That's all she wrote folks - A closer scoreline than the game maybe reflected but it's a win for the Storm with a 34-22 victory.
Melbourne Storm 34-22
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Josh Dugan unsuccessful.
Josh Dugan misses another conversion from wide out and there's just over 60 seconds
Melbourne Storm 34-22
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Tariq Sims. Kick to come.
Another late try for the Dragons - as Tariq Sims runs through some switched off defence and the Dragons close the gap
Melbourne Storm 34-22
Cooper Cronk runs towards the sideline and then puts boot to ball and puts it into touch
Melbourne Storm 34-18
Entertaining football from the Dragons - in vain but as a neutral you've gotta be loving this
Melbourne Storm 34-18
And the Dragons go close but the Storm survive and that will probably be the game wrapped up
Melbourne Storm 34-18
Another penalty for the Dragons and they go on the charge yet again inside the Storm 20
Melbourne Storm 34-18
Packer juggles it off the first hit-up off the set and the chance nearly went
Melbourne Storm 34-18
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Josh Dugan unsuccessful.
Josh Dugan really needed to kick that one but he misses it from wide out
Melbourne Storm 34-18
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Jason Nightingale. Kick to come.
Spoke too soon - the Dragons expansive play and the 2 on 1 play gives Jason Nightingale another for his threesome
Melbourne Storm 34-18
Dragons aren't gonna die wondering with the extra man advantage - looking dangerous but nothing yet points wise
Melbourne Storm 34-14
Josh McCrone kicks before an obstruction and Cam Munster cleans it up and the Storm are forced to drop it out
Melbourne Storm 34-14
Another penalty goes to the Dragons - they want the quick tap but it's called back with another Dragons player in front of the mark
Melbourne Storm 34-14
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Josh Dugan successful.
Josh Dugan with his easiest kick of the afternoon converts from next to the upright
Melbourne Storm 34-14
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Cameron McInnes. Kick to come.
Dragons take advantage of the extra man advantage as Cam McInnes dives over from dummy-half
Melbourne Storm 34-12
SIN BIN: Cooper Cronk is sent to the sin bin.
Cooper Cronk comes in over the top and stays in the tackle too long and he's off to the sin bin
Melbourne Storm 34-8
Relentless pressure from Melbourne forces another error and the Storm will go over halfway yet again
Melbourne Storm 34-8
A nothing kick from the Storm and Josh Dugan gets to the field of play
Melbourne Storm 34-8
Suliasi Vunivalu impressive yet again as he flies high and takes the ball
Melbourne Storm 34-8
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Josh Dugan unsuccessful.
Josh Dugan sends the ball towards the uprights and that's where it hits... it's off the post and away
Melbourne Storm 34-8
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Jason Nightingale. Kick to come.
Jason Nightingale adds his name to the double scorers list - with space on the outside and he finds the corner again
Melbourne Storm 34-8
Slow ruck from the Storm and Matt Cecchin penalises it, Storm set their line again
Melbourne Storm 34-4
UNFORCED ERROR MELBOURNE STORM: Cameron Smith makes an unforced error.
Storm have the Dragons sweep play covered but Cameron Smith can't pick up the bouncing ball - Dragons scrum feed 10m out
Melbourne Storm 34-4
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith takes the all time conversion record off Jason Taylor and the Storm are just piling it on the Dragons
Melbourne Storm 34-4
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Billy Slater. Kick to come.
Billy Slater has a double but from inside his own half Vunivalu skates down the touchline before a one-handed pass gets Billy his second
Melbourne Storm 32-4
Great defence from the Storm hold Tim Lafai and they drive him towards the sideline for a good 10m and earn the scrum
Melbourne Storm 28-4
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith equals Jason Taylor's conversion record as he converts Slater's try
Melbourne Storm 28-4
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Billy Slater. Kick to come.
BILLY THE KID!!! There was talk that Billy Slater wasn't going to be a good player in his comeback but wowee he is amazing...
Holds the ball, shows it, goes through the line and gets the ball down - that's the Billy Slater of old
Melbourne Storm 26-4
A bit of contact with the face... very minimal but Cheyse Blair earns a penalty from Matt Cecchin on the advice of the touch judge.
Melbourne Storm 22-4
Opening penalty of the half goes to the Storm after two Dragons players were pinged for ruck infringements
Melbourne Storm 22-4
Back underway at WIN Stadium - the Dragons need a big second 40 if they want to get back into this
Melbourne Storm 22-4
That's all the time we have in the first half - And it's a Melbourne Storm at the moment in Wollongong with the Storm dominating with a 22-4 lead at the break
Melbourne Storm 22-4
McCrone ends a good set after points for the Dragons with a kick for the corner and finds touch on the 10
Melbourne Storm 22-4
If you missed the earlier late mail - Dragons are 1-17. Storm are 1-16 & 18
Melbourne Storm 22-4
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Conversion attempt by Josh Dugan unsuccessful.
Josh Dugan takes the shot at goal but he pushes it out to the wide and it doesn't come back in
Melbourne Storm 22-4
TRY ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Scored by Jason Nightingale. Kick to come.
Dragons have a massive overlap after the Storm defend a man down and Jason Nightingale goes over in the Southeast corner
Melbourne Storm 22-4
Kick for the corner from Dugan towards Nene McDonald doesn't result in much more than a dropout which looked the only positive result from when it left the boot
Melbourne Storm 22-0
Nelson Asofa-Solomona concedes the penalty after an obvious high shot is called by Matt Cecchin
Melbourne Storm 22-0
Cameron Munster kicks to the sideline and it looks so close to going out but it just rolls parallel to the sideline before Dugan has to clean it up from the ingoal
Melbourne Storm 22-0
Dummy half kick bounces of legs and Cheyse Blair dives on it and the Storm survive yet again
Melbourne Storm 22-0
Desperation plus from the Dragons as they just stop JAC before earning their own penalty
Melbourne Storm 22-0
Full updates back underway after my laptop had a Blue screen of death... which looks like it was for the Dragons performance so far
Melbourne Storm 22-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith is having a diamonds day with the boot another sideline conversion
Melbourne Storm 22-0
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Josh Addo-Carr. Kick to come.
STORM ON FIRE - Great vision from the Storm and it comes out to JAC who gets the ball down in the corner
Melbourne Storm 20-0
UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith unsuccessful.
Cam Smith misses the conversion from the touchline
Melbourne Storm 16-0
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Suliasi Vunivalu. Kick to come.
AMAZING VUNI!!! If his first was brilliant then his second
Melbourne Storm 16-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cameron Smith converts it again from wide on the opposite side of the field
Melbourne Storm 12-0
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Josh Addo-Carr. Kick to come.
Josh Addo-Carr gets the Storm's second in the opposite corner to their first
Melbourne Storm 10-0
SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM: Conversion attempt by Cameron Smith successful.
Cam Smith converts from the sideline
Melbourne Storm 6-0
TRY MELBOURNE STORM: Scored by Suliasi Vunivalu. Kick to come.
BILLY!!! VUNI!!! AMAZING - Billy Slater kicks over to the Northeast corner and Suliasi Vunivalu flashes onto the kick and gets it down in the corner... that was brilliant from Billy
Melbourne Storm 4-0
UNFORCED ERROR ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS: Jack de Belin makes an unforced error.
Jack de Belin loses the ball on the ground and he is furious with the call from Matt Cecchin, but arguing with the ref doesn't usually work
0 all
Storm chance their arm down the left and get some space but Addo-Carr gets caught before he finds the open spaces
0 all
Dragons find a half gap but it's nothing more than that - The last tackle kick finds Billy Slater on the full
0 all
Cronk kicks inside for Billy but Dugan is up early enough to get it and get away from the first tackle
0 all
Big hit from Finucane on Packer and the Storm big man comes away a touch worse for wear
0 all
NOT OUT - Good thing for cricket but not for NRL with the kick for touch not finding the line
0 all
PENALTY STORM - Matt Cecchin blows the opening penalty of the game against the Dragons for offside off the kick
0 all
Third tackle kick from Cam Smith finds Dugan on the 20m line, Dragons working it out from their own half
0 all
Matt Cecchin calls time on and play is underway in Wollongong - Storm take the first use of the ball
0 all
Cameron Smith leads the Storm out onto WIN Stadium where the Storm haven't won since 2005
So two teams at the high end of the ladder - one truly expected the other expected to be right down the other end of the ladder.
How will this one play out? Stay tuned
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Matt Cecchin, Chris Butler
Touch Judges: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski, Belinda Sleeman
Video Referee: Bernard Sutton, Bryan Norrie
ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (22)
Tries: Jason Nightingale (3), Cameron McInnes, Tariq Sims
Field Goals:
Conversions: Josh Dugan (1/5)
Penalty Goals:
MELBOURNE STORM (34)
Tries: Suliasi Vunivalu (2), Josh Addo-Carr (2), Billy Slater (2)
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (5/6)
Penalty Goals: