Costly errors proved the difference as Easts Tigers were overpowered in the second half by Northern Pride, eventually going down 30-16.
Easts went into half-time level at 10-apiece but a three tries to one after the break handed the visitors their first loss in six weeks.
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An intercept try gave Javid Bowen a double on the 46th minute and from there the Tigers’ error count continued to rise.
Cheyse Blair had his first hit-out after five weeks on the sidelines as he looks to regain match fitness.
Christian Welch and Francis Tualau were solid on the day while Matt White was again a standout.
“Matty White was good, again he showed he’s come a long way in the last two weeks, he’s lead the way,” Easts coach Scott Sipple said.
“He’s definatly stepping up and doing the right things.”
While Easts battled it out up at Barlow Park, a Storm player who has spent much of the last two years with the Feeder side was making his NRL debut.
Once the Tigers had finished their game, the sight of Suliasi Vunivalu running around in Storm colours filled Sipple with great pride.
“The highlights we saw he definatly showed he could handle it, all the boys were pleased for him,” Sipple said.
“He was a bit quiet when he first started here with us. It took him a good three or four weeks to get confidence in his body again after coming back from injury.”
“I’m sure it will give him a big confidence boost. In the last two weeks he’s just grown in leaps and bounds and started to back himself.”
