Melbourne Storm edged past New Zealand Warriors 12-6 in Auckland.
Two tries in the opening eight minutes, one for Will Chambers and the other for Gerard Beale gave the Warriors a 6-4 lead thanks to Shaun Johnson’s conversion.
But Suliasi Vunivalu’s try with half-time looming gave Melbourne an 8-6 lead at the break.
Two Cameron Smith penalties were the only points of the second half as the Storm held on to record a crucial victory which takes Melbourne to the top of the NRL table.
Warriors: Tuivasa-Sheck, Fusitu’a, Beale, Kata, Maumalo, Lino, Johnson, Gavet, Luke, Paasi, Papali’i, Mannering, Blair; Interchanges: Tevega, Satae, Vuna, Afoa
Tries: Beale; Goals: Johnson
Storm: Slater, Vunivalu, Chambers, Scott, Addo-Carr, Munster, Hughes, J Bromwich, C Smith, Asofa-Solomona, Kaufusi, Hoffman, K Bromwich; Interchanges: Glasby, Welch, Stimson, Finucane
Tries: Chambers, Vunivalu; Goals: Smith 2
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
