Live: Warriors star named on bench for first time since release request

ABC News

SportsABC News·Jun 21, 2026·7 min read

Live: Warriors star named on bench for first time since release request

Cronulla hooker Blayke Brailey returns to push his Origin claims in the Sharks' showdown with the Roosters after Will Warbrick scores three tries in a phenomenal outing to help Melbourne to a 42-20 win over the Raiders in Cameron Munster's 250th NRL match.

Earlier, Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad scored four tries against the Cowboys as the Warriors dominated in the first game at a new stadium in Christchurch.

Follow all the action in our live blog below, check out all the stats in the full ScoreCentre, and tune in to our live radio coverage.

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Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 6:15pm

The Sharks are on the park in Sydney

By Jon Healy

We're wrapping up round 16 with what should be a great game between the Sharks and Roosters at the Sydney Football Stadium.

Nicho Hynes and Blayke Brailey return, while the Roosters welcome back all SEVEN of their State of Origin players.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 6:11pm

Cameron Munster is knackered

By Jon Healy

After a big week as State of Origin captain and then into this milestone 250th match, Cameron Munster says he's a bit tired of all the fuss.

"I'm just glad we got the win. Just another game," he tells ABC Sport.

Munster credits the club and his wife Bianca for organising the event and having his kids out there with him.

"Family's everything for us as a club, it's a special moment. It's been a big week, emotionally everyone's made it about me. Just happy to put it behind me.

"I'm done. I'm all media'd out and all footy'd out."

Key Event

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:59pm

FULL-TIME: A dust-up on the siren as Melbourne wins 42-20

By Jon Healy

The Raiders' kick-off doesn't go 10 metres and they're penalised for touching the ball. Stefano Utoikamanu and Hudson Young have a bit of a chat and Harry Grant tries to play peacemaker. But Young flings the ball at Stef from behind and Cameron Munster gets involved as it all kicks off.

But ultimately, the Storm reject the penalty in the dead centre of the field and are happy to just bank the two points and a healthy for-and-against boost.

It really could have been a different night if not for Will Warbrick. The Warriors-bound winger has had a rough year so far, but he was immaculate tonight, catching everything over the top of Savelio Tamale, grabbing three tries and getting his team a slew of repeat sets in the red zone.

"It's nice. I try to put a bit of effort into areas of my game and sometimes fortunate to get a bit of reward for it," Warbrick tells ABC Sport.

"I was trying to get myself in the picture and the contest and just attacking. That's what the big man [coach Craig Bellamy] wants from me."

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:55pm

Trent Toelau is just handed a try

By Jon Healy

Ethan Sanders fumbles a poor pass from Joe Tapine and it falls right in front of Trent Toelau to swoop and score.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:53pm

76' Daine Laurie goes within centimetres of scoring

By Jon Healy

The kick goes up just next to the posts and Daine Laurie outleaps Cameron Munster, but he just grounds the ball short of the line.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:51pm

75' Jahrome Hughes has come off

By Jon Healy

I saw Trent Toelau on the park and assumed Craig Bellamy had given Harry Grant an early mark, but no, he's still hobbling around out there. Jahrome Hughes has come off with a few minutes left.

Key Event

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:46pm

Sua Fa'alogo gets on the board!

By Jon Healy

AGAIN Will Warbrick in the air earns his team a fresh set of six right on the tryline and the Storm, crucially, take a couple of settling runs before spinning it left.

Jack Howarth dumps an offload out the back to Cameron Munster and Sua Fa'alogo arrives out the back just in time to receive the pass and dive in.

Key Event

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:42pm

The Storm are in again

By Jon Healy

Melbourne spin it left and the defence is sliding.

Jack Howarth, who hasn't had the best night (or season), sums this one up really well though to hold the pass long enough to draw Daine Laurie in before unleashing Moses Leo in the corner.

And Sua Fa'alogo's sideline conversion curls beautifully inside the right post, and just has the legs, bouncing over off the crossbar.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:42pm

67' Warbrick wins the Storm another shot

By Jon Healy

It's ANOTHER high ball caught by Will Warbrick and dumped back. Ativalu Lisati taps to Harry Grant, who makes a phenomenal catch and passes to Jahrome Hughes. Hughes grubbers through and is taken out after kicking by Matt Timoko, who's penalised for the late shot.

It was a clear one, but I've seen worse ones go unpenalised.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:40pm

66' Xavier Savage will miss the end of the game

By Jon Healy

Savage caught a bomb and copped a head clash with Cameron Munster.

The Raiders winger is bleeding from a nasty cut on his left eyebrow and is forced off for an HIA.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:37pm

64' Another chaos ball attempt from the Raiders

By Jon Healy

But this time it doesn't come off.

It was eerily similar to the miraculous first-half try, but this time play breaks down as Ethan Sanders's desperate pass over the top goes forward.

Key Event

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:32pm

A treble for Will Warbrick!

By Jon Healy

Will Warbrick at his best is always going to be a nightmare for Savelio Tamale in the air and he flies up over the top again with a perfect AFL-style mark, making sure to dig the knee into Sav's ribs.

The catch is clean, the putdown is … OK, and the celebration is furious with a massive spike into the ground.

It's another missed sideline conversion, so the Storm lead 24-20.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:30pm

58' Fatigue setting in

By Jon Healy

A few errors and mental mistakes coming into the game right now.

We're seeing a lot of players happy to take their time in the breaks to try to get some oxygen back into their lungs.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:25pm

52' Another mistake from Joe Chan

By Jon Healy

The Storm are slick going right and Joe Chan crowds Sua Fa'alogo as the fullback holds up the pass. Eventually he has to offload to Chan right on his shoulder, and Chan is slammed to the deck by Hudson Young. Those two have been in each other's faces all night, and Young has won basically every round so far.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:22pm

50' Harry Grant with the slowest dummy half scoot in history

By Jon Healy

The Storm are getting a roll on, but the usually dynamic Grant can't really take advantage because he's clearly slowed by whatever this injury is.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:20pm

47' Flick pass in the in-goal

By Jon Healy

This game is chaos epitomised.

The second kick comes from Owen Pattie, Jahrome Hughes gets back to clean up and looks hemmed in, but manages to throw a flick pass to Sua Fa'alogo to escape the in-goal.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:19pm

46' Harry Grant is in real trouble

By Jon Healy

The Storm skipper is trying to run off some sort of back or hip issue after getting cut in half by opposite number Owen Pattie.

He also copped an elbow on the ground from Morgan Smithies that knocked his mouthguard out, which probably didn't help.

Not sure exactly what's wrong, but he's really hobbling around.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:17pm

44' Savage saves another one for the Raiders

By Jon Healy

The Storm had them stripped for numbers on the left and Xavier Savage leapt to disrupt the pass. Jack Howarth hit him in the head and for some reason, despite Savage clearly jumping for the ball, that's not considered playing at the ball.

Interesting considering it is playing at the ball if you rush the kicker and have the ball kicked into your back.

Sun 21 Jun 2026 at 5:15pm

42' Canberra makes the first error of the half

By Jon Healy

Harry Grant goes low and Ativalu Lisati goes high, eliciting the error from Corey Horsburgh in the middle of the field.

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