Match Centre

Jesse Bromwich takes the final carry of the night.

Johnston can't hold onto a sweet pass from Latrell Mitchell which could have set up a grandstand finish.

Walker goes high as Papenhuyzen gets over his 30 metre line.

Hughes is tackled a few metres out from the try line.

Burgess is being assisted off by the medicab.

The Rabbitohs trainer is calling for play to stop with Tom Burgess down injured.

Brandon Smith is back on to close out the match.

Souths are pulled up for a forward pass.

Josh Addo-Carr makes a nice kick return.

Melbourne lose possession short of the try line.

The Storm win the call and will have the ball within striking distance of Rabbitohs' try line.

The Storm are challenging the referee's call of knock on.

Latrell Mitchell loses possession after pressure from the Melbourne defence.

Papenhuyzen comes up with a great catch.

Both teams come together after Souths take exception to a tackle on Cameron Murray.

Munster opts to run and almost gets to the line.

Alex Johnston spills the ball coming out of his own end.

Pressure from the Storm sees the Rabbitohs come up with an error.

Jesse Bromwich makes an error inside his own half.

Tyson Smoothy comes on for his NRL debut.

The Storm will look to push the score beyond a converted try.

Melbourne get a penalty after Hughes was tackled after kicking.

Chris Lewis is on for the Storm.

Mark Nicholls is on for South Sydney.

This has been a remarkable comeback from Souths - they were dreadful for much of the first half, but momentum has well-and-truly shifted.

Justin Olam comes up with a terrible play the ball.

Christian Welch is back on for his second stint.

Hughes goes to the heavens with his kick, but Latrell is up to the task.

Melbourne elect to take the shot at goal.

Gagai spills the ball - Melbourne on the attack and get a penalty.

Keaon Koloamatangi manages to stay in the field of play despite heavy defence from Melbourne.

Reimis Smith can't hold onto a cut-out pass from Jahrome Hughes.

Melbourne work it out of their own end after a strong first set from Souths.

Chris Lewis and Tyson Smoothy are yet to see action. Souths used all four reserves in the first half.

Cody Walker finishes the half with an error - it's been a bludger of a half for the Rabbitohs.

Tom Eisenhuth makes an error in the play the ball.

Souths run the ball on the last and lose.

Rather than Melbourne getting another set, Souths regain possession on the 20 metre line.

Souths are challenging a call and win.

Brandon Smith swoops on a Rabbitohs' offload.

Munster kicks on the first tackle, but Mansour is able to beat Addo-Carr to the ball.

Souths make an error on halfway.

Benji Marshall is on for the Rabbitohs.

A wayward offload sees Souths on the attack in Melbourne's half.

The Rabbitohs are looking frazzled - they are completely unprepared for what the Storm are throwing at them.

The Rabbitohs fire a forward pass coming off their own line.

Addo-Carr evades a few defenders to put the Storm on the front foot.

Josh Mansour makes an error on the second tackle.

Souths get a penalty in front of the posts.

Souths force an error close to the Melbourne line.

Keaon Koloamatangi - who made his NRL debut at AAMI Park last year - is on the field.

Felise Kaufusi makes an error.

Jai Arrow is on for his club debut.

Josh Mansour cleans up a Brandon Smith kick a metre out from the South Sydney line.

Correction: Jahrome Hughes was the man responsible for the key contact.

Christian Welch forces an error out of Jacob Host.

Tui Kamikamica is on for the Storm replacing Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

Ryan Papenhuyzen puts Kenny Bromwich into a gap and is on the spot to back up for the try.

Souths come up with an error 35 metres out from the Storm line.

Souths find an overlap on the right, but Addo-Carr does well to stop Jadyn Su'A in his tracks.

Melbourne get a penalty coming off their goal line.

Mitchell makes a nice run and gets a pass away.

Munster kicks out on the full to give Souths possession on the 40 metre line.

Reimis Smith combines with George Jennings to find space down the right edge.

Josh Addo-Carr makes a great break after the Storm spread the ball inside their own 10.

Papenhuyzen regains possession after a sneaky kick from Cody Walker on the last tackle.

Hughes finds touch 30 metres out from the Rabbitohs try line.

Ryan Papenhuyzen manages to gather in a rolling kick from Reynolds in the knick of time.

Hughes puts up a high ball that Mitchell manages to gather in.

The Storm have started the match with an attacking mindset - already they have produced 3 offloads.

Melbourne get a repeat set inside the Rabbitohs' half.

Josh Addo-Carr does well to prevent a 20/40 attempt from Adam Reynolds.

A strong first set sees Campbell Graham defuse a Jahrome Hughes' chip a metre out from his line.

Nelson Asofa-Solomona gets an offload away on the first carry of the night.

Jesse Bromwich leads the Storm onto AAMI Park as the sounds of Thunderstruck ring out in the crowd.

Adam Reynolds takes the Rabbitohs onto the field.

South Sydney have yet to win in Melbourne from 16 previous attempts.

Melbourne have not lost a Round 1 match since 2001 - the Storm did lose their first match of the 2004 season after having the bye in the opening round.

Josh Mansour, Jacob Host, Benji Marshall and Jai Arrow will become the latest players to represent the foundation club.

Winless in Melbourne from their previous 16 attempts, the Rabbitohs will line up as per program, 1-17.

New recruits George Jennings and Reimis Smith will make their club debuts.

Playing their first match at AAMI Park since Round 4 last season, the reigning premiers have made a late change to their team with Tyson Smoothy coming onto the bench in place of Nicho Hynes.

The season kicks-off with the Melbourne Storm taking on the South Sydney Rabbitohs at AAMI Park.

Welcome to League Unlimited’s coverage of the 2021 NRL season.