Storm Shock Raiders

The Melbourne Storm have defeated the Canberra Raiders 18-8 in a scrappy affair in the nations capital this afternoon.

The Storm were the first on the score board after Matt Geyer crossed on the back of a Matt Orford break. It gave the Storm a 6 - 0 lead, which they carried into the second half.

The second half started and it was the Raiders who struck early, scoring 2 tries in as many minutes. With Jason Croker and Terry Martin crossing the line for the home team, the Raiders took the lead by 2 points.

The Storm not to be out-done, replied with back-to-back tries of their own. In the 52nd minute, Storm centre Steve Bell crossed to give the Storm back the lead. Then Storm winger Fifita Moala pounced on a lose ball in the 57th minute to extend the lead to 10 points - a lead that was not surrendered for the remainder of the match.

Game Details

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the game 3 - Matt Geyer ( Storm ) 2 - Matt Orford ( Storm ) 1 - Jason Croker ( Raiders )

Scorers: RAIDERS 8 Tries: Martin, Croker Goals: Schifcofske 0/3 defeated by STORM 18 Tries: Geyer, Bell, Moala Goals: Smith 1/1, Orford 2/2

By the clock: 0 min: NEWS - Kick Off

2nd min: NEWS - Raiders look to test Slater early under the high ball, getting the ball back but knocking it on.

5th min: NEWS - Raiders turn down 2 points from directly in front and go for the try, only to have Drew spill the pill.

8th min: NEWS - Storm force the Raiders into a line drop out after Schifcofske makes a rare mistake.

10th min: TRY - Storm score through M Geyer, who was put over by M Orford after breaking the kine. C Smith converts. Storm 6 - 0

18th min: NEWS - After a Raiders break up the middle set up by S Woolford, the Storm scramble well and hold out the green machine

21st min: NEWS - Raider C Schifcofske takes his manditory 14 day waiting period to take a shot at goal and misses.

Half Time News

In one of the scrappiest games of the year, both teams have bombed try after try. The Raiders bombing 3 and the Storm 5 in a match that has seen the ball hit the deck more than the tackled players.

Both teams looked to spread the ball and give it some air, but both teams failed to hold onto the ball as they did so, spilling the pill on a regular basis.

The game is there for the taking, which ever teams holds onto the ball in the second half will come away with the win and the 2 points.

Second Half

44th min: TRY - J Croker gets the Raiders first try, carrying 2 Storm player over the line out wide. C Schifcofske misses the conversion. Storm 6 - 4

46th min: TRY - Raiders score again through T Martin after J Monaghan taps back a bomb into his waiting hands. C Schifcofske misses the conversion. Raiders 8 - 6

52nd min: TRY - Storm hit the front again with a try to centre S Bell. M Orford put G Turner through a huge gap, who in turn gave S Bell the try unselfishly when he could have scored himself. M Orford converts. Storm 12 - 8

54th min: NEWS - Raiders have lost I HIndmarsh for the rest of the match with an injury.

57th min: TRY - Storm are in again through F Moala who pounces a bomb that the Raiders let bounce. F Moala scoops up the scraps and goes in untouched next to the sticks. Orford converts. Storm 18 - 8

80th min: Full Time