Junior Report: Round 22

Melbourne Storm U21s suffered a narrow loss on the weekend, going down 20-18 to the Newcastle Knights in Newcastle.

The match was played in challenging conditions, and according to Head Coach Mark Russell, it simply came down to the Knights “handling the conditions better.”

Despite the result, Russell was still pleased with his side’s effort.

“Defensively, they didn’t break our line once, they scored three tries off kicks. We just didn’t react well to the conditions, with so much water on the ground. I was really impressed with how we handled the day overall,” he said.

It was a tight contest in the first half with scores locked at 8-8 at the break. The second half followed a similar pattern, with the match ultimately decided by a penalty goal.

Preston Conn, Hugo Peel, and Eli Morris were standout performers, doing everything they could to lift their team.

Storm U21s will now look to bounce back this weekend when they take on the fifth-placed Parramatta Eels — a side fighting to cement their spot in the finals. It shapes as a key test for Storm as they head into the final stretch of the season.

The U21s face the Eels this Saturday 9th August at 1pm.