Melbourne top resilient Brisbane side in outlandish Thursday night clash

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Melbourne Storm v Brisbane Broncos

The Melbourne Storm have pulled off a confidence-boosting 24-16 victory over top of the table Brisbane to open Round 11. Played in front of over 16,000 fans at AAMI Park, it was an at times hectic, and at all times entertaining, eighty minutes of football.

Brisbane were winning the battle of territory in the opening sets, but couldn't make significant use of their good field position. Melbourne would get their first real attacking opportunity at just past the ten minute mark, and it was their five-eighth Cameron Munster who opened the scoring in the 13th minute. It was a very straightforward try under the posts, and with Meaney slotting the conversion, the gap became six.

Justin Olam went close just a few minutes later, but Reece Walsh was there to save the day in cover. In Brisbane's subsequent set, a six again call invited them downfield, before Walsh again showed his talent. Seeing space through the middle, he took off, before offloading into Farnworth's knee. With the ball still live and in the in-goal, Harry Grant was ruled to have impeded Farnworth from scoring, and so it was a penalty try which opened Brisbane's account in the 17th minute.

Adam Reynolds left the field due to a neck injury in worrying scenes at the time - Brisbane would have to do it without their halfback from here. In his absence, Walsh yet again stepped up, providing a superb right to left pass for his winger Jesse Arthars. Arthars had work to do to ground it, but he did well, and so the scoreline read 10-6 at the 26th minute mark.

With a bit of emotion coming into the game, things were poised perfectly for a classic. Brisbane looked set to hold their four point lead into the break, but in the 38th minute Herbie Farnworth got sent for 10 for impeding a Melbourne kick chaser. Will Warbrick promptly crossed on the right edge for the Storm just a minute later to tie the scores at ten for the half-time break.

Warbrick looked to have crossed for a double in the 45th, before the bunker took it off him for a chaser being in-front of the kicker. Even so, Melbourne looked well on top in the early stages of the second half, and they looked certain to take the lead in the 51st minute when Jahrome Hughes sliced through the line and found Eliesa Katoa backing up - but a last ditch try-saving effort from Ezra Mam kept the scores tied.

A few minutes later, Brisbane were hit with another challenge. Pat Carrigan forced to sit out for ten minutes due to a hip drop tackle - Melbourne yet again with the one man advantage. A Meaney penalty goal took the score to 12-10, but it looked like Brisbane wouldn't have to wait long to take the lead off the Storm. Walsh was awarded a try in the 60th minute, before the bunker overruled due to a two in the tackle strip involved in the play. 

So Melbourne went right back down the other end, and scored their own. Justin Olam made the score 16-10 in the 61st minute, before his fullback Nick Meaney kicked a penalty goal a few minutes later to make the margin larger than a converted try. Warbrick would then go on to seal the game in the 75th minute - finally getting his two try haul.

The last five minutes seemed to go forever, with pushing and shoving, a captain's challenge, a length of the field no try that should've been awarded, and two sin bins (Aaron Pene, Thomas Flegler). Corey Paix also crossed for a consolation in the 78th, bringing the full time score to 24-16.

Brisbane will face reigning premiers Penrith in a big test next week, while the Storm will face off against The Dolphins.