Panthers 10 Storm 16
It didn't take him long. The Storm, while still winning, haven't been revving their engines sweetly without their Mini-Cooper.
Cooper Cronk, that is. Introduced from the bench early in the first half, the little half ignited a Melbourne team that had been only chugging along, again not looking quite themselves
and making almost as many mistakes as the Panthers.
On came Cronk.
Within two minutes, he slipped though a gap, linked with hooker Ryan Hinchcliffe, who found fullback Billy Slater.
Slater could arguably have scored himself but another fast-hands transfer saw Brett Finch under the bar. It was slick, it was quick, it was Cronk.
With that one passage of play, Melbourne reminded everyone what they have been missing: a bit of balance. Cronk's arrival allowed Cameron Smith to return to hooker (where he is far more effective).
Next minute, Cronk ripped off a 40-20 kick. Melbourne looked slicker, more confident and way more dangerous. Still and all, Penrith hung in there. Their big forwards, with Petro Civoneciva excellent, battered away and got close enough for their trademark grubber kicks to threaten the Storm line.
They didn't really look like scoring, however, with Melbourne covering the kicks comfortably.
In the last 20 minutes of the first half, the dangerous Michael Jennings and Luke Lewis became more prominent.
Mistakes dogged their most promising moves, however, until big interchange forward Sam McKendry scored a soft try.
The old Melbourne would have changed up a gear after Finch's try instead of slipping into neutral and dully watching McKendry score and it's likely they were exposed to some of coach Craig Bellamy's colourful vocabulary at halftime.
Cronk did it again right after the resumption. A kick, this time, perfectly weighted and perfectly fielded by Slater.
The latter might have dipped in the estimation of many after his cruel sledge of Corey Paterson - a sufferer from depression - last week but if he dispenses with the gob and focuses on the goal line like this, Slater's popularity is likely to rise again.
At least Penrith were not subject to the frustrations of past weeks - when they had big leads but were overhauled.
They are a dogged, tiring side to play against and their forwards continually threaten to stretch small fissures in the defensive line into big holes.
They worked Melbourne into a difficult field position often but the mistakes persisted.
After 54 minutes, Cronk and Slater worked winger Luke McDougall into a corner-flagging try which the video ref said was 'benefit of the doubt'.
Penrith scored through fullback Lachlan Coote with eight minutes to go but Melbourne, with a cranked-up Cronk and a souped-up Slater, are difficult to deny.
Panthers 10 (S. McKendry, L. Coote tries; M. Gordon goal), Storm 16 (B. Finch, B. Slater, L. MacDougall tries; C. Smith 2 goals). Halftime: 4-6.
