MELBOURNE STORM 32 NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS 30
CALLUM WALKER, AAMI Park, Friday

SOMETIMES you just have to stand up and applaud a terrific game between two entertaining sides as Melbourne edged a thriller against Newcastle.

Eleven tries were scored, with the deadlock being broken in the eighth minute when Stefano Utoikamanu crashed over.

Fletcher Sharpe quickly responded for the Knights, but Manaia Waitere hit back around the midway point in the first half to make it 10-6 to the hosts.

Dylan Lucas continued the tit-for-tat nature of the opening 40 minutes, dotting down on the half-hour, but Will Warbrick managed to send Storm into a 14-12 lead at half-time.

Whatever Justin Holbrook said at the break to his Knights players seemingly worked as Dylan Brown registered a four-pointer immediately following the resumption.

Melbourne, however, rallied with Jahrome Hughes picking up a loose ball and stretching through paper-thin Newcastle defence, before Moses Leo grabbed a well-worked try just shy of the hour.

Jermaine McEwen brought the visitors back to 26-24 to set up a grandstand finish, but Trent Loiero handed Melbourne some breathing space with ten minutes remaining.

Eight points down, the Knights kept coming and when Jacob Saifiti scored on 73 minutes, it looked like it would be anyone’s game.

Storm, however, held on.

STORM: 1 Sualauvi Faalogo, 2 Will Warbrick, 4 Manaia Waitere, 18 Joe Chan, 5 Moses Leo, 6 Cameron Munster, 7 Jahrome Hughes, 8 Stefano Utoikamanu, 9 Harry Grant, 10 Josh King, 11 Cooper Clarke, 12 Ativalu Lisati, 13 Trent Loiero. Subs: 14 Trent Toelau (not used), 15 Alec MacDonald, 16 Jack Hetherington, 17 Josiah Pahulu (not used), 19 Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown (not used), 20 Shawn Blore

Tries: Utoikamanu (8), Waitere (23), Warbrick (38), Hughes (46), Leo (56), Loiero (70); Goals: Faalogo 4/6

KNIGHTS: 1 Kalyn Ponga, 2 Dom Young, 3 Dane Gagai, 4 Fletcher Hunt, 5 Greg Marzhew, 6 Fletcher Sharpe, 7 Dylan Brown, 8 Jacob Saifiti, 9 Phoenix Crossland, 10 Trey Mooney, 11 Dylan Lucas, 12 Jermaine McEwen, 13 Mat Croker. Subs: 14 Harrison Graham, 15 Tyson Frizell, 16 Pasami Saulo, 17 Thomas Cant, 18 Cody Hopwood (not used), 19 Francis Manuleleua (not used)

Tries: Sharpe (17), Lucas (30), Brown (41), McEwen (61), Saifiti (73); Goals: Ponga 5/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6, 10-6, 10-12, 14-12; 14-18, 20-18, 26-18, 26-24, 32-24, 32-30

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Storm: Trent Loiero; Knights: Kalyn Ponga

Penalty count: 3-3; Half-time: 14-12; Referee: Ashley Klein; Attendance: 14,268