Storm account easily for sorry Dragons

The Melbourne Storm's decision to take a game across the ditch to Napier proved a good decision as they ran out 22-4 winners over a poor Dragons outfit on Saturday night. Melbourne scored four tries to one as they dominated the majority of the match and they never let the Dragons find their footing and a way into the game.

The Storm were the first on the board after 27 minutes through Nelson Asofa-Solomona who barged his way over from close range. Only minutes before, the Dragons had a try disallowed due to Benji Marshall's final pass to Jason Nightingale being judged to have gone forward after the two Kiwis combined. If that try had stood it, could've been a totally different outcome.

It wasn't Benji's best night - shortly after he then threw a long high ball to the wing meant for his winger, but the ball was intercepted by Tohu Harris who gave it away to Marika Koroibete who ran 70 metres to score, giving the Storm a 12-0 lead at the break.

The Storm picked up where they left off at the resumption of play, with Kevin Proctor scoring next to the posts in the 55th minute much in the same fashion Asofa-Solomona did in the first half. Seven minutes later, Cronk kicked to the wing and Harris kept the ball in field and Mahe Fonua scored in the corner to increase their lead to 22-0.

Peter Mata'utia scored a consolation try for the Dragons in the 78th minute as he skipped back on the inside to beat the defence and get the Dragons on the board, and that try was their only points of the game with Widdop unable to convert from out wide.

The Storm go two straight wins now, and look in good shape in their run home to the finals. It's the complete opposite for the Dragons who have now lost seven straight games and are in danger of dropping out of the top eight race, and missing the finals if they don't improve their form.

There will be one concern going forward for the Storm - midway through the second forty Dragons fullback Josh Dugan accused Jesse Bromwich of a bite in a tackle. The incident wasn't seen by the officials and as such was put on report for Match Review on Monday.

Next week Melbourne have a Friday night date with the last-placed Wests Tigers at Leichhardt, while the Dragons head home to Kogarah to host Newcastle on Sunday afternoon.

Match Details

Melbourne Storm 22 St. George Illawarra Dragons 4
Venue: McLean Park
Crowd: 14532
Halftime Score: Melbourne Storm 12 St. George Illawarra Dragons 0

MELBOURNE STORM (22)
Tries: Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Marika Koroibete, Kevin Proctor, Mahe Fonua
Conversions: Cameron Smith (3/4)

ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (4)
Tries: Peter Mata'utia
Conversions: Gareth Widdop (0/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Cooper Cronk
2 points - Cameron Munster
1 point - Cameron Smith

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Welcome to McLean Park, Napier where the Melbourne Storm face the St.George Illawarra Dragons. The Storm will look to build on their comfortable win over Penrith last week while the Dragons will want to break a losing streak. All to play for. Kick off shortly.

We are underway in Napier

1: Marshall goes to the air and Duffie does well to take it in his first game back in a while.

2: Cronk is forced to kick in his own 30m. Strong start for the Dragons

3: Marshall goes to the air with Nightingale taking it and giving it back to Benji. The Dragons throwing the footy around and Ah Mau is tackled on the last. Change over

4: Duffie bats back a high kick and the ball is knocked on by Widdop as he dived on the loose ball. Storm scrum on the 30m line

6: Bromwich throws an offload behind him and Mata'utia is the first one to it and the Dragons work it away from their own line

6: The kick is too deep with the ball bouncing end on end and going over the dead ball line. Penalty Storm now with Koroibete hit high

8: Cronk goes to the wing looking for Duffie and Hunt takes safely. Dragons penalty now and they can get out of their own end.

9: Widdop kicks to the corner and Munster does extremely well to stay in the field of play

10: Cronk kicks in his own 30m line again with Dugan taking it and bringing back at the chasing Storm defence

11: Marshall goes to the air again and Munster does well to take it. He's then hit high by Thompson and the Storm get a relieving penalty

13: Clever kick from Cronk with the ball sitting up in the in goal and Dugan chests the ball dead

13: UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM
Tim Glasby makes an unforced error.
Glasby loses the ball as he plays it

15: Dugan's chip to the corner looked good as it sat up in goal but it's lst bounce sees it go over the dead ball line

15: Duffie gets above the back to get the ball and Munster gets it and kicks in and grounds Widdop in goal. Drop out

17: Cronk's pass to Proctor is ruled forward. Chance missed for Melbourne.

19: Penalty Dragons with Nightingale held down. Dragons to start a set 40m out from the Storm line

19: Dugan now has stayed down after being tackled.

19: On replay, it seems as if Dugan's ankle has been caught under a Storm defender. That wouldn't tickle

19: Widdop grubbers in and Duffie smashes the ball dead. Drop out

21: Rein's pass to Widdop has been called forward. Still no score here in Napier after 20 minutes

21: Cronk spots a gap in the Dragons defence and gets through and grubbers for the corner meant for Duffie and Hunt gets there first and is forced back in goal. Drop out

22: Penalty Storm with Hinchcliffe held down

23: Koroibete goes close in the corner and next play Green tries to kick in behind and the ball rebounds off a Drsgons player who didn't play at it and it's a handover

24: Benji kicks to the corner for Nightingale and the ball bounces bac in field and the ball is knocked on. Chance missed for the visitors

25: Koroibete is forced to throw a pass infield as he almost went out into touch and Creagh comes up with it.

26: Marshall throws a long ball to Nightingale and he goes over but the ball is called forward. Storm penalty now and they will start a set on halfway

28: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Kick to come.
We have first points in this game with Asofa-Solomona forcing his way over from close range.

29: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith converts the try to give Mebourne a 6-0 lead

30: Penalty Dragons for a flop. Away side to start a set inside the Storm half

31: Marshall throws a short ball to Dugan on the last and he is tackled just short of the line

33: Green kicks behind the Dragons defence and Dugan watches it roll dead. 20m restart

34: Widdop kicks high to the wing and Koroibete takes it safely

35: Cronk gets a kick away after being hit late and the ball bounces into touch 5m out from the Dragons line

37: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Marika Koroibete. Kick to come.
Marshall throws a long, high pass which Harris intercepts and Koroibete gets it and runs 70m to score.

39: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith converts the Koroibete try and Melbourne lead 12-0

40: That's half time in Napier with the Storm leading 12-0 through Asofa-Solomona and Koroibete tries. Nightingale had a try disallowed through Marshall's pass being forward.

40: 2nd half is underway

41: Cronk goes for the early 40/20 attempt which is tapped back really well by Hunt and Dugan gets it and makes a half break. Great start to the half.

41: Asofa-Solomona has a ball bounce his way from a high Dragons kick

42: Hunt takes a kick and is then dragged back in goal by Duffie. Drop out

44: Proctor is tackled on the last as the Storm went to the short side. Hand over

44: Penalty Dragons with the Storm inside the 10

46: Marshall's kick is caught by Smith and he passes for Munster. Brilliant stuff from the Queensland and Kangaroos captain

46: Koroibete stays down after copping a hugh shot from Ah Mau

46: Dugan is held down and the Dragons have a penalty

49: L'Estrange knocks the ball on.

49: Penalty Dragons with Nightingale having the ball ripped from his possession

51: Nightingale taps back a kick and Harris has the ball. Ah Mau has now come up with the ball and the Dragons are on the attack

52: Stoppage in play with Green staying down as he went to tackle Dugan

52: Aitken forces a pass that wasn't on and Hunt knocks it on

53: Penalty Melbourne and they will go back on the attack starting a set 30m out from the Dragons line

54: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Kevin Proctor. Kick to come.
The Storm are in again with Proctor crashing over from close range via a Green short pass

55: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Smith goes to 3/3 and the Storm lead 18-0

58: What a bizarre passage of play with Cronk chipping for himself then kicks it off the ground for Duffie who passes back and the ball goes over the sideline

58: Penalty Dragons with a strip called

59: Mata'utia's ball out the back misses everyone and goes out into touch. Hasn't been the Dragons night

61: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Mahe Fonua. Kick to come.
A brilliant kick by Cronk is put back into the field of play and Fonua dives into the corner to score

62: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Smith slices his conversion well wide of the posts

64: Duffie spots a gap and goes through and Cronk gets it and then passes back inside which goes forward

65: Dragons get a scrum via a Storm knock on.

66: Dugan has gone himself through a good Dragons move but he's lost it just before he gets over the line. So close, yet so far away for the away team tonight.

68: Smith grubbers into the in goal and Munster grabs Dugan. Drop out

69: Duffie gets a cutout pass and tries to find the corner but Widdop drags him down into touch

69: Josh Dugan is put on report

70: Marshall goes to the sky and Koroibete takes it safely

71: Smith splits a gap and passes for Harris who gives to Munster and then his final ball for Fonua goes forward. Almost more points for Melbourne there. Dragons thankful

72: Dragons make a half break through Nightingale and Dugan is tackled 40m out

72: Cooper tries to force a pass and he knocks on. Storm ball. Still no points for the Dragons with only a few minutes remaining

74: Mata'utia throws a pass behind him meant for Nightingale but he can't get to it and the ball goes over the sideline

75: Harris loses the ball as he got a tough ball to the chest and it pops off his chest and goes to ground.

76: Penalty Dragons with Creagh stripped of the ball

78: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Peter Mata'utia. Kick to come.
The Dragons finally have points with Mata'utia throwing a dummy and cutting back on the inside and he reaches out to slam the ball down over the line

78: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop unsuccessful.
Widdop misses his attempt

80: That's full time in Napier with the Melbourne Storm coming out comfortable 22-4 winners over the Dragons