Knock-On Effect NSW Cup: O’Neill hat-trick spurs Dragons victory

The Dragons got off to a sizzling start with Willie Talau’s men nabbing four tries in the opening quarter of the clash.

It started fast and early for the home side with Loko Pasifiki Tonga reaching out to slam the ball down off a Ha’ele Finau delivery five minutes in.

Hayden Buchanan joined his front-rower on the scoresheet just moments later as a sweeping Tyrell Sloan showcased a nice set of hands down the left-hand corridor.

Their momentum continued soon after with Joseph O’Neill the beneficiary of his own bomb after a spirited chase from several of his teammates to make it 16-0.

Nick Tsougranis sent Tyler Peckham-Harris into space down the right flank 16 minutes in with the speedy winger sending a brilliant kick back on the inside for a chasing Tyrell Sloan to score.

Melbourne stopped the bleeding a half-hour in through Luke Cesari, but the final points of the opening stanza with O’Neill finishing off a slick Dylan Coutts break to grab his second and make it 28-6.

The Storm found back-to-back tries mid-way through the second half with Hugo Peel crossing before Cesari found a second.

Their fightback attempt ran out of steam however with O’Neill dummying and stepping his way to the stripe to notch his third of the afternoon an hour in.

David Fale found his way onto the scoresheet moments later off a nice Hayden Buchanan ball.

Despite a pair of late Storm tries, it was a Peckham-Harris effort in the southwestern corner which sealed the result for the home side to improve their record to 2-0 on the year.