FULLTIME :: It is a winning return for Billy Slater as the Storm edge a tight encounter 14-12.
Melbourne Storm 14-12
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Korbin Sims makes an unforced error.
Broncos have to force it and they get it to Sims who spills it.
Melbourne Storm 14-12
Cronk grubbers into touch. Broncos need to quickly gather for the scrum. Time off! 68 seconds left!
Melbourne Storm 14-12
Broncos go short.. and Storm recover! The visitors will get one more set.
Melbourne Storm 14-12
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith has a pressure kick to give the Storm the lead.. from close to the sideline.. the captain is taking his time. He walks in, and swings it over!
Melbourne Storm 14-12
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Josh Addo-Carr. Kick to come.
GREEN LIGHTS.. TRY! More ricochets than a level of Sonic there and Addo-Carr dives over!
12 all
BUNKER TIME! Storm might actually be in here! Checking the contact.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY STORM! James Roberts offside. More pressure.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY STORM! Another man taken out.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Andrew McCullough makes an unforced error.
McCullough drops it cold.. near the Storm line.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY BRONCOS! Korbin Sims goes full force into the defense and gets the whistle.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: Jesse Bromwich makes an unforced error.
Bromwich spied the gap and just kept powering through! He spilled it getting up to play it.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Anthony Milford makes an unforced error.
Milford tried to keep grip but lost it.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
Cameron Munster WON'T be back! Broken jaw for the young lad.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: William Chambers makes an unforced error.
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Chambers thought he was in the NBA with the finger roll there.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
BUNKER TIME! Checking if Chambers has spilled it.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
Korbin Sims with a big hit! Penalised and now, Boyd gets ANOTHER warning! This game is getting heated.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
What a move from Oates! Slater once again drifted across, and tried to offload it.. went straight to Oates.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY STORM! Brisbane get the official warning!
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY STORM! Slater whacked again on suspicion from Moga.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Adam Blair makes an unforced error.
Adam Blair tried the hollywood catch from a Korbin Sims offload. No bueno. Storm scrum.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Corey Oates makes an unforced error.
Corey Oates tries to run the ball back at speed, and spills it. Big chance for the home side.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
Creative rugby league from Smith there! He almost provided a through ball for Addo-Carr who picked it up on the run but is clawed down by Hunt. Changeover.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: Suliasi Vunivalu makes an unforced error.
Slater tries to spark something for the Storm, as he drifted across the field but the pass isn't on the mark for Vunivalu.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
Some afters after the decision. Both sides have been talked to, no binning.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY STORM! Slater was taken out chasing a kick.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
PENALTY STORM! Milford pinged for a shoulder charge.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS: Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu successful.
Kahu once again from in front, converts.
Brisbane Broncos 12-8
TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS: Scored by Ben Hunt. Kick to come.
Ben Hunt created the extra set and converts it! The half spied some room behind the ruck, and exploded to the tryline.
Brisbane Broncos 10-8
Hunt stabs one through early in the count and traps Addo-Carr.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
PENALTY BRONCOS! Asofa-Solomona got involved in the ruck.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
PENALTY BRONCOS! Some rustiness from Slater, he was called off clearly by the pocket ref and got involved in the play.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
Smith has it on the tee, kick-off! Back underway!
Melbourne Storm 8-6
Here come the players, we're back on for another forty minutes of action!
Melbourne Storm 8-6
HALFTIME! Storm have dominated but only lead 8-6.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
It's been an absorbing forty minutes, both teams are walking to the scrum.. as we edge to halftime.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: William Chambers makes an unforced error.
Chambers spills it again.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
Superb passage of play from the Storm! Slater with a running take, and Vunivalu just casually takes it one handed.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: Cameron Smith makes an unforced error.
Whoops, Cam Smith tries to scoop it from dummy half but fumbles.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
PENALTY STORM! Josh McGuire makes a second movement.. then marched for backchat.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: William Chambers makes an unforced error.
Chambers spills it as Slater tried to sweep right.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
PENALTY STORM! Tautau Moga goes high on Cronk an is pinged.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
A first touch for the returning Slater as the AAMI Park faithful all held their breath. Storm working their way over halfway.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
SUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL MELBOURNE STORM: Penalty goal attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
That was a slight anti-climax. Storm had all the running, and Smith opts for two. He slotted it.
Melbourne Storm 8-6
Broncos finding it hard to get out of their own end. Hunt with an errant kick that rebounds and is knocked on. Big chance for the Storm.. as they welcome back Billy Slater! The fullback is on.
6 all
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: William Chambers makes an unforced error.
Get out of the way Will! Cronk tries to fire it to his wide men but the centre was in the way, and it is spilled.
6 all
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Sam Thaiday makes an unforced error.
A big hit on Thaiday and he drops it. 11 on 11 there.
6 all
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
A tough first assignment for the Queensland captain.. and slots it.
6 all
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Ryley Jacks. Kick to come.
They peppered the left hand side, and get their result! It was all Cronk that set but on the final tackle, Smith stepped in and fed it to Ryley Jacks for his maiden score.
Brisbane Broncos 6-4
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Anthony Milford makes an unforced error.
Storm come up quickly on Milford and Vunivalu forced the error.
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: Ryley Jacks makes an unforced error.
Storm stretch the Broncos defensively and from a lovely late pass from McLean is knocked on.
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
RED LIGHTS.. NO TRY! Easy decision.. he promoted it. PENALTY BRONCOS!
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
BUNKER TIME! Checking if Cronk has got to the line!
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
PENALTY STORM! Addo-Car tries to scoot from the scrum, is handled well.. but too much work.
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
UNFORCED ERROR BRISBANE BRONCOS: Matt Gillett makes an unforced error.
Unlucky there for the Broncos. Hunt scoops it from dummy-half and throws it into Gillett, and the touchie calls it knocked on.
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION BRISBANE BRONCOS: Conversion attempt by Jordan Kahu successful.
Kahu from besides the sticks. Converts.
Brisbane Broncos 6-0
TRY BRISBANE BRONCOS: Scored by James Roberts. Kick to come.
That came from nowhere! Cooper Cronk had forwards in motion, swept to the left and the pass hit the ground.. James Roberts just scooped it up and paced to the line.
Brisbane Broncos 4-0
Milford tries to link with Blair but forward.
0 all
PENALTY BRONCOS! Storm once again, pinged while the Broncos were in their own 20. Another relief.
0 all
Kahu dives over the line.. but it was FORWARD. The last pass from Boyd was called, it looked marginal on replay.
0 all
PENALTY BRONCOS! Strong charge from Moga gets them countering down the field and the whistle.
0 all
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: Dale Finucane makes an unforced error.
Storm right on the attack again but spill it through Finucane.
0 all
PENALTY STORM! Offside.
0 all
PENALTY BRONCOS! Storm too eager off the line. After an impressive first set from the home side. Oh no! Vunivalu is taps the kick back inside for Munster to take. Storm ball.
0 all
Brisbane are lined up on halfway, ready, willing and able! Boot goes to ball! Here we go~!
Here come the visitors.. Brisbane in their away strip, white with maroon shirts.. lead out by captain Darius Boyd to a chorus of boos from the Storm faithful. It looks a healthy crowd down in Bleak City, as we await the Storm. They are of course, led out by Cameron Smith to a loud reception, in their purple jerseys.
You've heard Fergie time? We're into Channel Nine time now.. game was meant to kick-off but there has been no movement of teams onto the field yet. We did just get a lovely package on Suliasi Vunivalu before some late stretching in the dressing room.
Welcome to Thursday Night football! Into round three, and we are starting to get a sense about how the teams are operating. Melbourne are like the kid in class who does enough to get by, and by get by, they are two for two this season - now taking on a Brisbane side that is coming off another instant classic against perennial foes North Queensland. For the Broncos, they are one and one, defeating the premiers and losing to the Cowboys.. tonight offers a chance for them to stamp their authority on the season, as they welcome Benji Marshall into the maroon and yellow! For the home side, Billy Slater makes his return from a year and a half injury on the bench as well. It is all set up for a cracking contest, join us at 8:00PM AEST for kick-off.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Gerard Sutton, Matt Noyen
Touch Judges: Brett Suttor, Rickey McFarlane
Video Referee: Bernard Sutton, Ben Galea
MELBOURNE STORM (14)
Tries: Ryley Jacks, Josh Addo-Carr
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (2/2)
Penalty Goals: Cameron Smith (1/1)
BRISBANE BRONCOS (12)
Tries: James Roberts, Ben Hunt
Field Goals:
Conversions: Jordan Kahu (2/2)
Penalty Goals: