Live: Storm secure minor premiership in style as Dally M frontrunner stars again

Cogger, who is having a huge game, combines with Ponga down the right and he puts Gagai over with a delicious short ball. Gagai powers through the tackle of Munro to do so and he gives the young fella a big spray, they’ve been jawing at each other all night.

Ponga misses the kick and it’s 36-16 Knights. 

An eventful debut for Sua – he was activated as 18th man, he’s been out there for about ten minutes and now he’s been binned for hitting Milne in the face with his shoulder. It happened a set or two ago, but he’s only getting now. That’s a strange one.

Wighton puts a very nice grubber through and Duncan is there first to dot down and score. Still a long way back for Souths but I guess that’s something.

Myers’ kick hits the post and bounces out and it’s Knights 32-16.

Gray drops a bomb, the Knights are contesting kicks again which is rare, and Newcastle ca kill this game off with another try.

And they get it, with Cogger slicing through after Elliott creates some space for him. That’s his second try of the night and again it’s at the channel where Wighton defends.

Ponga converts and it’s 32-12 Knights.

Ponga cuts through from deep in his own half to put the Knights on the attack and three plays later he combines with Cogger down the right, ghosts past Wighton and finds Cogger back in support for the five-eighth to score under the posts as the Knights extend their lead. He converts the try and it’s 26-12 Knights. 

One half to go, I know we can get there together.

Sebastian Sua, Newcastle’s 18th man, has now been activated with Frizell out for the game. Both Knights edge forwards are done for the night with Kai Pearce-Paul off due to a laceration on his leg.

That five minutes of madness, where the Knights scored 14 points and Souths didn’t touch the ball, turned the game on it’s head and they carry a good lead into halftime.

Souths go out on the full AGAIN, can Newcastle get another try before the break?

Murray gets Frizell in the face and is on report, the Knights will take the two and the Rabbitohs skipper is off to the bin. Ponga nails the goal, Knights lead 20-12. 

Souths put the kick off out on the full and the Knights are right back on the attack.

Cogger cuts out Ponga to Gagai, he picks it up off his boots, steps twice off his right foot through some feeble defence to score another one for Newcastle, that’s two in two minutes.

Ponga’s kick is true and it’s 18-12 Newcastle. 

Ponga nearly cuts through, the Knights spin it out to Lucas, he dances, spins and beats three defenders to score a fine individual try. Very nice stuff from the young fella. Ponga nails the kick and it’s 12-all Newcastle. 

Wighton scores a strong solo try, he gets a bit of room, bounces off his left foot and busts through three tackles to score. Great strength on show there. Myers converts and it’s 12-6 Bunnies. 

A penalty gets the Rabbitohs on the attack, Gray goes short to Milne and he beats Gagai one-on-one before reaching out to score. Nice hit back for Souths. Myers tries to level us up from the sideline and he fades it through from the sideline. It’s 6-all.

Melbourne have clinched the NRL minor premiership with two rounds to play, taking an insurmountable lead with their 48-6 thrashing of the Dolphins.

The Storm moved to 42 points on the ladder on the back of Saturday night’s win at AAMI Park, six points clear of Penrith, who were their closest challengers for the J.J Giltinan Shield.

The Panthers fell away with their shock 22-18 loss to Canberra earlier in the day.

Melbourne still have games against North Queensland and Brisbane but are set to rest players as they look to launch into the finals and try to end Penrith’s three-year title domination.

The Storm’s last premiership came in 2020.

The Dolphins stuck with Melbourne until the 19th minute, when youngster Sua Faalogo opened the scoring when he crossed for the first of his two tries.

But the wheels start wobbling for the visitors a minute later when they lost both star playmaker Kodi Nikorima and veteran prop Jesse Bromwich to head knocks.

At the same time ex-Storm back-rower Felise Kaufusi was put on report for a late shot on Cameron Munster.

Kaufusi really cost the Dolphins with five minutes left in the half when he was sin-binned for intentional offside with Melbourne on the march.

In his absence the Storm ran in three tries to put the game virtually out of reach.

Back-rower Alec McDonald crashed over the line before quick ball found barnstorming centre Jack Howarth to push the lead out to 22-0 at halftime.

Winger Faalogo then added his second by pouncing on a Hughes grubber a minute into the second half.

Melbourne skipper Harry Grant left the field with 15 minutes to play with the Storm confirming it was a precautionary measure rather than a suspected groin injury.

The Dolphins got on the scoreboard in the 66th minute through centre Jake Averillo but the Storm kept coming with two more tries including one by giant prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona in his 200th game.

The Dolphins remain in ninth spot, giving eighth-placed St George Illawarra the chance to move four points clear if they can beat Cronulla in their clash on Sunday in Wollongong.

AAP

Crossland links with Ponga down the left, he goes to Gagai and creates some space for Sharpe who crosses untouched for the first try of the night.

Ponga nails the kick from touch and it’s 6-0 Newcastle. 

Souths get us started, running left to right.

Melbourne secure the minor premiership in style, they looked in fantastic touch all night with Jahrome Hughes starring again. The Phins are still in the finals race but they are on tilt right now.

Hughes sets up another, this time with a wonderful short ball to Josh King and the big fella strolls through untouched from 20 metres out. Meaney converts, 48-6 Storm. 

Asofa-Solomona powers over right up the guts from close range, there’s no stopping the big man that close to the line. It’s his 200th appearance for the Storm tonight and he absolutely went off when he slammed it down. Crowd is going crazy.

Meaney converts and now it’s 42-6 Storm. A half-century could still be on.

Harry Grant and Cameron Munster are done for the night, Grant has grabbing at his groin but it’s nothing to be worried about, the cue is well and truly in the rack.