STORM 20 14 WARRIORS
Fulltime - Tuivasa-Sheck creates a little opening for the Warriors but the Storm cover it well and Lisone knocks the ball on trying to offload. What a game and as good a game the Warrrios have played on defence in years - Melbourne had enough ball to win by 20. A little bit of conjecture around the final Storm try - check it out in the highlights which will be up shortly. Thanks for joining me tonight for a wonderful game of NRL - The Warriors may just be better than we think - would have won with a preformance like that against lesser opposition but full credit to the Storm - They were just that little bit better down the stretch tonight.
79mins - Cronk finds the sideline and the Warriors stop the clock with 40 seconds remaining - time for some Russell Westbrook type hero ball me thinks.
78mins - Vunivalu with a brilliant take from the short kick off which was excellent from Johnson and the Storm will slow this down with 90 seconds on the clock.
77mins - TRY STORM - Thats the game folks - Warriors don't deserve to lose by much more than this to be honest. Smith sees the defenders struggling to get back and hands it off to Kaufusi who crashes over. The Storm skipper can't add the two so still a slight chance they can take this to golden point.
76mins - Gavet with the mistake with 3 tackles up the Warriors sleave inside the Storm 30m line and the Storm march up the field.
75mins - Poor last tackle option from Johnson - wrong kick realy - a little chip kick when the ball along the ground would have suited better. Melbourne work the ball back nicely and the Warriors get the ball back on tehor 30m line.
72mins - Penalty to the Storm - wow that was poor from Gavet - just going on with it in the tackle - The Storm were under pressure on the 3rd tackle but Gavet is penalised and now the hosts get the ball inside the Warriors half with a full set.
71mins - Great defence again - Hoffman cleans up a messy pass and the Warriors are right on attack. Inside the Storm half on the 3rd tackle.
70mins - Storm go super close here - Cronk may have scored under the posts from a Smith grubber. - Referee is having a look and he appears to have knocked it on as the ball was bouncing up - no says the TMO - Mannering forced the ball so this will be a line drop out. This could be the game on this set. Warriors must hold them out.
69mins - Good defensive set from the Storm and they get the ball back just inside their own half - They are hot on attack here - the Storm taking over this game.
65mins - TRY STORM - WOW!!! - What a try - Cronk with a wonderful chip kick and Vunivalu looks set to score but somehow the Warriors shut it down but from the next tackle the Storm shift the ball out and Addo-Carr scores in the corner - Referee says try but I have to say he may have put a sprig in touch but they can't go back and have a look - It was super close either way - But what a great try. Smith fails with the two - A great try..yes..but again brilliant scramble from the Warriors.
62mins - A good set comes to nothing for the Warriors as Foran drops the ball on the last - Melbourne work the ball down foeld but a poor kick from Cronk on the last will see the Warriors with a scrum 15m out from theor own line.
60mins - Take a bow James Gavet - Steven Adams would have been proud of that - Alley oop like plucks a Cronk bannana kick out of nowehere with Billy Slater sweting on it. Johnson with a great kick on the last and the Storm will look to work this out again.
58mins - Sides trading sets here - Both teams working it back to halfway nicely, Wariors with the ball on theor own 40 on the fourth tackle - Johnson kicks and Vunivalu works it out for the hosts.
56mins - Game is opening up a bit - both sides making easy yards. Warriors look to work it out from inside theor own 20m line.
55mins - Tremendous defence from the Warriors - Storm looked dangerous and it was a very good offensive set but the visitors shut them down again - Cronks kick on the last goes dead and the Warriors will have seven tackles.
52mins - This is crazy - Thompson with a mistake trying to play the ball quickly and the Storm get a fresh set 30m out.
50mins - Penalty given away by the Storm under the posts and Johnson will have a shot at two - smart penalty given away there - the Storm were in trouble out wide - Johnson throws it over - Warriors back in front.
49mins - Dale Finucane coughs the ball up on the first tackle and the Warriors go back on attack.
47mins - TRY STORM - What a great read from the Storm - they see Thompson and Hoffman out on the edge and Chambers skins both of them - Chambers puts Cronk away and despite last ditch effort from Maumalo with the ankle tap - you can bet the Storm are going to attack the Warriors left side defence at will for the last 30 minutes - Smith misses his conversion attempt. Worrying signs now for the visitors with that chamge in the centres.
46mins - Solomone Kata is off with an injury - Bodene Thompson playing in the centres
44mins - TRY WARRIORS - Foran and Johnson at it again - Johnso with a lovely pass to Tuivasa-Sheck and he puts Fusitua in - That was a set piece try at it's best - Great work from the Warriors halves and skipper. Johnson can't add the two - four point ball game. - That was a brilliant team try - should make the coaches happy.
43mins - Warriors go on attack 25m out.
42mins - Great spiral bomb from Cronk and the Warriors almost goft the Storm the ball back but Hoffman shows good hustle and cleans it up - Lisone earns the Warriors a penalty - looked like a head lock tackle from Smith.
41mins - Tuivasa-Sheck with a mini break on the 3rd tackle - Warriors will kick from inside the Storm half here but Slater takes it with ease again.
Second Half - Cameron Smith to get is back underway - have the Warriors learnt from last weekends poor second half against the Raiders - time will tell. The Storm were guilty of their own poor second half last week as well so should make for an excitng 40 minutes.
Half Time - Kind of a strange half - It feels like the Wariors are on top but the Storm have had more of the ball but a couple mistakes has probably cost them a half time lead. Warriors defending great but will need more of the ball in the second half - Isaac Luke was superb in the first 40 minutes. Be back live in about 10 minutes.
39mins - Slater with some magic puts Cronk away but the Storm can't finish the Warriors off - Ayshford with a try saving tackle but he is ruled offside and Smith smacks over the two points and we go to drinks all-level.
39mins - No mistake from the Warriors and Melbourne will look to create something late here from inside their own half.
37mins - Johnson right down the middle - big set of six coming up here with a couple minutes left on the clock.
36mins - Warriors get another penalty - they will take the two - a bit of disention amongst the ranks - Foran and Johnson wanted to take the tap but the call comes from the sideline to take the shot
34mins - Another silly penalty to give away from the Warriors - Tuivasa-Sheck offside on the kick chase....but the Storm give it right back with an error on the first tackle at the play the ball. Warriors to go on attack for the first time in 15 odd minutes.
33mins - Defensive penalty to the Warriors - Maumalo takes a huge high kick well and Chambers drags him into the in goal but it wasn't legal according to the ref - bit of a break that for the visitors.
30mins - TRY Storm Too much pressure - Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who is a massive human crashes over under the posts and the Storm will tie this up. Too much football for the Storm in good positions off the back of two penalties - Warriors need to sharpen up a bit with their discipline but they are defending well.
29mins - Another penalty - 5-1 the count now - Storm piling on the pressure here.
28mins - Matulino on for the Warriors - The visitors need to change up this up and under kicking game plan - Storm cleaning them up nicely. Penalty Storm on the 4th tackle - they have another attacking set just outside the 20.
26mins - Another Storm mistake at the play the ball, 5m out on the last, Cameron Smith of all people - The Warriors are rushing up on defence and making their tackles - Shaun Johnson has put on a couple huge hots on Cameron Munster so far.
24mins - Defensive penalty for the Storm - The Warriors inside the 10 on the second tackle - that is poor from Mannering and Hoffman - miles offside.
23mins - Luke is eating up the Storm through the middle and creating a bit of panic in the Storm defensive line - Foran with the up and under but again it's shut down - this time by Vunivalu. Smith woth the 40-20 attempt but it takes a bad bounce abd Fusitua cleans it up.
21mins - Tuivasa-Sheck almost steps his way through on halfway - Warriors 20m out - bomb from Johnson but Slater is up to it and takes it well.
19mins - Home town decision from the ref - a totally legit tackle from Lillyman and the crowd blows up - ref says penalty but Felise Kaufusi drops the ball on the first. Justice people! - It appears a little slippery out on the park at the moment.
18mins - Mistake from the Warriors - Luke creates an overlap with a nice pass - Ayshford put Fusitua in the gap but he gets taking out over the sideline on the scond tackle - great defensive work from Chase Blair. Storm have the ball on halfway.
17mins - Slater with a nice offload and the Storm work it back to halfway on the 1st tackle. Warriors defend the attack well and Cronks kick doesn't go to plan and rolls out over the sideline. Warriors defensive scrum 5m out.
16mins - Tuivasa-Sheck is defusing Cronks kicking game nicely - does a great job on another high-kick and the Warriors work it out again.
14mins - Brilliant from Fusitua - a great kick from Cronk and Fusitua leaps in the air AFL like and shuts down the attack - Warriors go for the 40-20 through Foran but Slater does well to keep the ball in play.
13mins - Penalty Storm and they go right on attack through Will Chambers.
12mins - Warriors with a settling set off the back of scoring - Johnson creating a bit of havoc for the Storm - Foran with a nice kick and the Storm will start again from their 10m.
9mins - TRY WARRIORS - Foran and Johnson create the try - Brilliant pass from Johnson to Ayshford who drew the defender in and Fusitua scores in the corner. That was Melbourne like - nice set up play from Tuivasa-Sheck on the previous tackle as well. Johnson bangs it over from the sideline. Great start Warriors.
8mins - Second phase from Foran almost put Hoffman under the posts on the 4th tackle - Johnson with a nice kick and the Warriors get a repeat set.
7mins - Storm with a great set - working up the field well. Tuivasa-Sheck cleans up the scraps on the last and then Gavet earns the Warriors a penalty at the ruck. Warriors have the ball on halfway with six tackles up their sleave.
4mins - Nice defensive set from the visitors - shutting down the Storm on the last - poor end to that set for the Storm. Warriors working it out nicely..Luke with a very good 20m carry.
3mins - Early mistake from the Warriors - Ken Maumalo with a fumble in the play the ball. Storm scrum 15m out.
2mins - Warriors making easy yards - Johnson on the last with a huge bomb but Slater takes it nicely. Strom working back out from their 5m line.
1min - Melbourne working the ball out from their own line nicely. They have some big boppers up front. Eventually Cronk gets the kick away on the last tackle and Tuivasa-Sheck does a nice job taking the high ball
Kick-off - We are underway at Etihad - and it's Tuivasa-Sheck who gets us going. Storm to have the ball first.
8.58pm - Almost set for kick-off as the fireworks go off above the stadium. Great atmosphere - the crowd really getting in behind both sides and paid their respects during the national anthems.
8.56pm - Strom have made one change - Cameron Munster will start at five-eight with young Riley Jacks moving to the bench. Kenny Browwich also appears to be missing from the side.
8.55pm - Warriors starting 13 unchanged from Raiders clash - the bench is Roache, Sao, Lisone and Matulino.
8.52pm - Teams have made their way out onto Etihad for the traditional ANZAC pre-match. Warriors are in their white away strip whilst the Storm are in their usual purple. Doesn't appear to be any special ANZAC day strip....somewhere Mark Watson will be happy about that right now.
8.50pm - Hello all, my name is Brad and I will be providing you with all the action from across the pond in Melbourne as the Warriors take on the Storm in the traditional ANZAC day test. Some late news..Ben Matulino will make his return to action off the bench.
Hello and welcome to live updates of the ANZAC day clash between the Melbourne Storm and the New Zealand Warriors at Etihad Stadium in Melbourne.
We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action. VIDEO will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.
Commentary will start from around 8:55pm (NZT).
