Match Centre

That's all she wrote - the Storm win by two!

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Dragons have the scrum packed. 40 seconds remaining. 80m to run.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Video referee for a possible Josh Dugan NO TRY. It's not given, Storm 20m restart with just over a minute remaining.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Cameron Munster takes a ball dead after an unusual last tackle kick from Tim Lafai puts him in a tricky situation. Dragons with another set to attack!

Melbourne Storm 18-16

...but they don't! Poor option on the last and they're tackled Melbourne, it's a handover to the Dragons. 4 and a half remain.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Saints with a drop-out after a very unfortunate set of bounces force them to bat it dead. Storm need to lock the game away this set.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Storm with a penalty 30m from their own line - this will help them immensely provided they can find the midas touch in the back end of the upcoming set...

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Storm have a positive set inside Dragons' territory but it finishes with a fizzer of a last tackle option - Kurt Mann grabs it out of the air unchallenged as the away side work it up the park.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Slater force to knock it dead there after a cheeky Widdop grubber.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Relieving penalty now for the visitors. Storm looking likely but lacking the final touch at the moment.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Bromwich and Kaufusi fail to link up and the Storm hand possession back to the Dragons inside their territory.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

Dragons with some fortune as a mid-field spill was ruled a double knock on. The following set resulted in nothing special - handover Storm.

Melbourne Storm 18-16

BUNKER. Dragons possibly with a try through Tyson Frizell. Checking grounding.

Melbourne Storm 18-10

Relieving penalty for the visitors, just their third today.

Melbourne Storm 18-10

Storm look likely through Chambers on the right but he's held short and tries a silly offload which is taken by Aitken for the Dragons.

Melbourne Storm 18-10

Attempted offload by the Dragons touches Glasby on the way through from the Storm - as a result the visitors start a new set on halfway.

Melbourne Storm 18-10

Saints with a chance to get themselves out of the danger area, Jack de Belin is ruled to have lost the ball trying to play it, despite replays showing the Storm had a hand in proceedings there.

Melbourne Storm 12-10

Storm with an early attacking chance here.

Melbourne Storm 12-10

That's all for the first forty! Storm take a 2-point lead into a break they'd want to have had a bigger lead in after their dominance over the last 25 or so minutes. Dragons in all sorts under the high ball and on the edges.

Melbourne Storm 12-10

Koroibete spills it then the Storm concede a penalty just 30m from their own posts. Looks like we'll go into the break all level if Widdop converts this attempt...

Melbourne Storm 12-10

The Storm continue to pepper Kurt Mann from the air but this time he's wise to the task. Dragons escape.

Melbourne Storm 12-10

Penalty Storm right in front of the Dragons post - offside position after an error. Storm point to the posts again.

10 all

Storm with a cheeky last tackle play - a Cronk sideways kick finds Koroibete and a few passes later Proctor grubbers... eventually finding Euan Aitken who works it away for the Dragons.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 10-8

Storm force an error from Gareth Widdop... and next play we're BUNKER BOUND! Koroibete burns them with pace... looks good. Just checking obstruction.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 10-4

Consider the momentum swung! The Storm are dominating the show now - forcing a line drop-out as Smith puts in a kick which sees Mike Cooper trapped in goal.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 10-4

Scintillating run from Koroibete on the return set but his support options are limited and the Dragons eventually shut the breakaway down.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 10-4

Dragons let go of it in the first couple of plays after the resumption! Melbourne have it!

St. George Illawarra Dragons 10-0

We're off to the Bunker! Dragons over through Benji Marshall, checking obstruction and grounding.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 4-0

Looks like the Dragons have done their homework - Widdop grubbers deftly which forces Slater to bat it dead again.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 4-0

Great final play from the Dragons forces Cooper Cronk into attempting an in-goal catch - he gets fingertips to it before Billy Slater swats away the danger, resulting in a goal-line dropout. More defensive pressure for them to absorb now Melbourne.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 4-0

Brilliant return set from the Dragons, putting Tonumaipea under pressure again but this time he takes it and the tackle. Unfortunately for them they concede a penalty next play to allow the Storm out of their own half.

St. George Illawarra Dragons 4-0

PENALTY Dragons - Cooper Cronk puts an awkward kick in from about 20 metres out which forces Kurt Mann into an error, but Billy Slater is ruled to have shoved Gareth Widdop into Mann's legs in order to force the error.

0 all

St George Illawarra get through their first set and spiral kick it to the wing of Young Tonumaipea, who takes it comfortably and the Storm march back up field.

0 all

Molly Meldrum delivers the game ball... players in place... and GO!

6:59pm and we have the famous Red V up the AAMI Park race and onto the field.

In case you missed it - there's no Holden Cup Under 20's at Storm games in 2016 (except their Round 5 clash with Newcastle). Melbourne's "Thunderbolts" side forged an agreement with Sunshine Coast where they'll play 9 of 12 U20's home games this season, with two others to be played at Langlands Park in Brisbane's eastern suburbs, along with that Knights clash in a few weeks' time. Yesterday the Thunderbolts opened their account for 2016 by downing the Dragons U20 side 44-24.

Check back just before 7pm - we'll cover each key moment of Monday night football LIVE right here. In the meantime - check out the draw for Round 2 of the NRL, starting this Thursday.

In pre-match team news we've got 2 changes for the home side Melbourne - Richie Kennar and Ben Hampton are left out of the first 17 named on Tuesday, replaced by Cameron Munster (20, centre) and Felise Kaufusi (18, bench). The Dragons have one omission causing a reshuffle, which sees Joel Thompson rested with injury concerns and replaced by Jack de Belin (15, second row). Tyson Frizell makes an early return in jumper 21 on the bench to account for de Belin's promotion.

Big clash to round out the opening weekend of Season 2016 - the Melbourne Storm are predicted by many to feature heavily in September footy yet again, while the Dragons continue their rebuild under Paul McGregor and will be hoping to improve on their 8th placed finish from 2015.