NRL: Raiders revive season with victory over Storm

Blake Ferguson of the Raiders is congratulated by team-mates after scoring a try. Photo / Getty Images

The Canberra Raiders' lifeless NRL season has a pulse again after they shocked the Melbourne Storm 20-12 to break an eight-game losing streak.

The Raiders were staring down the barrel of a club record ninth successive loss but out-enthused and out-played their more highly-rated rivals at AAMI Park on Saturday.

Canberra centre Jarrod Croker broke a 12-12 deadlock with 11 minutes remaining after Storm skipper Cameron Smith was penalised for stripping the ball as he tackled Dane Tilse.

And then winger Blake Ferguson scored an amazing individual try as the clock wound down to seal the victory.

Ferguson, who otherwise had a quiet game, took the ball 60 metres from the tryline.

He chipped ahead and managed to collect the ball with an out-stretched hand over the sideline and beat Gareth Widdop and Billy Slater to touch down.

Video referee Paul Simpkins ruled benefit of the doubt when it was unclear if Ferguson's boot had touched the sideline.

It was just reward for a gutsy effort from the visitors, who hadn't won in Melbourne since 2000.

They showed their intent from the kick-off as winger Reece Robinson scored the opening try in the fourth minute and managed to keep Melbourne scoreless until the 36th minute, when their own winger Matt Duffie crossed.

With Melbourne uncharacteristically ill-disciplined, incurring three early penalties, the Raiders took advantage with five-eighth Josh McCrone collecting a Tilse ball to push the score out to 12-0 by the 15th minute.

Their hard-working skipper Alan Tongue, the only player remaining in the Raiders line-up since their last victory in the Victorian capital when their coach David Furner was the captain, was denied two tries in the opening half by Simpkins.

Down 12-6 at halftime, Melbourne looked like they would claw their way back into the match when the second-rower Kevin Proctor found cracks in the defence to score just two minutes into the second half and level the score.

But the Raiders withstood the pressure and then made the game their own through Croker and then Ferguson's effort.

NSW fullback aspirant Josh Dugan, who was never given any room to move, said it was a relief to be back in the winner's circle.

"It's probably one of the best feeling's we've had all year," he said after the match.

CANBERRA 20 (B Ferguson J McCrone R Robinson tries J Croker 4 goals) bt MELBOURNE 12 (M Duffie K Proctor tries C Smith 2 goals) at AAMI Park. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Chris James. Crowd: 9,628.

- AAP