Nick Markham | rugbyleaguelive.com | 12/05/08 | 0
Opposing props Ben Cross and Brett White and Newcastle fullback Kurt Gidley have all thrown a fright through the NSW camp ahead of tomorrow's naming of the Blues team for Origin I.
Melbourne downed Newcastle 18-4 at Olympic Park tonight to go top of the NRL table despite a gutsy defensive effort from the Knights, who held the defending premiers scoreless in the opening half.
Israel Folau warmed up for his eagerly-awaited Queensland debut with two tries for the Storm.
Folau, who became the youngest-ever Australian representative when he played in the Test last year against New Zealand as an 18-year-old, is a certainty to be named in the Maroons' side tomorrow for the Origin opener on May 21.
But the situation is much rockier for NSW.
Cross was heavily concussed in the final minute of the match, while Knights teammate Gidley will have scans tomorrow to ascertain whether he suffered a hairline cheekbone fracture.
Storm prop White hurt his left shoulder in the opening minutes, although he came back on and finished the game strongly.
He and Cross are likely to be picked in Craig Bellamy's first NSW squad tomorrow, along with Gidley, before being assessed by the Blues' medical staff.
"Kurt was pretty smashed up, I would say he was below his best tonight," said Knights coach Brian Smith.
"He took a blow to his cheekbone and the side of his head.
"The doctor cleared him to continue to play but I don't think he was totally with us.
"... (And Cross) is not in good shape at the moment, he's probably a bit more of a concern than Giddsy is."
Newcastle halfback Jarrod Mullen and second-rower Cory Paterson were put on report for a 17th-minute lifting tackle on Storm forward Sam Tagatese.
The Knights defended superbly all night, with the scores locked at 0-0 at halftime even though the home side had dominated field position and led the penalty count 8-2.
"It was certainly the best defensive performance from our team this year and it would be right up there with the best by any team this year," said Smith.
"In the first half they threw absolutely everything at us, they had so much possession."
Melbourne looked to have broken the deadlock in the 46th minute, when Michael Crocker rolled the ball backwards while being tackled.
Billy Slater picked the ball up and sent Folau over.
But after several minutes of deliberation, video referee Chris Ward disallowed the try because of obstruction by Melbourne's Jeremy Smith.
Folau did open the scoring six minutes later, out-bodying Knights winger Cooper Vuna to claim a cross-field bomb by Cooper Cronk and score.
Folau scored his second try in the 66th minute, taking a fine pass from Crocker and stepping inside two Newcastle defenders.
Captain Cameron Smith was successful with both conversion attempts.
Mullen got Newcastle back into the game with a spectacular 88m try in the 73rd minute.
Mullen fielded a smothered kick from Cameron Smith and burst away down the left touch-line, showing enough speed to beat Matt Geyer to touch down in the corner.
But Gidley was unable to convert the try.
Melbourne still had time for another converted try from winger Anthony Quinn in the 76th minute.
Melbourne had two other injury concerns from tonight's match, with New Zealand forward Adam Blair likely to need plastic surgery on a badly cut eye, while Tagatese hurt his right knee.
"We had eight guys backing up from the Test on Friday night and we lost our halfback for a couple of days as well ... so I thought that was a real good effort," said Bellamy, before swapping his Storm hat for a NSW one.
"It's not always about the physical side when these guys back up from rep games, it's about the mental letdown."
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