GAME OVER! The Canberra Raiders have UPSET the Melbourne Storm 28-20. What a game from AAMI Park.
Last chance saloon for the Storm.
Loose carry - challenges are over.
Josh Papali'i will lose it. But they are challenging this the Raiders.
Coates goes into touch. Liam Kennedy says his foot is into touch!
Cotric loses it!
Canberra recover!!
From the sideline. Jamal Fogarty nails it. It's a two possession game with under 5 to play.
I think that's a try for the Raiders and that could seal Melbourne's fate. The catch and pass from Savage collected Seb Kris on the head but it's not a knock on and Jordan Rapana wins the race to the loose ball to score.
Looked a bit continentious - but I'm backing the ref's call there.
Big Nelson puts it down and there's no challenges left.
Great run from Josh Papali'i
PENALTY CANBERRA: Tackled after the held call.
Wighton loses the ball.
Challenge is unsuccessful. Correct call from Klein in the bunker.
Olam loses the football... Challenge time.
PENALTY STORM: Strip after tackle was complete.
Fogarty converts and Canberra regain the lead.
A clever little grubber kick from Jack Wighton has seen Cam Munster go ice-skating and Hudson Young beats Munster to the ball first. Sensational from the young backrower.
The challenge is successful as the decision CHANGES. Goal line dropout instead of scrum.
I agree with the referee's initial decision here. But we are challenging.
Cotric is down here.
Jahrome Hughes has PASSED his HIA.
David Nofoaluma takes it well and the Storm are now forced to work it out of their own end.
Melbourne find touch.
The reason why Munster is kicking. Meaney has a leg injury (via Triple M).
Munster's conversion is successful.
They're coming home with a wet sail here. Nelson Asofa-Solomona crashes over and the Storm hit the lead again. Smart vision from Grant to isolate the Raiders defence.
Set restart Storm - ruck infringement.
Munster tried to milk that penalty but Atkins wasn't fooled.
Six more off the charge down.
Xavier Savage's grubber is taken by Xavier Coates who does well to get back into the field of play.
Set restart Raiders - ruck infringement.
Big Nelson Asofa-Solomona loses the football!
Munster's penalty goal is hooked. No good!!
Tapine placed on report. Unlucky as he's slipping but it's been a consistent penalty. Hughes leaving now.
Time off - Jahrome Hughes caught awkwardly here.
PENALTY STORM: High shot.
Munster converts - 16-14.
Storm strike first here in the second half. Melbourne shift it right. Munster and Hughes combine with Marion Seve who shrugged away from Sebastian Kris. Seve linked back up with Munster before he found Coates who crossed for a hattrick.
Was a poke in the eye on Hudson Young. We're playing on.
Zac Woolford is down and in discomfort. He's made his way back and it'll be six more.
Both sides complete their sets to start the new period .
Off we go for the second half.
I do remind our users that IF and I say IF we go past 80 mins. It's 10 mins each way and NOT golden point.
Half-Time: Canberra 16 leading Melbourne 8
Kenny Bromwich leaving the field now for a HIA.
Grant trapped in gooal and it's another set.
Smith loses it in the big shot by Joseph Tapine.
Fogarty converts - 16-8.
Off the back of the penalty for obstruction. Canberra bag their third of the first half. Great short ball from Joseph Tapine which sent Elliott Whitehead across, who charged over the top of Nick Meaney to score.
PENALTY RAIDERS: Obstruction
Jamal Fogarty's kick is successful. Raiders lead 10-8.
Fogarty caught the Storm napping. That was poor from the Storm in defence off the scrum. Jamal Fogarty skipped on the outside of Meaney and Olam and scored.
Adam Elliott leaving the field with the trainer in a lot of discomfort.
Seve knocks it down and it'll be a scrum.
David Nofoaluma - six to go for the Raiders. Green machine are ON THE ATTACK!
A reminder, the winner of this clash takes on Parramatta
Commentators are blowing up - but it seemed to be the right decision from Grant Atkins.
PENALTY RAIDERS: Tackle in the air.
Last tackle play goes astray, Jordan Rapana took it but was bundled into touch.
PENALTY RAIDERS: Offside 10m.
Finally, the Raiders get some possession. Hard to believe the score is 8-4.
Matthew Timoko has PASSED his HIA and will return.
No good. 8-6 Storm lead.
That's number two for Xavier Coates and they go back to back here. Grant is carving them up, he darted out of dummy half before finding Hughes who produced an inch-perfect kick and Coates gets himself an early double.
84% of this game has been at the northern end (Storm attacking) through 21 mins.
Great set post points, Nick Cotric has to bat it dead.
Meaney's conversion is wide left. 4-4.
It took 18 minutes. But the Storm hit back through Xavier Coates. It was great service from Grant who found Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes with Marion Seve finding Xavier Coates and the big winger crashes over in the corner.
Savage saves the day for the Raiders. First goal-line dropout coming up.
Grant goes close...
Set restart Storm - ruck infringement.
Meaney grabbed possession off the Kenny Bromwich grubber but he lost the ball in the contact.
Matthew Timoko has to go off for a HIA. Not sure about that one...
Kris loses it on the last tackle.
Raiders complete their set after points.
Fogarty fails to add the extra two. 4-0 Raiders.
MATT TIMOKO!! What a try from the youngster. Jack Wighton picks up the offload from Joseph Tapine. They got six more, Xavier Savage found Matthew Timoko who said CYA to Cameron Munster and after absorbing all of the early momentum, Canberra lead 4-0.
Coates bats it down. Six to go
Grant puts it down. Full marks to the defence of the Canberra Raiders. Harry Grant fails to recover the Nelson Asofa-Solomona offload.
Harry Grant grubber kicks it early but Sebastian Kris plays at the football.
Set restart Storm - ruck infringement (on the last).
Canberra defend really well, Nick Cotric jams in but Matthew Timoko intercepts it. Unfortunately, Justin Olam throws the young Kiwi over the sideline.
Set Restart Storm - 10m off the scrum (of course).
Savage loses the ball. Melbourne ran it on the last, clever blind-side raid from Hughes, Jordan Rapana knocked it back but Xavier Savage lost it trying to regather the second kick.
Off we go. Win or go home for these two sides tonight. Let's get ready to rumble!
First and foremost, a moment's silence in memory of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
Grant Atkins is in charge of this one tonight. Drew Oultram and Liam Kennedy are the touch judges and Ashley Klein is in the bunker.
Thanks for joining us from AAMI Park for this knock out semi-final between the Melbourne Storm and the Canberra Raiders. It's our first elimination final of the 2022 season. Melbourne finished in fifth spot on the ladder, but come into this clash following two straight losses. Canberra meanwhile have been fighting for their position in the finals all season. On the team cards, Melbourne have two changes with Tui Kamikamica and Brandon Smith starting for Felise Kaufusi and Josh King. Canberra are 1-17. Kickoff approaching at 5:40pm.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Grant Atkins
Touch Judges: Drew Oultram, Liam Kennedy
Video Referee: Ashley Klein
MELBOURNE STORM (20)
Tries: Xavier Coates (3), Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Conversions: Nick Meaney (0/2), Cameron Munster (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Munster (0/1)
CANBERRA RAIDERS (28)
Tries: Matthew Timoko, Jamal Fogarty, Elliott Whitehead, Hudson Young, Jordan Rapana
Conversions: Jamal Fogarty (4/5)