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
Deez
Guest
Be grateful Canberra finished as high as they did. They won't make the final 4 next year.
Deez
Guest
Storm did very well to weather everything that Raiders threw at them. Just a class side and great to watch. Long way back for Raiders in 2017.
Jono
Guest
"Lucky to make the 8" is at least an improvement over the typical "Raiders for the spoon" that usually gets banded around before every NRL season.
Jono
Guest
Really? I've seen it penalised a number of times this year so I wasn't aware they changed it. Raiders fans know all too well about the refs and the Bunker not being across the current laws/interpretations and having it prove costly, so its good that they refs got that right then,
steveng
Roar Rookie
That's BS 'The Barry'! Have you ever played RL? If you have then you will realise that a team down 1 player (especially a fullback) and especially at this level and in a game so close, is given an unbelievable advantage by having one player off, this was the opening that the Storm needed and they scored the try that gave them the game, right after the sin binning. Jack Wighton made that decisive tackle (and he didn't hang on too long and didn't deserve a sin bin) that saved a certain try, the Storm wouldn't of scored that try after Jack Wighton went off. The fairest call would have been, a penalty to the Storm and nothing more. The Raiders held on very gallantly to not concede more points! That is the point of that call and your call of 'some drongo was blaming the refs for last nights result' is wrong. I'm not a Raiders fan but a fan of RL that wants to see a contest without any refereeing advantage/disadvantage given to any teem, especially in a crucial game like this.
shaun
Guest
I'm a raiders fan I agree with most of what you said but thought the sin bin was fair. He clearly tried to hold up the play and if you listen was warned by the ref to let go 3 times. However the forward pass and blake austin copping a swinging arm to the face even if he's falling was atrocious. Also the tackle on Rapana at end of 1st half to force him back into goal. I always thought that tackle someone with there back turned and in the air is classed as a dangerous tackle but no one mentions it.Correct me if I'm wrong but I've rewatched it 3 times now and I still think it was a dangerous tackle
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
The Storm have based their success on solid defence and structures to win games. Their ugly, wrestling tactics are frustrating to watch but the challenge is there for teams that play a more uptempo and exciting brand of football to find ways to beat them. To beat the Storm you have to be just as solid as them in defence, reduce your error rate to just about zero and take the opportunities when you get them. Who knows - if Edrick Lee takes that intercept and runs the length or catches the pass from Sezer in the final minutes and strolls over the try line the Raiders win and we are having a totally different conversation. Finals are made up of small moments and opportunities that need to be taken. The Raiders have a long off season to think about that.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
The GF will be a grinding slugfest with lots of in your face defence and slowing down in the ruck. I suspect the Sharks may just have a few more options in attack than the Storm who rely on a limited number of structured plays.
Geoff from Bruce Stadium
Guest
Not arguing that the Storm weren't the better team last night - it's the ill informed comments by some about the Raiders I object to - as though they don'y deserve to be there and they will be lucky to make the 8 next year with their current list. The Raiders lost 14-12 to both grand finalists in this finals series and with a bit of luck and maybe a little bit of better management could have won both games. They will learn a lot from these experiences and will be very competitive again next year.
Richard Maybury
Guest
Totally disagree. The Raiders were milking penalties all game and it wasn't until the second half that the refs saw through it. A really disgraceful display by the Raiders that looked like it was trained behavior. It was as if Ricky Stuart had singled out the refs as the weakest point in the game.
Ken
Guest
Dan why bother asking ,it's just the no brain no evidence rubbish these losers trot out cus they are storm haters ,? Winners are grinners losers can just make rubbish up .
Richard Maybury
Guest
Why is he getting painful ? Simply because he isn't jumping on the "We hate Melbourne" bandwagon ? The truth is, the Raiders didn't deserve to win last night.
Richard Maybury
Guest
It really does depend on what you appreciate in Rugby League. The Storm's unique professional approach to the sport is beautiful to watch but if all you like is ad-hoc seat of the pants like play the you won't enjoy the game anywhere near as much. That said, it would be very hard to compete with last year's GF which must go down as probably the best ever.
Dan
Guest
No. It would do you good to learn more about their offensive structure and how plays are called and executed. The Cronk try a good example. It's a brilliant piece of play by Smith and Cronk. Smith holds the ball up long enough to entice Papali in to the B runner, throws it out the back to Cronk. Cronk changes his line and speed after seeing Papali rush in and rightly goes through an open channel. It's brilliant to watch.
Dan
Guest
The play the ball leading up to the try was fine. The rule has been this year that players are allowed a second effort to roll the ball back if the knock it forward with their foot. Andrew Voss covered this awhile ago.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Ok - I do t remember that one as clearly. But that was in the first 15 mins or something. It's tenuous to say that cost them the game when they had 65 minutes to make up for it. Hodgson gives away penalty after penalty deliberately so it's not really a surprise that refs are watching him. Watching as a neutral fan I didn't think the refs were that bad and they certainly didn't affect the result.
Doogs
Guest
where are you at?
Donde es Fuss
Guest
very profound
Donde es Fuss
Guest
you must be a bore if you think that is exciting
Doogs
Guest
you suck