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Warriors 12 Storm 24
FULLTIME
Into the last minute. The Storm are happy to just run the clock down.
Grant kicks into touch on the last, and that's that.
Too strong for the Storm in the second half.
80 mins
Hughes kicks over the top for Eisenhuth, but he loses the ball.
The Warriors restart on their own line. They go wide to Watene-Zelezniak, who kicks through for Walsh, but Munster gets there first.
78 mins
The Storm are close. Hughes runs at the line on the last, but he's tackled to give possession back to the Warriors.
The Warriors get to halfway, and win a set restart for their troubles.
They go wide as Johnson throws a cutout pass to Watene-Zelezniak. The timing isn't there, as Watene-Zelezniak is forced to kick, as the bounce of the ball beats him to the corner.
74 mins
The Storm kick on the last, and it the ball hits Pompey's head before going into touch.
That'll be a Storm restart then. Grant runs from dummy half, as Kaufusi goes wide to Anderson on the fifth. The Warriors defend though, and win the handover.
70 mins - PENALTY STORM
Walsh kicks on the last, and Munster has no issue. He's playing fullback with Meaney out.
The Storm go forward, before Aitken takes Munster out off the ball. Penalty to the Storm.
It looks like the Storm want the points here. Munster will take it, right in front.
And he's got it.
WAR 12 STO 24
68 mins
Kamikamica is staying down after a tackle, it looks like Lussick's shoulder hit his head in the tackle.
He's ready to resume though, and the Storm restart. Munster nearly gets through on the fourth, before Hughes kicks on the last.
Kosi gets up and plucks it out of the sky though.
67 mins
The Warriors run the ball into the Storm's half, and go wide on the fifth. Johnson kicks for Watene-Zelezniak with a banana kick, but the bounce beats the winger and dribbles into touch.
65 mins - TRY WARRIORS
The Warriors restart, and straight away Johnson goes wide to Kosi - and he scores in the corner for his hat-trick!
Great redemption for Kosi, who struggled in the Warriors' 70-10 Anzac Day hiding.
Walsh takes the kick instead of Johnson, but he misses too.
WAR 12 STO 22
64 mins
The Storm move the ball as Kaufusi takes it to halfway. They go right as Hughes and Kaufusi keep the ball alive.
Grant kicks on the last, but straight to Walsh who can counter! Walsh is tackled, as the Warriors build.
They get to halfway, before Johnson kicks on the last.
The ball goes up, and Munster gets under it, but drops the ball in Pompey's challenge.
The Storm use their captain's challenge, but Munster's clearly knocked this on.
Challenge unsuccessful. Warriors' scrum.
62 mins
We're hearing that Harris-Tavita has done his MCL. Worst case scenario, that could be the end of his season.
Meaney has stayed down after the clash with Watene-Zelezniak, and looks to be in some discomfort with his shoulder. He's taken from the field.
Hughes finds touch to restart.
61 mins
Penalty against the Storm, high tackle from Kamikamica.
The Warriors restart on their own 30. Fonua-Blake takes it over halfway on the third. Egan takes it to the 30 on the fourth.
Johnson chips over the top on the last, and there's a scramble! The ball's loose and Lussick gets there to ground the ball.
The referee calls a penalty though, against Watene-Zelezniak for tackling Meaney in the air.
The Warriors call for a captain's challenge though. Watene-Zelezniak is called for a dangerous tackle, so the penalty stands.
Watene-Zelezniak is placed on report.
60 mins
Lussick has passed his HIA. Walsh kicks off again.
Grant attempts a 40-20, and he's got it! Or has he? Nope, he's called for being outside the 40, but replays show he was in.
Unlucky.
57 mins - PENALTY STORM
Johnson takes too long to get the dropout away, and the Warriors give away a penalty in front.
Do the Storm want the points? It looks like they do.
Meaney lines it up, and belts it down the middle.
WAR 8 STO 22
56 mins
The Storm restart, and Kaufusi gets the ball to Anderson on the wing again.
This time Anderson is tackled, but Munster kicks on the last.
Pompey gets there to ground in-goal and force a dropout.
Shades of a forward pass from Kaufusi, but not looked at.
55 mins - TRY STORM
Munster runs off the back of the scrum, and goes again from dummy half on the second.
The Storm go wide, as Kaufusi puts Anderson away on the right. Anderson kicks back infield, where the ball's bounce leads to chaos.
Meaney looks to ground it as Johnson looks to kick it away. We'll need replays to see who got their first. No try is the on-field call.
And Meaney's got there first, and that'll be a try. Great kick from Anderson.
Meaney to convert his own try.
But he hits the post from in front.
WAR 8 STO 20
53 mins
Third set in a row, for the Warriors.
Katoa gets inside the 20 on the third, but Aitken knocks on trying to wrap Walsh.
Hughes knocks on in response. Storm scrum.
51 mins
Munster takes the dropout, as Egan takes it on halfway.
The Warriors go forward, as Aitken takes the ball past the 20 on the third. Johnson goes to the left for Pompey, before going back infield to Egan on the fifth.
Johnson kicks on the last, Ieremia wins it, but he's tackled in goal by Tevaga! Another great kick from Johnson.
Warriors dropout again.
50 mins
Warriors restart as Afoa takes the first tackle. Aitken takes the second before Tevaga takes it to the line.
Johnson kicks on the fourth, and catches Meaney off guard, before he scrambles to put it dead.
Dropout for the Warriors.
49 mins
Afoa runs into the Storm half on the third, as Pompey takes the fourth tackle of the set.
Harris and Egan go wide to Walsh, who offloads back to Egan on the fifth. Johnson kicks on the last.
The ball is contested by Watene-Zelezniak, and kept alive on the Warriors side. Johnson has another go and kicks again, as it bounces off Ieremia into touch.
Great play from Johnson.
47 mins
The Storm go wide to their right as Meaney and Hughes combine to put Anderson away on the wing.
He's tackled and keeps it in play. Hughes kicks on the last, but Curran watches it roll dead.
46 mins
The Storm carry over halfway, as Hughes kicks on the last.
Walsh claims it and the Warriors can attack. Watene-Zelezniak takes the second, and Pompey takes the third.
Harris goes up the middle on the fourth, and Afoa goes on the fifth.
Walsh kicks on the last, but Meaney takes it cleanly.
44 mins
The Warriors haven't had the ball in the second half yet, as Walsh kicks off again.
Kaufusi bumps off Lussick, and he's staying down. He led with his head in the tackle, and copped a shot there.
Lussick will have to go for an HIA, but that's down to poor tackle technique.
But now the Warriors are without a dummy half.
43 mins - TRY STORM
Harris-Tavita has been ruled out of the rest of the game. No word as to why yet.
The Storm run from inside their own half, as Hughes wins a set restart.
King is smashed by Walsh and Curran! Grant runs from dummy half, and gets to the 10, before Munster has a run.
Eisenhuth nearly breaks the line, but is tackled on the tryline. The Storm move the ball to their right, and Hughes slips right through to score the first of the second! Too easy for Melbourne.
Meaney to convert, and does.
WAR 8 STO 16
41 mins
The Storm are back out for the second half. No sign of the Warriors just yet.
Harris leads the team out of the tunnel, and there's pyrotechnics. Here's hoping for some of that in the second half!
Walsh kicks off to restart.
HALFTIME
The Storm attack to end the first half. Hughes and Munster combine as the Storm go to their left. Kenny Bromwich is tackled, so they go right.
Hughes kicks, and Ieremia keeps the ball alive, but Walsh gets there to win possession as the siren goes.
Good first half.
40 mins
Munster doesn't risk it this time, and kicks deep to Afoa, who takes the first hit up.
But Katoa's dropped it! Chance wasted for the Warriors.
Storm scrum, the first half almost up.
39 mins
Hughes kicks on the Storm's last, and Curran ends up with the ball, just shy of halfway.
Johnson runs on the fourth, before the Warriors go wide on the fifth. Montoya nearly slips through, but he's tackled.
Johnson kicks on the last for Lussick and Pompey to chase, and Ieremia is forced to bat it dead.
Another dropout.
37 mins
Storm kick-off, and Afoa takes the first tackle. Harris runs to the 40 on the fourth, as Afoa takes it over halfway on the fifth.
Walsh kicks on the last, and goes high to Meaney, who takes it before being swamped by Egan and Aitken as the Storm begin their set.
36 mins - TRY WARRIORS
Oh my. Munster's kick doesn't even go 10 metres. The ball bounces back in-goal, so the Warriors get a penalty on the Storm's 10.
They go wide to Kosi first, and he goes close on the left wing. Katoa takes the second tackle, and the Warriors go right.
Curran nearly breaks, but he's tackled. Egan throws a brilliant pass out to Kosi's wing - and he's scored again!
Johnson can level it up with the kick - just in from the left touchline. But he's hit the post this time!
Warriors trail by two!
WAR 8 STO 10
33 mins
The Warriors restart, as Afoa gets to halfway on the second. Curran straightens up the middle, as Harris goes to Egan on the fifth.
Johnson bombs on the last, and there's a scramble as Meaney drops it! Kamikamica ends up with the ball, and he's tackled to give away a line dropout.
31 mins
The Storm restart.
Meaney wins a penalty on the third as the Warriors are called for offside.
The Storm restart again, now in the Warriors' half. They go wide to the left, but Munster throws the ball into touch.
Warriors ball.
29 mins
Harris-Tavita limps off for the Warriors, and he does not look good.
The Warriors end up with the ball inside the Storm's 20 after a knock-on. Great chance.
They go wide and have an overlap, but Walsh's ball to Kosi is poor. Kosi does well to keep it in, as Montoya gets it back to Walsh.
Walsh goes for the line, but he drops it!
The Bunker want to check if Walsh was tackled without the ball though. Nope, the Bunker goes against the Warriors.
Storm scrum.
28 mins - TRY STORM
Munster runs the ball, as Ieremia is tackled on the left wing inside the Warriors' half. Hughes gets a short ball away to Kaufusi, and he goes so close before he's tackled by Walsh.
But he gets an offload away to Grant, and he sprints in to score the Storm's second!
Meaney to convert, but he misses to the left. Storm lead by six.
WAR 4 STO 10
26 mins
Johnson kicks on the last, and Watene-Zelezniak challenges Ieremia for the ball, which ends up on the Storm's side.
Munster kicks on the last, and Watene-Zelezniak gets there. Montoya runs on the second. Afoa runs hard on the fourth, before Johnson kicks on the last.
Curran gets up to challenge, but gives away a penalty for taking Meaney in the air.
23 mins - TRY WARRIORS
Johnson taps and goes after the penalty. Fonua-Blake takes the first, as Tevaga bumps off Asofa-Solomona on the second!
Johnson takes the line on with the third, and wins a set restart. Fonua-Blake goes close, before Harris-Tavita swings a wide pass to Kosi - and he's scored in the corner!
Johnson lines up to convert, but he just pulls it left.
WAR 4 STO 6
20 mins
Warriors scrum. Or is it? Jesse Bromwich is penalised. Egan comes back on, as Johnson finds touch for the restart.
Pompey takes the first tackle, and Tevaga the second inside the Storm's half.
Tevaga is slow to get up though, he can't open his eye. There looks like a finger from King in his eye, was it a gouge though? The replays don't look kind. Yep, King is placed on report.
Bromwich is warned, that's four instances of foul play from the Storm.
19 mins
Tevaga keeps the ball alive on the third, before the Warriors go wide to the left on the fourth.
Johnson kicks on the last. Meaney gets it, but he's smashed by Montoya.
Good news, Wayde Egan looks ready to come back on.
The Storm go wide as Seve breaks down the right! He's through, and looks for Anderson unmarked inside him - but he drops it cold!
That was a try for all money.
17 mins
The Warriors get to halfway, as Walsh kicks to Anderson on the last. First touch for the winger.
The Storm start again. They get to halfway, and Hughes kicks for Kosi's wing again, but Walsh gets there.
16 mins
Scrum for the Storm. Munster runs off the back, but the Storm have a penalty now. The Warriors broke early. Hughes finds touch and the Storm can restart.
Asofa-Solomona has another hit-up as the Storm get into the Warriors' half. Munster puts Hughes into a gap, before he's tackled.
Munster sets up Kamikamica, before the Storm go on the last.
Munster kicks, and the ball deflects, but Walsh somehow gets his hands out to gather the ball.
14 mins
Montoya restarts after the penalty, inside the Storm half.
Harris runs to the 30 on the second, as Lussick has a go from dummy half - but he knocks on in the tackle.
Kamikamica the hero for the Storm.
13 mins
The Storm get to halfway, as Hughes kicks on the last. Kosi again the target, and he does well.
Montoya runs at the line, but Grant gives away a penalty.
12 mins
Kosi wins a penalty, high tackle from Jesse Bromwich. The Warriors will restart in their own half.
Curran takes the first tackle, Tevaga the second and gets to halfway. Harris takes it further on the third, as the Warriors go quickly on the right as Walsh breaks.
He's tackled, but gets the ball inside the Storm's 10. Johnson goes on the fifth, and Aitken runs at the defence on the last.
Surely the Storm are offside? Nope, handover called as Aitken is tackled.
10 mins
Johnson kicks off and Kamikamica takes the first tackle. Kaufusi the second, and runs past the 20.
Asofa-Solomona gets to the 30, and Kamikamica gets to the 40 on the lest. Grant runs on the fifth, and Hughes kicks high on the last.
Walsh takes it, and the Warriors start their set.
7 mins - TRY STORM
First real chance for the Storm. They go wide to the right through Meaney and Grant, before Asofa-Solomona comes back infield.
Kamikamica runs at the line on the third, as the Storm go to the left.
Munster hits Olam with a short ball, and he splits Johnson and Pompey to score the opener!
Meaney lines up the kick. And he's got it.
WAR 0 STO 6
6 mins
Hughes kicks on the last for the Storm, but the Warriors have given away a penalty?
Curran the culprit, looks like a late tackle on Hughes. It was.
5 mins
Lussick replaces Egan.
The Warriors restart with a fresh set, and nearly put Kosi away down the left! The Storm defend though.
Harris runs on the fifth and is tackled inside the 10. Lussick kicks on the last, but it's straight to Meaney.
4 mins
The Warriors restart in the Storm half. Harris takes the first tackle, and Fonua-Blake the second to get past the 40.
Egan takes the line on with the third, but he's tackled. Egan is staying down after the tackle.
He' holding his jaw. It looks like a forearm from Asofa-Solomona connected with his head.
Egan leaves the field, that could be a broken jaw.
Penalty against Asofa-Solomona, but that looks like it.
3 mins
Asofa-Solomona makes ground on the third, before Munster runs on the fifth.
Hughes kicks on the last, straight to Kosi at the back. He's smashed by Asofa-Solomona, but the Warriors have a penalty.
Dangerous tackled called against Asofa-Solomona.
2 mins
Fonua-Blake takes the first hit-up, Aitken the second. Harris runs on the third as the Warriors approach halfway.
Tevaga makes metres on the fourth, over the top of Grant. Fonua-Blake goes again and gets into the Storm half.
Harris-Tavita kicks on the last, and Meaney has no issue taking it.
KICKOFF
And we're away! Munster kicks off to the Warriors to get us going.
8:00pm
And Tohu Harris leads the Warriors out onto Mt Smart! Huge reception for the home side!
Stay tuned for kickoff!
7:58pm
Jesse Bromwich leads the Storm out of the sheds - he was leading the Kiwis onto Mt Smart just over a month ago!
7:48pm
A decent crowd in so far. Over 20,000 tickets have been sold for this game.
Not as many as the Tigers game a few weeks ago, but still a decent effort for a Friday night.
7:42pm
There's been a late switch for the Storm. Josh King drops out of the starting side and onto the bench, Tui Kamikamica takes his place in the run-on side.
7:40pm
Good evening! Friday night footy is back at Mt Smart!
We're about 20 minutes away from kickoff, with both of these sides in need of a win.
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Kia ora, good evening, and welcome to Newshub's live coverage of this NRL round 20 clash between NZ Warriors and Melbourne Storm, from Mt Smart Stadium.
Four weeks on from the 22-2 homecoming victory over Wests Tigers, the Warriors are back in town again, and this time come up against a Melbourne Storm side on the ropes after four straight defeats.
The Kiwi side welcome back Reece Walsh at fullback, after starting from the bench last week, while Ed Kosi takes a spot on the wing, forcing Marcelo Montoya into centre as Jesse Arthars makes way.
The Warriors themselves will be looking to get a monkey off their back and end a two-game losing streak, after throwing away a halftime lead to fall to defeat to Canberra Raiders last weekend.
The Kiwi side can also enact revenge on the Storm after their last meeting - a club record 70-10 defeat on Anzac Day earlier this year.
The Storm meanwhile are out to end an unheard-of run of four straight losses, albeit with the asterisk of missing some of their best players.
In the outside backs, Ryan Papenhuyzen and George Jennings have been ruled out until 2023, along with key forward Christian Welch.
Winger Xavier Coates will miss Friday's match, but is expected to return in the coming weeks, while NZ Kiwis hooker Brandon Smith is serving the final week of suspension for swearing at a referee.
TAB odds: Warriors $3.95, Storm $1.24
Teams:
NZ Warriors: 1-Reece Walsh, 2-Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, 3-Marcelo Montoya, 4-Adam Pompey, 5-Edward Kosi, 6-Chanel Harris-Tavita, 7-Shaun Johnson, 8-Addin Fonua-Blake, 9-Wayde Egan, 10-Tohu Harris (c), 11-Euan Aitken, 12-Josh Curran, 13-Jazz Tevaga
Interchange: 14-Freddy Lussick, 15-Bunty Afoa, 16-Eliesa Katoa, 17-Jackson Frei
Melbourne Storm: 1-Nick Meaney, 2-Dean Ieremia, 3-Marion Seve, 4-Justin Olam, 5-Grant Anderson, 6-Cameron Munster, 7-Jahrome Hughes, 8-Jesse Bromwich (c), 9-Harry Grant, 10-Nelson Asofa-Solomona, 11-Felise Kaufusi, 12-Kenny Bromwich, 13-Josh King
Interchange: 14-Tyran Wishart, 15-Tui Kamikamica, 16-Alec MacDonald, 21-Tom Eisenhuth
