Storm survive Tigers comeback

v BYE

Melbourne have held out the Wests Tigers at AAMI Park today, triumphing 29-20 despite not scoring a try in the second half after leading 26-0 at halftime in front of 14,000 fans.

The Wests Tigers tripped down to Melbourne on a chilly Sunday afternoon to take on the Storm. The Storm could remain in touch with the Sharks in second place with a win, whilst the Tigers were attempting to stay in touch with the top eight.

Farah could not back up after Origin 2 with Elijah Taylor moving to dummy half, whilst Munster was out of the Storm with Tonumaipea assuming the fullback role and Tohu Harris playing at five-eighth for Blake Green.

It was an embarrassing first forty minutes from the Tigers that allowed the Melbourne Storm to score at almost a point a minute for the first half an hour.

The scoring started in the 13th minute, after a kick return from Marika Koroibete was taken 80 metres down the field. On the ensuing play Harris fed the ball out to Felise Kaufusi who opened the scoring the Storm.

It was Kaufusi again that would score six minutes later after a simple dummy half pass from Cameron Smith. The Tigers ruck defence was almost as bad as their wing defence as the Storm ran through the Tigers paper-thin line.

The Tigers mistake count was building up. Not only did Brooks kick the ball a metre over the sideline on a kick-off, replacement Taylor passed forward twice from dummy half gifting the Storm unnecessary field position.

A forward pass was missed by the referee in the Storm's third try by Tohu Harris. The bunker could not adjudicate on it however and the Tiger's heads dropped further.

At the 26th minute, the Tigers were actually on the attack, but a loose pass found its way to Marika Koroibete who again sprinted 90 metres, this time for a four pointer putting the score at 24 nil.

Smith converted his fifth goal from five attempts and the 26 nil score line truly reflected the dominance of the home side at half time.

Who knows what was in the half-time oranges, but the Tigers came out as a different side in the second half. Two minutes into the half and James Tedesco sparked the comeback with an incisive run around Cameron Smith and Tohu Harris.

All of a sudden everything was going wrong for the Storm as they gave away penalties and field position.  In the 51st minute a pass out to Koroibete was put down and on the following play Luke Brooks snuck past the defence after an innocuous bomb and the Tigers were back in it.

The Wests Tigers continued to throw everything at the Storm defence and following yet another penalty, this time on markers, a brilliant play down the left ending with a magical flick pass from Brooks saw Tim Simona score and bring the Tigers back to within two converted tries.

Two more penalties against the Storm and the Tigers would score again eight minutes later through David Nofoaluma. The Storm were falling off tackles and misreading the Tigers in a reverse of the first half.

It took a Cooper Cronk field goal to end the comeback chances of the Tigers despite an inspired half from Luke Brooks, Mitchell Moses and James Tedesco.

The Storm completed the win with a penalty goal in the final minutes and the home crowd could breathe easy after a game that they surely assumed they'd win with ease.

Melbourne will have to improve as they head to Brisbane for their game on Friday, whilst the Tigers will host the Panthers next Saturday afternoon.