Full Time
80:00
6:00pm Fri March 22, 2019
Round 2 - GIO Stadium Canberra, Bruce / Ngunnawal - Crowd: 14031
80min

FULLTIME! Storm hold off a late Raiders surge and move to 2 and 0 for the season.

78min

INTERCEPT! Vunivalu snaffles a long ball and that should seal the contest.

77min

Rinse and repeat. PENALTY. Storm wasting time perfectly here.

76min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Strip. They get another set start but time is running..

76min

Hodgson tries the surprise chip on second, Carr is there and is taken in-goal.

75min

Good kick pressure on last from Canberra, Smith went to the second option kicker, Munster who lofts it out on the full.

73min

Papalii is caught on the last again. Sezer was tackled on fourth, so he was out, they just went for the power move and Storm easily gathered them.

72min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Sutton charges forward, this time he gets the whistle. Raiders over halfway.

71min

Storm look to go left straight away. Josh Addo-Carr caught a cold without much work on the wing, but he is shunted against the sideline then shoved over.

70min

That isn't what Canberra needed. Sutton trying to get them chugging, coughs it up.

68min

Conversion: Raiders
Kicked by Jarrod Croker.

Another tough ask for Croker. They need to go up in sixes, the captain walks in, nails it.

Storm lead Raiders 10 - 22 Storm
67min

Try: Raiders
Scored by Jarrod Croker. Kick to come.

That was a strange sequence of play. Wighton kicks through, it rebounds off a Storm player into the hands of Whitehead, the forward looks tackled but rips it out right into the path of Croker to dive over.

Storm lead Raiders 8 - 22 Storm
66min

Kenny Bromwich looked to have latched onto a wonderful grubber from Munster but the ball just beat him across the line. Seven tackles coming for the Raiders.

61min

Conversion: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Near the posts, Smith puts them ahead by three scores.

Storm lead Raiders 4 - 22 Storm
60min

Try: Storm
Scored by Nelson Asofa-Solomona. Kick to come.

That should put the game to bed. Raiders had their chance, Storm countered then the hulking forward just slide over.

Storm lead Raiders 4 - 20 Storm
60min

BUNKER TIME! Checking a double movement.

59min

What a run from Kaufusi! He scooped up the bat down and goes 70 before turning Vunivalu loose. He is wrapped up and Storm right on the hammer.

58min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Offside from the scrum. Raiders need to turn this momentum into some points.

56min

Raiders go the power move on fourth and fifth. First Horsburgh then Papalii as they changeover. Storm working it off their own line.

54min

Slice of fortune for the Raiders. A wonky kick hits Scott on the hands, so scrum down.

53min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Soliola earns the whistle, now Raiders march upfield without much work.

52min

Conversion: Raiders
Attempted by Jarrod Croker.

Left side conversion for the Canberra captain. He slices it.

Storm lead Raiders 4 - 16 Storm
51min

Try: Raiders
Scored by Jarrod Croker. Kick to come.

Some hope for the Raiders! John Bateman wouldn't be denied there. He combined with Horsburgh, before shuffling it to Croker to slice across.

Storm lead Raiders 4 - 16 Storm
49min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Second effort from Munster and Raiders shoot over halfway.

47min

Penalty Goal: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

From in front, the captain slots it.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 16 Storm
46min

PENALTY STORM! Holding in the ruck again. Smith opts for two.

44min

Not the start the Raiders needed here. Havilli now has spilled it.

41min

Now Soliola turns it right back over. He tried to twist in the tackle and lost the handle.

41min

Aggressive start from the Raiders. They gang tackled Vunivalu after he got the kick then three smash Croft for the centre to lose the ball.

40min

We're back for the second half. Can the Raiders force their way back into the game or will the Storm grind their way to their second win of the season. Here we go.

40min

HALFTIME! Easy as you like for the Storm. A hat-trick to Fijian flyer Suliasi Vunivalu has them 14 points up at the break.

40min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Brodie Croft weaved past several of his own attackers, obstruction. Raiders hold on.

39min

PENALTY STORM! Twisted him right around the neck, and Storm count is wiped clean. They will tap and go.

38min

PENALTY STORM! Hodgson had himself backed into a corner, tries to angle one off the post, who else but Cam Smith regathered. Interchange forward Horsburgh was offside and flopped onto the hooker.

37min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Raiders hit hard in defense, forcing the error as Elliot Whitehead tries to counter. Raiders get a whistle and they're on the attack.

35min

PENALTY STORM! This time it was the left doing the damage for the Storm. A falling Kenny Browmich slung it to Jahrome Hughes who couldn't handle. It comes back for a penalty though.

34min

Leilua just coughs it up. Storm right back on the attack.

32min

Conversion: Storm
Attempted by Cameron Smith.

Second time from the right side touchline - can Smith swing this one across? he did but clanged the post.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 14 Storm
31min

Try: Storm
Scored by Suliasi Vunivalu. Kick to come.

First half hat-trick! Vunivalu just strolls in after some more slick work and he has a half hour triple.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 14 Storm
29min

PENALTY STORM! Corey you've locked in bellows the officials, as the Storm get a piggyback.

25min

Brandon Smith tries to wrestle through the defense, a slight bobble though and Raiders start a set on halfway. They need some points before the break.

24min

Oh dear. Raiders had worked it well, Sezer saw Rapana alone on the wing but the kick is too deep. Storm survive and take over.

22min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Better defensive set from the Raiders, big hit from Leilua as well on Chambers. On last, Smith bumps Hodgson and earnt the penalty for interference.

19min

Conversion: Storm
Kicked by Cameron Smith.

Easier one for Smith, he makes it double digits.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 10 Storm
18min

Try: Storm
Scored by Suliasi Vunivalu. Kick to come.

The wall had to crack eventually! Storm loaded the short-side, toed through and there was a convoy coming through, Vunivalu is the one to gather and take it under the posts.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 8 Storm
16min

Raiders didn't wilt under some heavy pressure. First Curtis Scott almost sliced through before he was grassed by Jarrod Croker then the captain doubled up to deny them again. On last, Klokstad again positoned himself well enough to take Smith's stabbed grubber and stay infield.

15min

Perfect kick from Munster. He aimed it near the sticks, and caught Wighton right on the line. He had to take it in-goal and six more incoming.

13min

Now the Raiders hand it right back. Bateman in a gang tackle, tries to free the arm and loses it.

12min

Adventurous stuff from the Storm near their own line. Asofa-Solomona spills it after an offload. Big chance for the Raiders in the red zone.

9min

Conversion: Storm
Attempted by Cameron Smith.

Tough first assignment for the skipper. From the right hand touchline, he started it out and it didn't bend back enough for the flags to be raised.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 4 Storm
7min

Try: Storm
Scored by Suliasi Vunivalu. Kick to come.

Too slick, too easy from the Storm! All started from Smith, they send it through the hands for Vunivalu to bump off Cotric with ease, for the opener.

Storm lead Raiders 0 - 4 Storm
6min

Raiders have been constantly under presssure thus far, now a last tackle kick from Sezer flew out on the full. Props to Cam Smith for his kick pressure that forced it as well.

4min

Leipana first sighting, as Leilua got on the outside of his defender before a flick went behind Rapana and knocked on.

3min

PENALTY RAIDERS! Wonderful kick return from Klokstad got the Raiders out of trouble, he added some extra yards before a middle count penalty has them over halfway.

1min

Precison first set from Storm had Nicholl-Klokstad trapped within his own ten. A long kick hits Hughes right on the chest and Storm are already back in the red zone.

KICK-OFF! Here we go. Croker sends it into the dying light of the afternoon, and Melbourne have first use.

Here come the Storm! Onto a well-trimmed Canberra stadium in their purple jerseys before a blast from the Viking Horn signals it's clap time! Raiders stomp onto the turf with the infectious 'Green Machine' song following behind. They are of course in their lime green, ready to kick-off.

Welcome to your Friday night double feature: it starts in the nation's capital, as two first-up winners Melbourne and Canberra butt heads in the matter of moments. Can the Raiders make it two from two or will the ultra slick Storm continue their early-season rampage.

Referees & scorers:

Referee: Adam Gee, Phil Henderson

Touch Judges: Jeff Younis, Adam Cassidy

Video Referee: Jared Maxwell, Bryan Norrie

CANBERRA RAIDERS (10)
Tries: Jarrod Croker (2)
Field Goals:
Conversions: Jarrod Croker (1/2)
Penalty Goals:

MELBOURNE STORM (22)
Tries: Suliasi Vunivalu (3), Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (2/4)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (1/1)