NRL Anzac Day thrashing: Cameron Munster leads Melbourne Storm to 54-20 win over South Sydney Rabbitohs
A Cameron Munster master class has helped Melbourne monster South Sydney 54-20 in their Anzac Day clash to continue the Rabbitohs’ winless record in Victoria and add to the pressure on embattled coach Jason Demetriou.
With Gold Coast toppling the Warriors earlier in the day, the loss saw Souths tumble back to the bottom of the NRL ladder.
Xavier Coates left AAMI Park in the 34th minute with hamstring tightness, but combined with five-eighth Munster for three first-half tries for a match-winning 32-4 halftime lead.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Souths scored three tries in nine minutes in the second half to briefly make is a contest, but it was too little too late.
Munster missed the first four rounds with a groin issue but was back to his bamboozling best, using both his pin-point kicking and passing game to set up the tries.
He then crossed for one of his own in the 66th minute to snuff out Souths’ late challenge.
Despite sitting second on the ladder heading into the match, Melbourne had only led once at the 70-minute mark in five wins, relying on some late heroics.
They had no need for such against their new Anzac Day opponents, with the Rabbitohs replacing the Warriors in the annual fixture.
Souths were in the match until the 27th minute, only trailing 10-4, but the Storm piled on a further five tries before the halftime hooter and it was effectively game over.
The misery continued when fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen scooted over from dummy-half four minutes into the second half for his second try, but then the visitors were finally able to stem the flow.
Five-eighth Cody Walker and Jacob Gagai repeated a first-half effort, with the winger diving over for his second try.
Souths took advantage of Tyran Wishart covering Coates on the wing, with Taane Milne brushing him aside to score in the 57th minute, before skipper Cameron Murray crossed two minutes later to close the gap to 36-20.
But Munster’s try turned the tide back Melbourne’s way, with Wishart and Joe Chan bringing the tally to 10 tries to stretch the Rabbitohs’ record south of the border to 19 successive losses.
