Munster magic ensures Storm return to winning ways

The Storm outplayed West Tigers 24-12 at AAMI Park, with the Sydneysiders remaining winless after four rounds.

Melbourne had lost their previous two matches which coincided with a serious finger injury to Munster, suffered in their round-one win.

While he only had a pin surgically removed on Wednesday, Munster didn't appear troubled as he steered his team to victory.

But he had competition for the spotlight from 20-year-old Pezet, who replaced suspended halfback Jahrome Hughes.

Playing only his second NRL game, Pezet, who was the NSW Origin under 19 halfback last year, showed his prodigious talent with a hand in two early tries.

He was also confident to use his kicking game to put the Tigers on the back foot, while he finished with 24 tackles.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy was a happier man than after the previous two rounds.

"Our effort tonight was better than the last couple of weeks. It was more like our first round effort," Bellamy said.

"It was an arm wrestle in the second half but it was much improved effort from our last two weeks.

"We've still got some things to work on but they took some pride playing at home and that was the pleasing thing."

The Storm took a 12-0 lead after 25 minutes but the visitors were next to cross.

In his second game since his return to the NRL, Englishman John Bateman shrugged off three defenders and got a ball away to fellow second-rower Isaiah Papali'i, who found flying centre Asu Kepaoa.

But hopes of a Tigers victory suffered a large dent with two Storm tries just before halftime.

A Munster kick into the in-goal was batted back by winger Xavier Coates, with Storm centre Justin Olam pouncing.

And in the 38th minute Munster picked up the ball at the back of an Olam charge and darted through some soft defence for a 22-6 lead.

Tigers coach Tim Sheen said those two tries made life tough for his team.

"We lost the game in the last 10 minutes of that half when it skipped away from us," he said.

"I asked them to win the second half and they did and that gave us a chance but every option we took seemed to be wrong option.

"We had a number of chances to get back into the game and the effort was there but our execution was very ordinary in many ways."

The Tigers showed some resilience to repel repeated Storm attacks on their line and got some reward in the 54th minute through star signing Api Koroisau.

The hooker grubber-kicked in behind the posts and Melbourne fullback Nick Meaney left the ball, with Koroisau pouncing.

The try seemed to spark the Tigers but the tide turned when they lost a scrum against the feed and had Papali'i put on report for tackling Bronson Garlick off the ball.

An ensuing penalty gave the home side a 12-point lead with 15 minutes remaining.

The Tigers can take some pride in keeping the Storm tryless in the second half but, apart from Koroisau's four-pointer, they also struggled to get across the line.

Australian Associated Press