Storm 14 Warriors 14
The NRL can be cruel. A week after Stacey Jones was the hero, landing a golden point field goal to hand the Warriors a thrilling 17-16 victory over the Roosters, the Little General missed a seemingly simpler dropped goal from in front of the posts when his shot hit the
woodwork.
He also had the faintest of knock-ons when the Warriors were going for another dropped goal - which was successful by Lance Hohaia - deep in extra time.
Instead, these two sides couldn't be separated in what was another epic encounter.
It followed last year's thrilling 18-15 playoffs match, when Michael Witt scored in the dying seconds to snatch a famous victory.
Both sides had their chances to win this match. Jones had three dropped-goal attempts, while Melbourne's Cooper Cronk had three and Brett Finch one. But it was perhaps appropriate they couldn't be separated and each side will have to content themselves with a point. Neither travelled up the ladder, with both now on seven competition points.
The result, though, was another indication the Melbourne dynasty of recent years is dying.
Olympic Park used to be known as the Graveyard for visiting sides but Melbourne have lost one and drawn one of their four home matches this season and just sneaked home in their other two - they lost only two in two years previously.
The Warriors have played their part in demystifying Olympic Park, considering they had won two of their three previous matches at the venue before last night. They will look back and say they should have added another victory to that tally.
They trailed 10-6 at halftime but were the dominant side in the second spell and Jones had his chances to win the match for the second week in succession.
The Warriors had to withstand enormous pressure in the opening half, playing into a strong breeze and driving rain.
Melbourne took advantage, dominating territory and possession. They pounded away through the likes of Kiwis props Adam Blair and Jeff Lima and were tough on defence.
The Warriors were largely resolute, with the indefatigable Micheal Luck making 31 tackles in 40 minutes of football, but they were sometimes their own worst enemy, making silly errors early in the tackle count.
It looked like they could find themselves a long way behind on the scoresheet when both Steve Turner and Billy Slater crossed inside the first 18 minutes.
But Manu Vatuvei, as he does so often, kept his side in touch, bulldozing over in the corner in the 29th minute from a seemingly impossible situation.
At halftime, the Warriors would have been the happier of the two sides - or at least they would have been had the wind stayed around Olympic Park. Mother Nature looked down favourably on the Storm - there has to be some benefit with a moniker like that - and they had the fortune of finding the wind had disappeared in the second spell.
The Warriors did, though, have the prospect of taking on a Melbourne side already down to 15 men after interchange forward Kevin Proctor limped off with an ankle sprain and winger Anthony Quinn was taken to hospital after getting an accidental knee to the head going for the line.
Will Chambers crossed in the corner in the 42nd minute soon after Lance Hohaia spilled a bomb.
But this Warriors side is made of stern stuff these days. They turned around a 16-point deficit last weekend to beat the Roosters in extra-time and refused to yield last night.
They started to build momentum through their big men up the middle - Steve Price, Sam Rapira and Russell Packer - and they kept the ball alive with a series of offloads.
They also played good field position with some deep kicking and were the beneficiaries of a series of repeat sets.
Vatuvei drove over for his second in the 55th minute and Patrick Ah Van crossed eight minutes later.
Crucially, goalkicker Denan Kemp missed both conversion attempts - one sideline attempt hit the upright - meaning the sides were locked 14-14.
Neither team could be faulted in the closing minutes and they searched for a winner. Jones had the chance to land another match-winning field goal with five seconds remaining but it drifted agonisingly wide. And his best chance in extra time hit the woodwork.
The point could prove valuable at season's end. But it could have been much better and Jones will know it.
Storm 14 (S. Turner, B. Slater, W. Chambers tries, C. Smith gl) Warriors 14 (M. Vatuvei 2, P. Ah Van tries, D. Kemp gl). Halftime: 10-6.
