Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr

Their point-scoring prowess has returned as the Melbourne Storm easily accounted for the New Zealand Warriors on ANZAC Day.

Although they won convincingly, the loss was dampened by an injury to Curtis Scott who limped off.

Tim Glasby also suffered a thumb injury, as both face lengthy injury layoffs.

Prior to the game, the hype and excitement was high for this game.

The Warriors had no Shaun Johnson or Tohu Harris but many expected a close, tense affair.

It was anything but as the Storm proved that they are the real deal yet again, making it look easy.

The first try came after some adlib play, the ball going left and right before Ryley Jacks scored.

Ryan Hoffman then extended the Storm lead, reacting quickest to a kick from Cam Munster.

Three further tries in quick succession to Christian Welch, Billy Slater and Felise Kaufusi put the game to bed in the first half.

It was rounded off by a length of the field try to Addo-Carr, who many regard as the fastest player in the game.

Trailing 38-0 at half-time, the Warriors needed something.  It came through David Fusitu’a.

Scoring his ninth of the year, the half-time talk by coach Stephen Kearney worked somewhat.

The try-scoring exploits of the first half were not repeated as the game drifted in and out, both teams fatiguing.

The Storm got the last laugh as Jacks scored a second off a Munster break.

After his side’s romp, Storm coach Craig Bellamy described it as their best win of the year.

“We probably had a bit of luck with a couple of bounces, but I was really happy with the intent we started with,” Bellamy said.

“It was a bit of a whirlwind the first half. I think we shocked them there – maybe they were a little bit tired – they came off a five-day turnaround and had to travel.

“It’s a bit hard to be critical about our first half – it was outstanding.”

Warriors coach Kearney lamented his side’s poor start and lack of defensive prowess.

“It was one of those nights,” he said.

“They jumped out of the blocks early and executed some tries on the back of kicks early. We just couldn’t find our way back into the contest.

“I don’t think our defence was up to the standard [that] we set ourselves over the last six or seven weeks, and we paid the price for it in the first half.”

Player of the Game:

3. Josh Addo-Carr

2. Curtis Scott

  1. Cameron Munster

By ricky

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