The Storm delivered one of the single best performances in the history of modern rugby league.

The footballing gods wanted it as such. Every bounce of the ball (especially those uncontested bombs from the Tigers) favoured the mighty Melbourne outfit at AAMI Park on Sunday, and boy did they capitalise.

Melbourne’s performance tells us more about the Storm than it does about Wests though.

The Tigers were trounced in their first match against a genuine title contender, but, it was a performance that shouts the Storm are the team to beat, not the Bulldogs.

A Craig Bellamy-coached team is a benchmark team.

With the return of Nelson Asofa-Solomona and the output from the likes of Eli Katoa and Josh King, their dominance through the middle was frightening to watch. The Tigers simply had no answer to the unstoppable momentum.

And with a defensive line in tatters, the likes of Jahrome Hughes and the electric Ryan Papenhuyzen, who bagged 36 points, put the Tigers to the sword. No questions about marginal calls, controversial decisions or soft high shots. The Storm would have beaten any team in the competition – and by a fair margin.

So what is the takeaway for the Tigers? This is a pothole in a road to recovery.

The Storm were coming off a match they should have won against the Raiders, at home in front of a raucous AAMI Park crowd, with a livid Bellamy? It was always going to be a recipe for disaster for the visiting team.

The Tigers’ lack of depth in the outside backs is still of concern. The absence of Starford To’a and Jersal Skelton was heavily felt, and their right defensive edge was targeted all afternoon.

They will get troops back, they will be more resilient. We have seen as much so far in 2025.

Coach Benji Marshall’s response was positive though. He personally owned the loss, while also challenging his players to show more grit and determination when the going gets tough. That’s a better sign. That’s culture building.

But much like nothing can stop an avalanche when it is set in motion, rugby league hath no fury like a Melbourne Storm.

Ryan Papenhuyzen celebrates with teammates. (Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)

Jekyll and Hyde Latrell

Is there a more polarising figure in rugby league than Latrell Mitchell?

Many were in awe of his two point field goal heroics in South’s upset victory over the Broncos. It was a memorable moment that ultimately proved to be the difference between the two sides. But it’s not the moment that has produced the most discussion about Latrell.

That moment belongs to his unconventional try in the dying seconds.

With the clock ticking down, Latrell waits at dummy half, collects the ball and promptly takes a knee.

Seizing a defensive line that fails to exert any pressure, Latrell jumps up and barges through some slow to react defence to score a try.

The word ‘unethical’ has made an appearance throughout social media since and there is an argument to label this try as such.

It conjures memories of Joey Manu feigning a knee injury, causing indecision in the Dragons defensive line in 2022, splitting them and kicking for Paul Momirovski to score.

In fairness to Latrell, he does not fake an injury – in that sense, Manu’s act is far more unethical.

But as we have witnessed for eons in rugby league, when the result is well and truly decided and there is no hope of a comeback, we will often see players simply walk into the opposition, almost embracing one another in a gentleman’s agreement.

There was no such agreement offered from Latrell though.

Latrell Mitchell is tackled. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

It seems a little distasteful, but, the overarching theme in both of these instances is – play the whistle. If the Broncos make the tackle, there’s nothing to report.

With that said, you can imagine the uproar from Latrell, Souths fans and teammates though if the Broncos were to have come through and put a shot on a largely prone player. There would be claims of unsportsmanlike conduct, tempers would likely flare and a fracas would ensue.

The same label can be applied to Nick Kyrgios with his quite literal underhanded tactics – or moreso, surprise underarm serves. Is it illegal? No. But as Bill Harrigan infamously said during the 1989 grand final it’s “not in the spirit of the game”.

It’s also worth asking the question that if this were a player who wasn’t Latrell, would there have been as much of a blow up on social media? I would love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

Unsportsmanlike conduct

While Round 10 saw a clear relaxation from officials on high contact and an Oscar The Grouch like desire to fill the bin, the NRL still needs to address unsportsmanlike conduct of a general nature, especially players searching for penalties.

I believe the game, fans and players themselves would be better served if the Bunker and the NRL’s administrators took a different approach to potential moments of foul play.

An edict that the Bunker can only rule on try-scoring plays, and foul play/high contact that results in a sin bin or worse. If it doesn’t constitute time off the field, we mark it down as one that got missed.

If players can’t ‘play’ for a penalty, you’ll quickly see them shift their focus to a speedy play the ball and dealing with their ‘injury’ thereafter.

Alternatively, start using the head bin like it’s designed. If you stay down after contact with the head, sure you can have your penalty, but you’ll be sitting down for 15 minutes as a precaution.

The NRL has a tendency to let issues fester and be reactive rather than proactive.

Comebacks part of an incredible season

The sheer amount of nail-biters and comebacks throughout the round speaks volumes of the unpredictability and competitiveness of this season of NRL.

It’s the closest I can remember in recent times – and I’m not just talking about the congestion of the ladder.

More than any other season, 2025 appears to be based more on mindset and confidence as opposed to pure talent.

The Dogs’ second-half masterclass all stemmed from belief. “Just get one try and we can get things going in the right direction.” It’s a testament to ethos that Stephen Crichton and Cameron Ciraldo have instilled in this team.

The Warriors in years gone by, would have lost their match against the Dragons, but they hung tough.

Conversely, the Panthers’ struggles continue. Because despite having a world-class coach, experienced and incredibly talented players, confidence is key. Things aren’t clicking quite as Penrith would like and that in itself is making for intriguing viewing.

Teams that are doing relatively well despite playing rather average football at times like the Sharks and Manly throw yet another spanner in the works.

If the first third of the season is any indication, we are set for a mad scramble to the finish to make the finals, and from there anything could happen – even the Storm failing to fire.