Melbourne Storm have been handed a key boost in their quest for a first premiership since 2020 with a key forward aviding suspension after being placed on report in Thursday's win over the Broncos.
It was a comfortable win for Craig Bellamy's side, but the only blemish on the game was second rower Eliesa Katoa being placed on report during the 50-12 victory.
The incident occurred in the 62nd minute of the match when Katoa collected Broncos winger Tristan Sailor high with his shoulder as he passed the ball.
Katoa was put on report and also sent to the sin bin as a result of the incident, though the differing commentary teams had opposing views on whether the offence merited a sin bin.
Cooper Cronk on the Fox Sports coverage thought the decision was justified, whilst Paul 'Fatty' Vautin and his Channel 9 colleagues believed Katoa was hard done by, saying he was already committed to making the tackle and had little time to react to Sailor ducking down.
Regardless, it put Katoa at risk of suspension for the finals, as the offence was his second charge of the season.
To the relief of Katoa and the Storm, the judiciary chose not to issue a suspension to the 24-year-old forward, instead giving him a monetary fine instead.
He was hit with a Grade 1 careless high tackle charge, but was only given an $1,800 fine, allowing him to play in Melbourne's home qualifying final next weekend.
It is a big plus for a Melbourne side full of momentum after securing the minor premiership with three weeks to spare in the season, with several key players also returning to form and fitness at the right time.
They put on a clinic against the hapless Broncos, as Jahrome Hughes strengthened his case to win the Dally M medal.
The halfback scored a hat-trick and assisted two more in a dominant display, whilst Will Warbrick also bagged himself a hat-trick.
Katoa himself also had a game to remember, scoring a try in the 21st minute, running for 162 metres and recording a linebreak.
He is no stranger to scoring tries this season, scoring 12 in 22 matches, with all of them being starts in the second row.
The Storm finished the season with 44 points and a record of 19 wins and five losses, meaning they will finish at least four points clear of any team below them in the table.
As it stands, they will face the Sharks in week one of the finals at AAMI Park, with a win giving them a week off before the preliminary final.
