Storm holds nerve in tight finish

The Melbourne Storm has overcome a fierce and fired up Canberra Raiders 22-18 at Canberra Stadium to extend its lead at the top of the NRL ladder.

The win, Melbourne’s ninth in a row over the team from the capital, started poorly for the Storm when Alan Tongue got over the line after great lead-up work from captain Clinton Schifcofske and Jason Smith.

With six players playing their last game in the famous green jersey at their home ground, emotions were clearly running high as the game started at break neck speed.

And emotions boiled over in the 28th minute when both Michael Weyman from Canberra and Matt King from Melbourne were sin-binned for fighting following a tackle on Billy Slater while he was in the air.

Further tries to Greg Inglis, who ran 85 metres to score next to the posts, and Ryan Hoffman sent the visitors into the half-time break 16-6 in front.

The second half took 21 minutes of end to end action before Nathan Friend, from dummy half, passed to Dallas Johnson a metre out who crossed the line for the easiest of tries.

The Raiders found some energy and enthusiasm after it seemed all was lost, and seven minutes later Lincoln Withers scored to set up a barnstorming finish.

And seven minutes from time, Tongue scored his second try of the night after a defensive error allowed the Raiders’ lock to set the fans’ pulses racing.

However, the Storm defence, which has got them to where they are this season, stood up to the late Raiders onslaught to give them a hard fought win and the two points.

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