Storm fullback Sua Faalogo produced a stunning 12-minute hat-trick to turn a tightly contested match into a 46-20 win over the Dragons, finishing with three tries and eye-catching attacking numbers in just his second game of the season.
Sua Faalogo’s 12-Minute Hat-Trick
The decisive sequence began with a one-on-one line finish that put the Storm back in front when the score was 20-18 with less than 20 minutes remaining. Minutes later he tore through a small gap and sprinted roughly 40 metres to score again, then completed the hat-trick with an individual effort three minutes from time by turning sharply and exploiting space toward the posts. Across the match he amassed 119 metres, ten tackle busts, three tries, three line breaks and two line break assists.
How The Game Unfolded: Dragons Fight, Storm Pull Away
The Dragons had given the Storm a real contest, recovering from an early 12-0 deficit to lead 14-12 at half time and holding a lead with 17 minutes to play. Their performance included a strong contribution from new recruit Dan Atkinson, who set up two tries and helped spark the mid-game fightback. Despite that resilience, Melbourne turned the contest in the final quarter as the hat-trick sequence opened up a clear margin. A late individual try from centre Moses Leo in the 80th minute added the finishing touch to the scoreboard.
Early-Season Form And What Changed
Sua Faalogo’s three-try performance means he now has five tries in the opening two rounds after a double in Round 1, and the Storm have scored a combined 98 points while conceding 24 across those games. The fullback continued to fill the attacking role following the departure of Ryan Papenhuyzen, emerging as arguably the team’s best player through the first two matches. Though the final margin was 26 points, it understates how competitive the Dragons were for large portions of the contest; Melbourne’s scoring burst in the final 18 minutes proved the difference.
The result leaves the Storm with a high-scoring start to the season and cements Faalogo’s status as a key attacking weapon early on, while the Dragons showed enough fight to suggest they will remain a challenge for top teams as the campaign progresses.
