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Jonah Pezet looked right at home as Melbourne playmaker and could be settling in for a stint with no date set for the return of injured superstar Cameron Munster.
Pezet, 21, helped steer the Storm to a gutsy 8-0 win over three-time defending champions Penrith to stretch their stunning round one win streak to 22 years.
Called into the starting side after Munster failed to overcome a troublesome groin injury, Pezet put up a bomb that led to the only try of the match on Friday, scored by Reimis Smith.
Munster revealed after the match that he’s no certainty to return for Melbourne’s round two clash next Saturday against the Warriors, also at AAMI Park.
“It’s pretty frustrating,” Munster told Channel Nine.
“The physios haven’t really given me a time-frame and today I was pretty sore.
“I’m pretty restricted, I can only use a band at the moment and can’t really get out of a jog.
“I can’t really put my finger on it, we did scans and everything.”
Coach Craig Bellamy said he wouldn’t risk Munster unless he was 100 per cent, and was pleased with what Pezet delivered after an early error, when he spilt the ball.
“He’s an impressive kid,” he said of Pezet, who made his debut last year, playing seven games.
“He’s got a bit more mature this year and being brutally honest, I don’t know how important he saw defence last year, but he sees it as important this year and he did a really good job defensively, too.
“He’s a smart footy player, he’s a really good kicker of the ball, but he would have got exposed tonight if he wasn’t invested in defending.”
Pezet said defence had been an off-season focus for him, and he was delighted to contribute in keeping the Panthers scoreless.
“A few games I played last year, I got targeted, being a young half, especially,” he said.
“”A massive pre-season for me, and I put a bit of weight on, and am now confident in making my tackles and winning my tackles.”
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