The Storm is roaring. Smith & Cronk were again prominent with a long ball out of dummy half hitting Cronk on the fly who threw a well time ball of his own

11: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
A bad strike with that going way left

13: Smith again with work to do bringing it back to his 20m

14: Ivan Cleary can get back on his chair with his team finally completed their 1st set

14: Cronk boots it high down town & Blake brings it back to his 10m

15: Soward rakes a kick back across his body but Munster does well to take it on the fly & bring it back over his 20

16: 40/20 MELBOURNE STORM
Cooper Cronk kicks a 40/20.
Cooper nails it under pressure

16: VIDEO REF possible Melb try...

16: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Kevin Proctor. Kick to come.
Cronk takes the ball right to the line against a retreating defence before hitting Proctor with the short ball to barge over

16: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Smiths hooks that one to the left

18: Repeat set Storm, Fijian flyer Koroibete cut loose down the left & found Cronk inside who grubbered through

18: VIDEO REF possible Melb try...

18: NO TRY - Koroibete with a spectacular diving effort in the corner loses control at the last second

18: Penalty Penrith after the ball was stripped from the grasp of Blake

21: Smith grubbers in goal on the last but Munster gets it back in play with a great run

22: Green kicks deep & Smith brings it to his 20

23: Penalty against J.Bromwich for holding down too long, Penrith ball on their 40

24: Proctor comes up with it after an inside ball from Soward didnt quite come off. & a penalty now to the Storm

26: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Marika Koroibete. Kick to come.
The Fijian flyer dives on a well timed grubber from Blake Green. Interchange forward Asofa-Solomona was pominent in the lead up with a line-break on the previous play

27: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
From the left hand touch line... Smith fades it right to left to get the extras

28: VIDEO REF possible Melb try...

28: NO TRY After Finucane made the initial line-break, Smith grubbers through but Koroibete was ruled to have pushed his opponent in the back before scoring

29: Lewis Brown tries a chip over the top but Kennar took it no worries on his 20

29: Whare jams in on Munster with a solid hit

31: Penrith under pressure & looking for miracle balls end up throwing a loose one for Chambers to claim it for Melb

31: Penalty Melb, quick tap & Melb are on the charge

32: Rob Jennings knocks the ball down to save a try, Melb will get a scrum 10 out though

33: Penalty Melb,...

34: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Nelson Asofa-Solomona makes an unforced error.
Nelson looking for the quick play the ball doesn't get a touch on it

35: Wallace kicks deep but Munster claims it on the field with some good positional play at the back

36: 6 more Malb after Penrith knocked it down again,

36: SIN BIN
Isaah Yeo is sent to the sin bin.
Yeo held back Cronk who was chasing a chip from Green

36: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Cooper Cronk. Kick to come.
Super Cooper steps off his right foot twice to score his double

37: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smiths adds the two from next to the posts

40: Repeat set after Chambers grubbers ahead & Will Smith is driven back in-goal...The siren sounds though & the drop out wont eventuate

40: HALFTIME In Melbourne and the Storm have turned in a vintage first half performance. Sharp..Precise...clinical Rugby League with Cooper Cronk leading the way. The Panthers have again been hamstrung by some poor errors and will need nothing short of a miracle to turn this one around. Stay tuned though, when Melbourne are in this sort of a mood it's always entertaining.

41: Back in action & Latimore brings it back for Penrith

42: Wallace hooks a high kick across field & Kennar takes it on his own 10m

43: Cronk torpedoes one down field for Smith to take on his 20m

45: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Marika Koroibete. Kick to come.
Marika goes the length after fielding a cross field kick inside his 10 & racing down the left touch line

46: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith strikes this one sweetly to add the extras

47: Penrith has forced Asofa-Solomona back in goal from the kick off, line drop out

48: Penalty Penrith, another set coming up

49: Munster on the fly scoops up a kick from Jennings

50: Cronk finds touch with a stabbing kick inside the Panthers 20m

52: Soward bombs on the last but Munster is safe at the back

53: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Blake Green. Kick to come.
Fresh on the paddock, Christian Welch threw a short ball for Green to burst through & stand up Smith for pace to score in the corner

54: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
From the left touch line...Smith hits the left upright

55: Penalty Melb, Panthers kick it dead from the kickoff

56: Chambers tried the Gidley flick pass but the ball finds the sideline instead of his winger

57: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
Peter Wallace makes an unforced error.
Wallace can't bring in a woeful pass from his dummy half. Melb scrum on Panthers 40m

58: Cronk hits Harris with a ball on the last but Panthers defence holds out this time

59: Penalty Panthers after Melb strip the ball out

59: VIDEO REF possible Panthers try...

59: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Waqa Blake. Kick to come.
Blake scores the first of the night for Penrith after catching a pass from Yeo before diving over in the corner & placing it down one handed

59: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward unsuccessful.
Soward misses just to the left

60: Soward kicks down the park for Munster to bring it over his 20m

63: Peachey strips the ball from Hinchcliffe in a one on one tackle. Penrith ball on their own 20

64: TRY PENRITH PANTHERS
Scored by Tyrone Peachey. Kick to come.
After his 1 on 1 strip gave his side possession, Peachey backed up a break from Will Smith to score next to the stick

64: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION PENRITH PANTHERS
Conversion attempt by Jamie Soward successful.
Soward converts from close range

65: UNFORCED ERROR PENRITH PANTHERS
James Segeyaro makes an unforced error.
Segeyaro loses control whilst going to ground

67: Harris is caught with the ball on the last tackle again, handover for Penrith on their 10m

68: Wallace chips ahead but Cronk comes up with the bouncing ball on his own 40m

70: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Mahe Fonua. Kick to come.
Melbourne keep the ball alive with numerous offloads before Green finds the fresh legs of Fonua to cross out wide

72: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
From out wide.. Smith sails it throught the uprights

73: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Kevin Proctor. Kick to come.
Proctor crashes over for his double after propping off his right foot and carrying defenders over the line out wide

75: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith has no trouble adding the extras

76: Munster chips out of dummy half down the short side but W.Smith cleans it up

78: Segeyaro spills the ball in support after a Panthers break & Koroibete scoops it up to run 20

78: Munster kicks behind the line but the ball rolls into touch 15m out from Panthers line

80: Peachey grubbers on the last but Munster attacks the ball hard to bring it back over his 20

80: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Richard Kennar. Kick to come.
Well, he wont score one tonight, but he finishes the night how he started it, with a chip over the top for Kennar to score in the corner

81: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
From the right sideline, he misses to the left just

81: FULLTIME & Melbourne have gone on with the job in the second half with some more champagne Rugby League. Thanks for joining us tonight folks & stay tuned for our match report coming soon