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The Storm are dominating territory now, forcing a dropout, earning a penalty, and almost scoring again when Joe Chan is held up over the line.
But the Bulldogs survive thanks to an obstruction call.
On paper this Bulldogs team is a class above the injury-hit Storm, but Melbourne are giving them a real challenge so far.
Storm 6, Bulldogs 0 after 13 minutes
A couple of good, long kicks early from debutant Storm halfback Hayden Watson, a fomer Australian schoolboys captain who was born in Geelong and raised in Queensland.
The Bulldogs give away a couple of penalties – Bailey Hayward for an illegal strip then Max King for a high shot.
Melbourne go on the attack, hooker Trent Toelau puts up a bomb, and Moses Leo outjumped Jacob Kiraz and does very well to bring the ball down to score the opening try of the game. Nick Meaney converts.
Storm 6, Bulldogs 0 after eight minutes
The Bulldogs take the field first in Melbourne, then the Storm run onto AAMI Park. They’ve had a good run at home, winning their last five games at the ground, but the Storm aren’t what they used to be and are effectively out of the finals race already. They’re looking to the future tonight with 19-year-old Hayden Watson making his debut at halfback.
The Storm kick this one off and Canterbury have first use of the ball, getting to their 40-metre line on the last tackle before Lachie Galvin’s clearing kick.
Storm 0, Bulldogs 0 after one minute
In tonight’s early game, the Dolphins remained in fifth place on the ladder with a tough 28-22 win over a gutsy St George Illawarra side in Wollongong. We’ll have a full match report from that game shortly.
Now we’re just a few minutes away from kick-off in Melbourne, in what looms as a huge game for the Bulldogs’ finals chances. They’ll start favourites against an under-strength Storm side, and they also have the chance to improve their poor for-and-against (which currently stands at -58) if they can produce a big win.
Canterbury finished 30-20 winners over Melbourne at Accor Stadium back in round 12. Watch the highlights below.
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The Melbourne Storm’s star-studded spine has has been wrecked by injury, with Jahrome Hughes (hamstring soreness) joining Cameron Munster (knee) and Harry Grant (hamstring) on the sidelines. Geelong-born, Queensland-raised halfback Hayden Watson will make his NRL debut in Hughes’ place, at the age of 19.
Stephen Crichton will once again start at five-eighth for the rejuvenated Bulldogs.
Melbourne Storm
1. Sualauvi Faalogo 2. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown 3. Manaia Waitere 4. Nick Meaney 5. Moses Leo 6. Tyran Wishart 14. Hayden Watson 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Trent Toelau 10. Josh King 11. Cooper Clarke 12. Oryn Keeley 13. Trent Loiero
Bench: 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Shawn Blore 18. Joe Chan 19. Angus Hinchey 22. Jai Bowden
Are the Bulldogs … back?
Five wins from their past six starts says they’re getting warmer.
Brutal injury tolls for Friday’s opponents Melbourne, Souths and Newcastle, along with Manly’s post-Origin slide, suggest that a top-eight finish is there for the taking – if that run of victories over some strugglers and stragglers hasn’t misled.
Canterbury’s road home is rough and ready. But as the third-placed Warriors just found out, the Bulldogs might just have the blend of old and new to run roughshod.
This won’t be taking place tonight, or for any games that will have ramifications for the finals race, but the NRL is set to road-test the controversial “scorer kicks off” rule change that was being considered at the start of this season.
The rule would give a team that concedes points the option of kicking off as usual or receiving the kick-off following points.
The trial of the initiative is weeks away, sources speaking on the condition of anonymity to speak freely, said. It will give stakeholders a chance to witness the rule being tested under match conditions, and then determine whether it adds value to the game. It’s the same avenue by which another big shake-up, the captain’s challenge, was introduced.