Melbourne Storm

The premiers went into the match without suspended stars Nathan Cleary and James Fisher-Harris and the injured trio of Jarome Luai, Dylan Edwards and Taylan May ...

I was just disappointed with the way they scored the points in the first half," - Panthers coach Ivan Cleary. "I thought that was our best performance for a long time. When Penrith attacked our line, that is as good as we have defended for a year or two, I reckon. It was a good lesson for our younger guys. I think he really enjoys fullback and the freedom that brings but he is just happy to play a role that is best for the team,"- Storm coach Craig Bellamy. Justin Olam created the opening try for Nick Meaney with a perfectly placed kick after a long run down the sideline and almost laid on another for Cameron Munster in similar fashion but his work without the ball was just as influential.

Cameron Munster was brilliant at fullback as Melbourne boosted their hopes of a top-four finish, while Penrith's injury list continues to lengthen.

He’s just such a competitor, he competes in everything at training and he competes in everything in a game.” “Credit to the Storm, I thought they played well. It’s a good lesson for our younger guys. I’m not quite sure we’ll actually stick to Munster at fullback all the time,” Bellamy said. But so impressive is Munster in the No.1 that former teammate Cameron Smith thinks he could be a top three fullback in the game. It was a Melbourne highlight reel as Penrith were held scoreless for the first time since June 2015 - also against the Storm. Cameron Munster was brilliant at fullback.

Craig Bellamy executed a masterstroke as the Melbourne Storm downed the Penrith Panthers.

He's already just got the ball and taking it 20 metres. He laid that platform. I think in that first 20 (minutes) he was special.

'Be careful': Teammates' timely warning to Storm enforcer.

“It was really good to see the big man out there for long periods of time. He’s such a big man, so it’s hard to miss players, but the main message is we need him out there as often as possible. I want to play each week with the lads.” We’ve got too many guys out, so we can’t afford to have him missing,” Bromwich said of their chats. “I just focus on my job. I just focus on my job.

Melbourne Storm forward Tui Kamikamica has escaped with a fine for a high shot on Spencer Leniu during the club's 16-0 shutout victory over the Penrith ...

It being a first offence for Kamikamica under the NRL's new judiciary code, which gave each player a clean slate and started a rolling 12-month window of punishments, means the blow has been softened, although even a third offence for a Grade 1 penalty is still eligible for a fine with an early guilty plea. Kamikamica's offence has been handed a Grade 1 dangerous contact charge by the judiciary, meaning he is eligible for a $1000 fine with an early guilty plea, or $1500 if he takes the unlikely route of fighting the charge at the judiciary and loses. The tackle appeared to be in the low range when it came to severity, but did collect Leniu with direct contact to the side of the jaw, giving away a penalty and seeing Kamikamica placed on report.

Cameron Munster says he plays his best football at fullback as Melbourne prepare to take a horses-for-courses approach...

"But two or three weeks down the track, you start putting a bit more weight on and you just don't perform or get involved as much as I would like to be." "When I was single I could just do whatever I wanted and didn't have to worry about someone on my shoulder trying to push me in the right direction," Munster said. "But I feel like with the No.1 on my back, I can run the ball and don't have to worry about having to organise the shape. "And that's where I play my best footy is when running the ball." "When I'm in the No.6 I think I have to always ball-play and not run the ball as much. "I missed the open spaces (of playing fullback), that's for sure," he said.