MELBOURNE have lost four games in a row for the first time in four years but captain Harry Grant denies the Storm have been left behind by new rules.
Six-agains and other tweaks of the interpretations around the laws of rugby league have been a challenge for coaches and players.
On Saturday night, New Zealand Warriors snapped an 11-year, 17-match losing streak against the Storm with a 38-14 win at AAMI Park.
Asked if the changes in rules had blunted the Storm’s dominance, Grant said: “No, I don’t think so.
“It’s what you make of it and we can certainly tighten a few things up with our game – that’s as a whole – but I think everyone’s in the same boat
“Everyone’s playing to the conditions of the game and what’s being officiated.”
Coach Craig Bellamy’s dressingroom spray at forward Joe Chan has become a social media meme generating plenty of opinions but Grant said: “Everyone’s been in those shoes at times as a player.
“We just need Joey at his best. When he brings his strengths to the team and he’s at his best, he’s a great asset to the team.
“You can single one man out but it’s not one man, it’s collective.”
Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored two tries for the Aucklanders before 26,467 fans at AAMi Park.
Embed from Getty Images
WARRIORS 38 (Watene-Zelezniak 2 Leiataua Nuikore Tuivasa-Sheck Ford tries Boyd 7 goals) beat MELBOURNE 14 (Clarke Howarth tries Meaney 3 goals) at AAMI Park.
Teams:
MELBOURNE: Sua Faalogo; Will Warbrick, Jack Howarth, Nick Meaney, Moses Leo; Cameron Munster, Jahrome Hughes; Stefano Utoikamanu, Harry Grant (c), Josh King, Joe Chan, Cooper Clarke, Trent Loiero. Res: Tyran Wishart, Alex MacDonald, Jack Hetherington, Davvy Moale, Lazarus Vaalepu, Mainai Waitere.
WARRIORS: Taane Tuaupiki; Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Ali Leiataua, Alo Khan-Pereira; Chanel Harris-Tavita, Tanah Boyd; James Fisher-Harris (c), Wayde Egan, Jackson Ford, Leka Halasima, Marata Niukore, Erin Clark. Res: Jacob Laban, Sam Healey, Dem Vaimauga, Tanner Stowers-Smith.
Referee: Grant Atkins.
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