Craig Bellamy's 600th game as Melbourne Storm coach turned into a nightmare as the Sydney Roosters stormed back in the second half to win 40-10 at AAMI Park on Friday. The Storm led 10-0 at half-time but conceded 40 unanswered points in a stunning collapse, with the Roosters completing just five sets after the break.
Bellamy, who had joked earlier in the week about mellowing with age, was visibly furious after the match, pacing an empty dressing room before addressing the crowd. 'It was embarrassing actually, to be quite honest, to go out there,' he said. 'We did a really good job in the first half, but it was like a different team in the second half.'
Mark Nawaqanitawase was the star for the Roosters, scoring four tries – including two acrobatic finishes in the corner – to move to the top of the NRL try-scoring charts with 20. His performance overshadowed Xavier Coates, who was rested along with several other key Storm players with a top-two finish almost secured.
The Roosters' victory keeps their finals hopes alive, with a win in their final regular-season match against South Sydney likely to secure a top-eight spot. Meanwhile, the Storm's defeat opens the door for the Canberra Raiders to claim the minor premiership if they beat the Wests Tigers on Saturday.
