Breakout Storm star's unlucky blow in statement win amid Roosters ...

The Melbourne Storm stamped themselves as the premiership favourites in 2024 after lowering the colours of the Roosters with a 24-8 win at AAMI Park.

The Roosters were riding high heading into this game, having won their previous four, but were no match for the ladder-leading Storm.

The Storm, who have won six straight, are now six points clear at the top of the table, with the second-placed Panthers still to play on Sunday.

MATCH CENTRE: Storm v Roosters, teams, stats, video

Storm winger Grant Anderson had the game of his life, scoring two tries in the first half. However, his best piece of work came inside the final 10 minutes, when his desperate defence saved what looked a certain Dom Young four-pointer.

Unfortunately for Anderson, he sustained a knee injury in the final play of the game and had to be assisted into the sheds in devastating scenes.

Thankfully, Storm coach Craig Bellamy suggested in a chat with Fox League post-game that the Melbourne medical staff seem to think it isn’t too serious.

Three players were sin binned during the dramatic contest.

Roosters forward Victor Radley was binned in the first half for a professional foul, as was teammate Connor Watson in the 55th minute.

Watson’s binning meant both teams had a player in the bin at the same time after Storm reserve Joe Chan was given his marching orders for a high shot on Radley.

Earlier, the highlight of the game was funnily enough, a no try, when Storm prop Josh King channelled his inner Jahrome Hughes.

King placed a centimetre perfect banana grubber into the in goal, which was chased down by Anderson to score.

However, the Bunker takes a look and detects a knock on in the lead up to King’s kick.

“He’s been denied one of the great try assists,” Corey Parker said on Fox League.

Melbourne raced out to a 10-0 lead in the first 20 minutes with two tries in five minutes, however the Roosters wrestled back some momentum with a Daniel Tupou four-pointer.

The Storm scored their third try of the game late in the first half when Radley was in the bin, with Anderson chasing down a lovely chip from Ryan Papenhuyzen.

Trailing 18-4, the Roosters stayed alive with a Dom Young try in the 67th minute, but couldn’t trouble the scorers further.

Excitement machine Sua Fa’alogo sealed the game in the 79th minute with a try under the posts.

WHAT WE LEARNED

KING’S DOMAIN

Storm forward Josh King has long been lauded for his workman-like effort, but in recent weeks he has turned into a real eye-catcher, whether it is his try-scoring exploits or now his proficiency by foot.

King produced one of the most creative grubber kicks that skirted the dead-ball line and curved to Anderson for what would have been a try, only for senior review official Ashley Klein to call play back for a finger-tipping knock on from Eli Katoa.

King’s kick even impressed Storm half back Jahrome Hughes, one of the best kickers in the NRL.

“One of the best tries that never happened, I think, Kingy’s one,” Hughes said.

“It even had that little banana on it, he must’ve been practicing!”

SWEAT ON SUAALII

Roosters centre Joseph Suaalii could face another stint on the sidelines.

The 20-year-old star centre was placed on report for a knee lift on Storm winger Will Warbrick.

It is the last thing that Suaalii, who returned from a four-game suspension for a dangerous high tackle, wanted in what has been a stop-start final season with the Roosters before he crosses to rugby union.

Storm forward Joe Chan is another who will be nervous after being put on report twice.

THE CURSE THE ROOSTERS CAN’T SHRUG

Are the Roosters genuine title contenders?

On face value you’d think that they are, as their best football is very, very good.

However, there is a glaring stat that makes for ugly reading for Roosters fans.

In a battle of premiership heavyweights, the Roosters couldn’t match the Storm in a 24-8 loss.

Remarkably, it was the Roosters’ 19th loss from their past 20 games against the Storm or Panthers since 2020, who are the only two teams to win the comp in that period.

No need to panic Roosters fans, your team is likely heading to a top four finish, but with the Storm and Panthers the two teams in the way of a title, it’s a hoodoo they’ll need to break.

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MATCH PREVIEW

The match of the round sees a host of Origin stars backing up when the Storm host the Roosters in Melbourne.

Storm skipper Harry Grant carried a sternum injury into Origin Game III but got through the game unscathed and is now backing up.

However, Christian Welch and Nelson Asofa-Solomona are out which sees Joe Chan and Lazarus Vaalepu come onto the bench.

Roosters gun Angus Crichton left Origin III early with a HIA but passed it and returned to the field to finish the game as one of the Blues’ best and will play in Melbourne.

Linday Collins, Spencer Leniu and Connor Watson all got through mountains of work in the decider too and are playing.

Collins has been benched however with Naufahu Whyte starting.