Historic half sees red-hot Storm extend record in horror start to Ryles era: What we learned
Melbourne have wasted no time living up to their billing as the 2025 premiership favourites with a thumping 56-18 victory over Parramatta in their season opener.
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The Storm extended their unbeaten Round 1 record to a 23rd season, including 22 under Craig Bellamy, in what marked a disastrous start to life as an NRL head coach for the Eels’ Jason Ryles.
MATCH CENTRE: Melbourne Storm vs Parramatta Eels live scores, teams
Ryan Papenhuyzen was everywhere for the hosts and scored two tries as Bellamy’s men ran riot on a scorching 33-degree afternoon at Aami Park.
The silky smooth fullback was well supported by the usual suspects, with halves Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes scoring and setting up five tries between them.
Star winger Xavier Coates scored another spectacular aerial try, while Josh King, Eli Katoa, Harry Grant, Nick Meaney and Will Warbrick also got on the score sheet.
It was 46-6 at halftime which marked second-most points scored by a team in a first half in NRL history, with only Andrew Johns’ Knights (48 points) eclipsing them.
The only other time Melbourne scored 40 points in the first half, they went on to win 70-10 over the Dragons back in 2000.
Parramatta showed some fight to win the second half 12-10 but it looks like it’s going to be a long season for the club that infamously played in the Spoon Bowl last year.
The Eels were without Mitchell Moses and it showed as they struggled in attack, but their defence will be Ryles’ biggest concern.
Here are the biggest talking points out of the match from NCA Newswire’s Lance Jenkinson.
MUNSTER MAGIC
Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster was the conductor of the shellacking.
Munster had four tackle breaks and three try assists to lay the foundation for the rout in the first half.
The party tricks didn’t end there.
Storm centre Jack Howarth produced an amazing pass to evade the outstretched arm of Eels youngster Ryley Smith to find Coates for his second try.
Grant joined in on the fun before a rare Eels venture into attack also wound up with a Storm try as Ryley Smith showed his inexperience with a wayward pass that was scooped up by Storm centre Nick Meane for an 85-metre try to make it 40-0.
The Eels eventually broke through just before half time when Brown set up Tago with a well weighted aerial ball, but Papenhuyzen had a double before the break to make it 46-6.
The result was a fait accompli at half time.
Though the Eels showed fight in the second half, including holding Storm scoreless for the first 15 minutes, a 95-metre intercept try for 50th gamer Will Warbrick rubbed salt into the wounds.
FLASHY PAPPY
Papenhuyzen saw his pass cut off by Eels halfback Ronald Volkman, only for it to fortuitously rebound back to him for the game’s first try.
The 26-year-old was electric in the first half, showing no signs of the niggling leg injuries that interrupted his pre-season.
When Tuilagi didn’t roll out of the ruck, which Storm captain Harry Grant milked to perfection, the home side made him pay with a try to Josh King on the back of it.
The Eels defence in that set left a lot to be desired with King strolling in unopposed.
Any resistance the Eels had put up to that point – Isiaiah Iongi stood firm at fullback and winger Jake Tago had some good moments – totally evaporated.
Ionngi and Tago deservedly scored consolation tries.
XAVIER SOARS AGAIN
Coates added to his reel of try-scoring highlights when he soared to the air in trademark style.
Rampaging forward Eli Katoa scored with a run from beyond the halfway line.
Katoa fended off Eels five-eighth Dylan Brown, dummied Iongi twice before breaking out of the clutches of William Penisini to score.
Storm magic
