Melbourne’s premiership hopes have taken a seismic hit after Jahrome Hughes dislocated his shoulder in a gutsy 34-30 win over the Sydney Roosters.
Without Hughes on the field and with Ryan Papenhuyzen or Cameron Munster playing, Harry Grant stood up for the Storm in one of the games of the season.
The hooker scored once and then set up two second-half tries, taking charge of Melbourne’s attack in what could prove a vital victory at the Sydney Football Stadium.
But the win came at a significant cost, with Hughes leaving the field early in the second half with a dislocated left shoulder after attempting a tackle on James Tedesco.
Melbourne medical staff then struggled to put the joint back in, with the injury marking the third time Hughes has dislocated it in his career
“He’s gone to hospital. The doctor’s gone with him. It’s dislocated and they couldn’t get it in here. Whether he’s got a crack in it as well, we might not know until tomorrow,” said Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy.
“We’d like to think he’d get back it in tonight. We’re not sure of the severity.
“I had both my shoulders reconstructed. The longer they’re out, the bigger problem (it becomes).”
.Hughes will go for scans, but the Storm are already bracing for a stint without the Dally M Medallist with Jonah Pezet the option to come in.
Melbourne entered the round in third place with two wins over fifth-placed Brisbane, but have a brutal run home in their bid to finish in the top four.
After Parramatta next week, the Storm have Brisbane, Penrith, Canterbury and then the Roosters and Broncos again in the run to the finals.
Thursday night was also costly for the Roosters’ finals chances, after playing the majority of the game without halfback Sandon Smith following a first-half head clash.
Trent Robinson’s men will finish the round in 10th, but could be as many as four points outside the top eight with a crucial clash against Manly next week.
In a frantic match of attacking highs, the lead changed hands five times.
Sam Walker kicked for four of the Roosters’ tries and helped lay on another when Tedesco batted on a pass from the halfback.
Daniel Tupou scored for two of those four-pointers, including one from a pinpoint perfect Walker cross-field kick where he outleapt opposite winger Kane Bradley.
But ultimately it was an error from Tupou that cruelled the Tricolours, with the winger bombing a try over the line with them up 30-28.
Walker also had a costly grubber go dead when the Roosters lead 24-22. After both Walker and Tupou’s errors, the Storm went downfield and scored shortly after.
Grant, meanwhile, nailed the key moments of the match.
He played a role in the Storm’s first when he ran from dummy-half, attracted Tedesco in defence and Hughes grubber-kicked for Josh King to score.
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Grant scored one himself when he went over in the first half, splitting Smith and Salesi Foketi as the two clashed heads.
Then with Hughes off the field, Grant provided the two biggest plays of the second half.
Trailing 24-16, he first spotted a hole for King to run through for the prop to score from close distance.
And with the game on the line and the Storm 30-28 down, Grant made use of a quick play-the-ball, scurried centrefield and Stefano Utoikamanu over for the match winner.
Re-live the live blog below, keep up to date with all the latest stats in our ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.
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Key Events
2h ago2 hours agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:41am
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:56am
Injury: Jahrome Hughes
Big news here from the SFS – Hughes hung his arm out to try and tackle Tedesco and he’s clutching at his left shoulder. He’s very, very ginger and is being taken off by the trainers now. I’ll keep you updated with whatever we hear about it.
It’s not an aggravation of the AC joint injury he had earlier this year, that was on his right shoulder. The Storm have confirmed it’s a dislocation and he’ll go for scans in the morning.
1h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 12:31pm
Signing off
That’ll do me for tonight, be sure to tune in again tomorrow night for the Friday night double header and for the rest of the games across the weekend.
Take it easy!
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1h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 12:29pm
Storm press conference: Bellamy provides Hughes update
Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has given an update on Hughes’ shoulder
“He’s gone to hospital. The doctor’s gone with him. It’s dislocated and they couldn’t get it in here. Whether he’s got a crack in it as well, we might not know until tomorrow,” said Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy.
“We’d like to think he’d get back it in tonight. We’re not sure of the severity.
“I had both my shoulders reconstructed. The longer they’re out, the bigger problem (it becomes).”
Says it’s one of the first times in his coaching career he doesn’t mind his team conceding 30 points given the circumstances of the match.
Praises Harry Grant’s performance at hooker especially, and wraps the rest of the side for running with him.
1h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 12:16pm
Roosters press conference: Robinson “frustrated” by inability to finish game off
Roosters coach Trent Robinson cuts a frustrated figure in the post-match presser.
“It was a different Storm-Roosters game than normal but you have to play the conditions,” Robinson said.
“We had our opportunities and it came down to moments. I like the way we went about playing the game but 34 points, you expect to lose.
“It’s frustrating, not to finish off a game like that.”
Robinson thinks the team had a mixed response to Sandon Smith’s concussion.
“We adapted well in yardage and midfield and we didn’t adapt well in good ball,” Robinson said.
“It’s tough when you lose a half. Harry did a really good taking over their attack when they lost theirs.
“We had a good ball set with about 20 to go and we didn’t have much impetus from that point on.”
Confirms Hugo Savala will return from injury next week.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:41am
FULLTIME: Storm 34 def Roosters 30
The Roosters throw it around as the siren sounds with Nawaqanitawase, Walker and Tedesco all getting involved but the referee spots a forward pass and that’s it!
Melbourne hang on for an epic 34-30 victory.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:37am
77′ Storm deny desperate Roosters
The short-kick off gets gathered in by Ethan King but he’s bundled into touch. The Roosters challenge and replays show Katoa touched the ball first – it went forward, Rooster ball, 40 metres out.
Bradley knocks on Walker’s cross-kick and the Roosters get another shot. But on the fourth tackle of the next Crichton knocks it on as he’s getting up to play it! Melbourne survive.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:31am
73′ Grant lays it on for Utoikamanu!
Grant, who has been absolutely sensational, might have won it for Melbourne! On the last tackle in the shadows of the posts he ducked out left and hits Utoikamanu with a great short ball and the front-rowers strolls over to score untouched!
This would be a mighty effort for the Storm given the troops they’ve lost, they have not stopped fighting all night. Meaney converts and it’s 34-30 Storm with just over five to go.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:28am
71′ Meaney misses chance to level the scores
A high tackle gives Meaney the chance to level it up from 25 out and near the scrum line…..but he misses it. It doesn’t go dead, but Tupou is trapped in-goal and the Storm have a chance to take the lead.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:25am
68′ Tupou blows a sitter
Meaney knocks on a Walker bomb and the Roosters are on the attack again. An eight-point lead isn’t safe in a game like this but it’d be a fair old buffer.
They sweep to the left, Tedesco delays his pass beautifully, Tupou has a shot at the corner but he drops it as he’s reaching out to score! What a blown chance from the vet, who already has two tonight! The Storm are still in the hunt.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:22am
65′ Another Roosters try off a kick
After looking stuck in the mud for a few sets the Roosters go wide, King makes some good metres to get them into position for an attacking kick, Walker puts it up, Nawqanitawase and Tedesco go after it and tap it back, Dockar-Clary hares onto the loose ball and scores next to the posts!
Some conjecture over Tedesco being offside, it’s very close – I wouldn’t have had a problem if they overturn it, but the call stands.
Walker converts and it’s 30-28 Roosters.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:20am
61′ Melbourne keep fighting to extend lead
Melbourne are fighting hard despite missing Hughes – they’ve gone back-to-back with tries after Katoa puts a kick in down the blind, it bounces off Walker, Chan picks it up and offloads to Meaney who fights his way to the line and slams it down.
If the Roosters thought they’d cruise home they were sadly mistaken. Meaney converts his own try and it’s 28-24 Melbourne.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:09am
55′ Storm fight back again through King
Crichton drops the ball as the Roosters look for a spread on their own line and the Storm are on the attack again. Grant ducks out of dummy half and it’s that man again Josh King who hits it short for an unlikely double! That’s the first of his career.
Once Meaney converts the gap is back to 24-22.
2h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 11:04am
48′ Collins flies high for another Rooster try
In the meantime, the Roosters have scored again and again it’s off a kick with Walker going up and Lindsay Collins of all people coming down with it! Sensational effort from the big man!
Right next to the posts as well, so it’s 24-16 Roosters once Walker converts.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:52am
Second half is underway
And we’re halfway home! Storm kick us off.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:37am
Halftime: Roosters 18 def Storm 16
Anderson throws a forward pass to Bradley on the Storm 30 and the Roosters will get one last shot before halftime.
Katoa gives away a penalty for a crusher but the Roosters will not take the two, they’re being aggressive.
But it backfires, Walker goes for a tricky grubber on the second looking for Crichton but Hughes snaps it up.
That’ll do us for the first half and what a half it was! Back and forth, lots of tries, still very much in the balanace.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:29am
32′ Wong goes over as points bonanza continues
Another try, again off a Walker kick – this time he goes across to the right side, Howarth can’t handle it and Wong is rewarded for a good chase with an easy try after Melbourne fumble the pill.
Walker converts and the Roosters take the lead back 18-16.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:23am
Injury: Sandon Smith and Salesi Foketi
The two Roosters defenders will both for HIA’s after that heavy collision. Smith in particular looked in very bad shape.
Wong comes on at right second row and Dockar-Clay is in at hooker with Watson moving to the halves.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:21am
27′ Grant dives over as Melbourne go in front
Nawaqanitawase drops a bomb and the Storm will have a chance to take the lead. A six again and a pass that gets knocked by Smith helps them build pressure – they’re looking dangerous, but the Roosters are hitting well.
Grant slithers down the blindside, Smith and Foketi clash heads trying to get him and the Storm dummy half is over! Melbourne take the lead.
Meaney converts and it’s 16-12 Storm.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:14am
20′ Storm strike back again
Tupou lets the ball bounce off the kick off and the Roosters will drop it out. Hughes forces a drop out on the ensuing set to build further pressure
Nawaqanitawase races in, Wishart pokes a kick in behind, Coates cleans it up and offloads to Howarth inside to score!
Man, we’re in for a hot one tonight, four excellent tries and we’re barely at the 20 minute mark. Meaney’s kick curls away to the left and the Storm are back to 12-10.
3h agoThu 24 Jul 2025 at 10:09am
16′ Tupou flies high to get his second
Walker pilots a kick over for Tupou and the big fella goes up there and gets it for his double! Spectacular aerial play and once Walker converts it’s 12-6 Roosters.
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