Storm centre Justin Olam is in doubt for Round 1 after suffering a suspected broken arm in his side’s 32-24 loss to the Roosters in Geelong on Sunday.
On a day the Roosters were unveiling star signing Brandon Smith against his own club, it was the PNG international who sent a scare through Storm camp when he left the field in the sixth minute.
Smith didn’t enter the fray until the second half with Trent Robinson choosing to blood several young guns in the club’s first Pre-season Challenge match.
After the Roosters were denied an early try, Melbourne got the scoring underway when hooker Bronson Garlick made a break and found Tyran Wishart in support who crossed for the Storm.
The Roosters kicked away through converted tries to Lebanon international Elie El-Zakhem and former NSW Under 19’s rep Tyler Moriarty.
But three minutes later an error from Ethan King inside their own 10m line handed Storm winger Will Warbrick an easy try to level the scores 12-12.
Jake Turpin then stamped his class on the match when he put William Fakatoumafi over with a perfectly weighted kick to the left corner which put the Roosters in front 18-12 at the break.
Source: NRL.com