Match Centre

FULL TIME - A defensive masterpiece from Melbourne who emerge dominant 28-6 winners. Thanks for joining us. Stay tuned for the full wrap up.

Melbourne Storm 28-6

BUNKER - Vunivalu is over?

Melbourne Storm 24-6

The score line reflects Melbourne's defensive resolve but certainly not Penrith's effort.

Melbourne Storm 24-6

Now Melbourne force Wallace out. Penrith have had no hope tonight. Melbourne's defence has been simply perfect.

Melbourne Storm 24-6

Hiku tackled without the ball. Penalty Penrith.

Melbourne Storm 24-6

Have to feel for Penrith. If it was any other defence they would be up by plenty.

Melbourne Storm 22-6

Martin JUST loses it reaching out.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

MARTIN WITH A POSSIBLE TRY.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

Shoulder charge now on Cleary. Another penalty.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

Penalty Penrith now.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

AGAIN! 6 again off a bad last tackle.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

VERY LUCKY! Melbourne knock down a frantic 5th tackle option. 7 tackles for Penrith.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

But Tamou has hit the ball out of Vunivalu's hands... No Try.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

BUNKER - Whare claims a try!

Melbourne Storm 18-6

Nelson Asofa-Solomona ruled to have dropped it. Melbourne giving the Panthers a lot of chances. But with their defence it won't matter.

Melbourne Storm 18-6

Melbourne get a penalty and will go for 2.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Tide might be turning now. Melbourne get the penalty.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

A pass is almost intercepted but Melbourne's defence is just perfect tonight.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Penrith get a penalty for a high shot. They are getting all the calls at the moment but it is amounting to nothing due to Melbourne's great defence.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Cronk puts it out. You would think that if Melbourne get some field possession they could put this away.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Yet again, Melbourne's defence VERY GOOD.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Penalty Penrith.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Awful pass by Martin but somehow Penrith get the fee?

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Vunivalu drops it now... Penrith need to capitalise.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

A Moylan bomb is taken by Chambers who is taken in goal.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Latu smashes Cronk who drops it and Chambers picks it up in an offside position.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Moylan to Whare who bursts through but throws it to Melbourne.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Finucane drops it again!

Melbourne Storm 16-6

LEOTA BOMBS A TRY!

Melbourne Storm 16-6

Penalty, Chambers holds onto Cleary.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

But now Penrith get a shot with Finucane dropping the ball 20 out.

Melbourne Storm 16-6

And we are back underway. Penrith almost get the ball off the kick off!

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Penrith coming back out. Big second forty to come.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

HALF TIME - It has been a quality match so far, who wins from here... I am not sure. Penrith's attack is looking very threatening but Melbourne's defence has looked just as good.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

MELBOURNE GO CLOSE AGAIN ON PEACHEY'S SIDE BUT VUNIVALU DROPPED IT! That would have been a MASSIVE blow!

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Melbourne with a penalty, 30 seconds left.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Penrith's attack looking very good but Melbourne standing up in defence.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

AGAIN! Chambers gets outside Peachey and passes to Vunivalu who streaks away but Waqa Blake with a BIG TACKLE to save a possible try.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Cleary bombs to Addo-Carr who is belted by Latu.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Cleary inside to TMM but Melbourne's defence reigns supreme.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Josh Addo-Carr drops it. Penrith get another shot.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

VERY CLOSE! Cleary spreads it and Peachey goes close out wide. Cleary and Martin looking very good.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Another lucky call there with Penrith getting a penalty with Moylan supposedly held back.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Both sides trading sets at the moment.

Melbourne Storm 10-6

Lucky chance for Penrith, 7 again 30 out.

Melbourne Storm 10-0

The left edge looks vulnerable again but Moylan cleans it up and now Penrith get a penalty.

Melbourne Storm 10-0

They run around but Moylan drops it now.

Melbourne Storm 10-0

Penalty Penrith, they need to build some pressure.

Melbourne Storm 10-0

Finucane has been pinned for shot on RCG.

Melbourne Storm 10-0

BUNKER - Chambers strolls through easily.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Smith kicks for the posts and it's a line drop out. Penrith need to hold strong in defence.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Enterprising stuff from Penrith on the last but Blake is taken after catching the bomb.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Melbourne spread it wide and Chambers kicks it out on the last.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

And again... Vunivalu takes the bomb. I mean they don't want to kick it to Addo-Carr but Vunivalu looks very safe.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Smith punches a small kick through for Slater but Moylan again fields it.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Deja vu with Vunivalu taking another Cleary bomb.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Melbourne sweep it wide to Blair who makes some metres before Moylan takes the Smith bomb.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Big bomb by Cleary and Vunivalu takes it again. Very well done by him.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

DWZ cleans up the Cronk kick.

Melbourne Storm 4-0

Melbourne now get the penalty 15 out. They will tap.

0 all

Jacks kicks on the 4th for Addo-Carr it takes a bad bounce and DWZ clears it. Penrith's defence looking good.

0 all

A great take by Moylan who collides with Chambers and drops it. Should have been a penalty.

0 all

A good bomb by Cleary is taken safely by Vunivalu.

0 all

Cronk runs it on the last and Penrith have held on.

0 all

Merrin has dropped it and Melbourne get an early shot.

KICK OFF!

And now the Storm are running out.

Penrith are out now.

This shapes as a massive game for Penrith, who haven't won at AAMI Park ever. If they beat Melbourne - the competition favourites they will certainly prove their own premiership credentials. I actually like the Penrith forward pack tonight with the omission of McLean and Welch for the home side so I will take the upset with a controlled 7 point win.

For the home side, Suliasi Vunivalu returns with Jordan McLean ruled out. Nelson Asofa-Solomona starts for him with Mark Nicholls and Tui Kamikamica making their NRL debuts off the bench. Meanwhile, Sitaleki Akauola is a late scratching for Penrith with Moses Leota coming onto the bench.

Hello and welcome to tonight's big clash between the Storm and Panthers. Both teams currently sit as the best defensive sides in the competition so it is set to be a tight, low-scoring affair tonight.