NRL Round-Up: Semi Finals
MELBOURNE STORM 30 BRISBANE BRONCOS 0
Wayne Bennett’s Brisbane Broncos outfit were defeated 30-0 by the impressive Melbourne Storm at AAMI Park on Friday, with Storm booking their place in the Grand Final.
Australia star Cameron Smith kicked a penalty goal in the 17th minute before Josh Addo-Carr extended Melbourne’s lead with his 21st try of the season.
Storm led 8-0 at the break after a nervous first 40-minutes.
Kangaroos great Billy Slater put Melbourne 14 points in front on the hour mark while Nelson Asofa-Solomona scored another five minutes later.
Smith then added another two points from a penalty, bcoming the first player to score 1,000 goals in the Premiership’s history.
Slater got his second try of the game with just nine minutes left to play as he sealed a convincing 30-0 victory for his side to send them through to the Grand Final.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS 16 NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 29
North Queensland Cowboys progressed to the Grand Final following a fine 29-16 win against Sydney Roosters at the Allianz Stadium on Saturday.
It was only three weeks ago when the Cowboys just scraped a place in the play-offs with a win against St George Illawarra in the final game of the regular campaign.
Ethan Lowe added a penalty goal before Te Marie Martin scoring to put North Queensland into an 8-0 advantage.
Former Australian Schoolboys star Latrell Mitchell pulled one back for Sydney but the Cowboys narrowly led 8-6 at the break.
Corey Watson scored following the restart though and the Rosters took the lead for the first time in the game.
But when Sydney were gaining momentum, Scotland international Kane Linnett edged his North Queensland side back into a 14-12 lead.
Blake Ferguson put the Roosters ahead once more before Kyle Feldt made the score 20-16 to the Cowboys.
A second penalty goal from Lowe, a drop-goal from Michael Morgan and a try at the death from Scott Bolton sealed a nail-biting 29-16 victory for the Cowboys which sends them into the Grand Final.
Storm will meet the Cowboys in the Grand Final. Who is your money going to be on? Let us know in the comments below.
