Storm 14
Melbourne's unbeaten record at home in the 2011 NRL season lay in tatters thanks to the Warriors, who triumphed 18-14 in a thriller at AAMI Park.
The Storm hadn't lost in Melbourne in their past 10 games, dating back to round 14 last year, but the "Fortress" crumbled in front
of their biggest crowd of the season - 22,694.
The Warriors had an 18-8 lead at halftime and the home side scored the only try of the second half - in the 44th minute through Cooper Cronk - but couldn't break through for the crucial points to secure the Anzac Day win.
They came tantalisingly close with seven minutes remaining when they spun the ball wide after an initial break by Dane Nielsen, but fellow centre Beau Champion spilt the ball in a match-saving tackle by Lewis Brown.
Melbourne looked sharp early with Champion scoring in the fourth minute before the Warriors had had a chance, apart from kicking off, to even touch the ball.
But that was it for the first 40 minutes as costly errors crept into the home side's game.
The Warriors found success with the high ball with winger Matt Duffie, and surprisingly star fullback Billy Slater, two of the culprits.
The visitors' first try was scored in the 22nd minute by winger Krisnan Inu when Duffie dropped a towering bomb, which his opposite scooped up and planted down.
After a successful penalty kick by James Maloney, the Warriors were out to 12-6 when prop Jacob Lillyman charged on to a short ball from dummy half Aaron Heremaia and spun over the line.
At one stage piling on five repeat sets, they got lucky with their third try, in the 32nd minute, when Storm winger Anthony Quinn looked to have saved a certain try when he knocked the ball out of the hands of Ukuma Ta'ai, only for it to go into the in-goal with Micheal Luck first to it.
Melbourne skipper Cameron Smith added a late penalty for his side to trail by 10 at the break.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy no doubt read the riot act to his side, who came out and scored the opening try of the second half with five-eighth Gareth Widdop kicking across field for Slater to tap back into the arms of Cooper Cronk.
Both sides threw everything at the other in a heart-stopping countdown to the final whistle, but the Warriors were able to hold out the Storm for the upset.
- AAP
