Melbourne Storm fullback Sua Fa’alogo produced a stunning late burst to inspire a 20-46 win over St. George Illawarra Dragons, scoring a 12-minute hat-trick as Melbourne pulled away in the final stages after the match had been locked at 20-18 with less than 20 minutes remaining.
Fa’alogo broke the contest open with three individual tries, including two long-range efforts that showcased his pace and footwork, taking his tally to five tries in two rounds after replacing Ryan Papenhuyzen at fullback.
Despite the final margin, the Dragons were highly competitive, recovering from an early 12-0 deficit to lead 14-12 at halftime and staying in front until late, with Dan Atkinson leading their attacking efforts before Melbourne surged clear with a late try from Moses Leo.
