The Storm have snatched victory from the jaws of defeat, outlasting the Tigers 24-22 at AAMI Park. Full report to come...
Melbourne come up with possession from the short kick off.
The margin is two.
The Tigers will be shattered with this result - they do not deserve to lose this game!
Despite some concerns over the grounding, the Melbourne centre scores the match-winner.
Will Chambers is claiming a try.
Will Chambers is claiming a try.
Suliasi Vunivalu makes a strong kick return.
Corey Thompson makes a massive diving catch to prevent Ryan Papenhuyzen from collecting Cameron Munster's attacking kick.
Suliasi Vunivalu comes up with an important catch to give the Storm possession.
Will Chambers takes Luke Brooks' grubber dead. Play to resume with a line drop out.
Esan Marsters is held up over the line.
Will Chambers comes up with a costly error near halfway.
From the sideline the margin is narrowed to just two points.
The young centre scores an important try with ten minutes to play.
Melbourne will come up with possession just shy of the halfway line.
The Tigers deserve to win this match, but it was only three weeks ago Melbourne snatched victory against the Warriors under similar circumstances.
Benji Marshall finds touch 30 metres out from the Storm goal line.
Jesse Bromwich is collected on the last tackle metres out from the Tigers goal line.
Vunivalu almost costs his side a try with a flagrant pass on his goal line.
Suliasi Vunivalu does well to field a high ball near his goal-line.
Melbourne find the sideline close to the Tigers line.
Moses Mbye is held up over the line following a great try-saving tackle from Ryan Papenhuyzen.
Ryan Matterson is slow to his feet.
The Tigers opt against taking the two points to keep the pressure on the Storm.
Tigers penalty.
Tui Kamikamica passes straight to Luke Brooks who is caught by Vunivalu inside Melbourne's half.
Papenhuyzen makes another great run.
Marsters pushes the Tigers beyond a converted try.
For the second time this half, the Tigers punish Melbourne's errors with points.
Esan Marsters looks to have scored for the Tigers.
Robert Jennings is collected a few metres short of the tryline.
Melbourne make a costly error right after posting points.
Smith converts to narrow the margin to two points.
The Storm are back within four points.
On the spot to field Cameron Munster's bomb, the international second rower looks to have scored his first try of the season.
Felise Kaufusi is claiming a try.
Ryan Papenhuyzen earns a penalty inside the Tigers half on the last tackle.
Moses Mbye pinches a Cameron Smith grubber off the posts.
Melbourne draw a penalty and will start a set 40 metres out from the Tigers line.
Michael Chee-Kam can't hold onto a Benji Marshall pass during a promising attacking raid down the right edge.
The Tigers get another penalty.
Thomas Mikaele is off for the Tigers.
Suliasi Vunivalu manages to hold onto a towering Luke Brooks bomb.
From close to the sideline, Marsters misses his first kick of the night.
Big play for the Tigers to take the lead out to beyond a converted try.
Awful news for the aspiring Queensland forward.
Reports coming from the sideline that Christian Welch has suffered a suspected ACL tear.
Brodie Croft loses possession just over halfway.
Dale Finucane takes the first carry of the second half.
The Tigers come up with an error as the halftime siren sounds.
Munster kicks for the in-goal, but Robbie Farah is on the spot to gather in possession.
Ryan Papenhuyzen earns another penalty for the home side.
Penalty Melbourne.
Moses Mbye can't keep hold of the ball - play to resume with a Melbourne scrum 10 metres out from the Tigers line.
Luke Brooks aims for a 40/20, but Ryan Papenhuyzen is onto the kick at pace.
Marsters kicks his fourth of the night.
The Tigers interchange forward bags his first try of the season.
The referee refers the play to the bunker as 'No Try'.
Josh Aloiai is claiming a try.
Another penalty for the Tigers, the visitors lead the count 8-2.
The Tigers will get a scrum inside their own half after Cameron Munster contacts the ball following a dangerous ricochet involving Benji Marshall.
Melbourne get a penalty.
Cameron Munster is clutching at an arm.
Melbourne take the lead after battling for much of the first half.
In the blink of an eye, the replacement fullback races away to score his first try at AAMI Park.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is away!
Marsters makes it 3/3 to give the Tigers a 6-2 lead.
The Tigers get another penalty and will take another shot at goal.
Cameron Munster bombs for Moses Mbye, resulting in a Tigers' penalty after Mbye's legs were collected in the act of catching the ball.
The good work of McQueen's strip is undone by a poor knock on from Esan Marsters.
Chris McQueen strips Suliasi Vunivalu to give the Tigers possession inside the Storm's 30 metre zone.
Melbourne kick early to make the Tigers retreat in defence.
Suliasi Vunivalu starts a set just inside his own 10 metre line after a good set following points from the Tigers.
Marsters edges the visitors back in front.
Esan Marsters will kick to regain the lead.
Jesse Bromwich loses possession from the kick-off before compounding the issue by conceding a penalty.
Smith makes no mistake to draw the scores level at 2-all.
Melbourne get their first penalty of the night and elect to level the scores at 2-all with a penalty goal.
The Tigers earn another penalty, but Benji Marshall fails to find touch.
Cameron Smith aims for a 40/20, but Moses Mbye manages to come up with possession just short of the touchline.
The Tigers come up with an error just as a promising attacking raid was beginning to play out.
The Tigers have been very strong during the opening stages.
The Tigers earn a penalty inside their own 20 metre zone.
Benji Marshall produces a strong bomb, but Ryan Papenhuyzen has no issues collecting the ball inside his own half.
From in front, the Tigers open the scoring.
Melbourne kick the line drop out out on the full. Tigers to get a penalty from in-front.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is caught in-goal again. Good pressure from the Tigers during the opening stages.
Esan Marsters is collected inside the Storm 10 metre zone.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is caught in-goal. Play to resume with a line drop out.
As was the case last week Robert Jennings is playing left wing with Mahe Fonua moving to right centre.
Ben Matulino earns a penalty just over the 40 metre line. Play will resume with a tap restart 35 metres out from the Melbourne line.
Moses Mbye makes a strong kick return up to the 30 metre line.
Robert Jennings gets a second kick away into the in-goal, but Will Chambers manages to get out just in time.
Alex Twal takes the first carry of the night.
Melbourne are on the field - play is only moments away.
Moses Mbye leads the Wests Tigers onto AAMI Park.
Contests between the two sides have been surprisingly close over the decade with Melbourne holding a 7-6 lead. Both teams have won two games apiece at AAMI Park, while the Tigers were one of only two teams to post multiple wins over the Storm last season.
Joe Stimson comes onto the bench for his first appearance since the 2018 grand final loss, while the the Tigers are as per program.
Both sides come into tonight’s fixture off the back of dominant wins with Melbourne annihilating Parramatta 64-10, while a first-half master-class saw the Tigers gain payback over the Panthers with a 30-4 win.
Welcome to League Unlimited’s coverage of Round 10 Thursday Night Football between the Melbourne Storm and the Wests Tigers at AAMI Park.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Adam Gee, Gavin Badger
Touch Judges: Chris Butler, Tim Roby
Video Referee: Steve Chiddy, Bryan Norrie
MELBOURNE STORM (24)
Tries: Ryan Papenhuyzen, Felise Kaufusi, Marion Seve, Will Chambers
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (1/1)
WESTS TIGERS (22)
Tries: Esan Marsters, Josh Aloiai, Luke Brooks
Field Goals:
Conversions: Esan Marsters (2/3)
Penalty Goals: Esan Marsters (3/3)