Junior Report: Round 19

Melbourne Storm U21s came from behind to secure a gutsy 34-26 victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs on the weekend.

Storm were slow out of the blocks, a contrast to their recent form, and trailed 10-20 at the break. But a strong message from Head Coach Mark Russell at halftime sparked a turnaround.

The second half saw a shift in momentum as Storm returned to playing their brand of footy, showing grit and composure to claw their way back into the contest and seal a hard-fought win.

Russell praised the team’s ability to reset and respond, saying, “after half-time we went back to what was really good for us.”

Angus Hinchey and Cooper Clarke were standout performers for the young side, while second rowers Zayvian Langkilde-Fale and Preston Conn also impressed, playing the full 80 minutes and making several key defensive efforts.

Russell also highlighted the defensive work of Jai Bowden, who made 39 tackles with just one miss, adding, “we just went forward after half-time and those blokes were a big part of that.”

The Storm U21s now turn their attention to this weekend’s Round 20 clash, travelling across the Tasman to face the New Zealand Warriors on Saturday. Kick-off is scheduled for 8:15am (AEST).

Russell said the focus this week will be on consistency, “just putting 80 minutes of footy together, that consistent at a high standard from the start.”