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The Melbourne Storm are through to the 2016 NRL Grand Final where they will play the Cronulla Sharks after beating the Canberra Raiders by two points on Saturday night.
» Click here to read the full match report
Final score
Melbourne Storm 14
Canberra Raiders 12
Minor premiers the Melbourne Storm will look to use a week off to their advantage and advance to the NRL Grand final when they take on the always exciting and in form Canberra Raiders. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:40pm (AEST).
The Storm were able to wrap up the minor premiership in the final round of the season with a win against the Cronulla Sharks after some sub-standard form in the preceding weeks.
That game against the Sharks seemed to see Melbourne turn into finals mode though, as they dominated from the outset, and then did the same in the first week of the finals against the North Queensland Cowboys.
That win brought them a week off, and the Storm are hard to beat at home on the best of occasions.
The Raiders meanwhile, surprised everyone to finish in the top four, and then caused more shock by winning a home final against the Cronulla Sharks, which they went on to lose by two points.
Up against a potential elimination last week though, the Raiders came good and dominated the Panthers in a fantastic victory to progress to this third week of the finals.
In team news, the Raiders go in unchanged while the Storm will be without the injured Nelson Asofa-Solomona which has led to them adding Christian Welch, Felise Kafusi and Matt White to the bench.
The match really comes down to how the Raiders can control the Storm’s forward pack and control of the ruck area.
When the Raiders played them just a few weeks ago, they did that wonderfully and dominated the middle. The Storm just don’t get beaten physically, so that match came as a shock to everyone present.
In the finals, you would assume that the Storm will be more up for the match so to speak, but if the Raiders on the back of their big forward pack can get away to a good start and slowly batter the Storm’s forwards things will open up for them in the second half.
Patience will be crucial for Canberra in this one, because that’s exactly what Melbourne will be. Cooper Cronk’s kicking game is pivotal to the outcome of the match for that reason.
The winner of this match will move onto the grand final next Sunday, where they will face the Cronulla Sharks who defeated the North Queensland Cowboys last night.
Prediction
It’s impossible to tip against the Storm in Melbourne. The Raiders will give them one hell of a fight, but the Storm are just too good, especially after a week off.
Storm by 6.
Be sure to join The Roar for live coverage of this NRL preliminary final from 7:40pm (AEST) and don’t forget to add your own comments in the section below.
Follow Scott on Twitter @sk_pryde