Melbourne presser
STORM coach Craig Bellamy said he'd be disappointed if prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona is charged with attacking Johnathan Thurston's legs because "the first contact was definitely around his hips".
Discussing the fact his side is now 80 minutes from a grand final, Bellamy said: "Sometimes you can lose momentum (with a break in the finals) but our last two performances have been the best of the past eight weeks.
"You're rather only have to play one game to get to a preliminary final than play two.
"I thought we controlled the game really well.
"To make another prelim is a massive pat on the back for our players and what they've done this year."
Captain Cameron Smith said: "We've played these guys three times this year. That's not easy, playing the reigning premiers three times. We've dome away with three victories."
North Queensland presser
"Probably a pretty typical win by Melbourne," said coach Paul Green. "They got their noses in front and controlled the tempo of the game.
"They've been deserved winners every time we've played, they've probably played a better game of footy.
"Our kick-chase probably let us down a little bit.
"Our situation hasn't changed. We still need to win three games to get where we want to. There's no use getting down on ourselves."
Green described a late penalty conceded by Kyle Feldt as "disappointing" and a challenge on Johnathan Thurston after he kicked as "ugly" and "messy".
Co-captain Matt Scott added: "There's certainly a lot of self-belief in the team. We did it last year (after losing our first final). We'll do it the hard way.
"The opportunity was there to win. We've got to move on from this game. The controlled field position a lot better than we did."
Fulltime at AAMI Park: MELBOURNE 16 NORTH QUEENSLAND 10
LAST year's grand final is to be rematched at 1300SMILES Stadium on Friday following North Queensland's loss to Melbourne at AAMI Park.
The world champs NRL title defence is in jeopardy after the Storm scored grinding a 16-10 win with Jesse Bromwich's try off Cameron Smith's pass the difference.
The Broncos are now presented with the chance to avenge last year's overtime defeat to Paul Green's men in the premiership decider.
Canberra are to meet the winner of Sunday's Canterbury-Penrith clash in the second qualifier at GIO Stadium on Saturday.
COMMENT: A completely different spectacle to the earlier match, with the steady hands of the Storm's big names guiding them to victory.
76 min: Smith goal
Kyle Feldt slaps Cheyse Blair, who drops the ball. The penalty goes to Melbourne - justly - and Smith opts for two. Smith makes it a six point lead. Melbourne 16-10.
Smith extends the lead!#NRLStormCowboys 16-10 with 3 to go#NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/LxPA7ycNtg
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
61 min Feldt try
Kyle Feldt keeps the Cowboys in it with a try in the right corner after lead-up from Thurston and Michael Morgan. Lots of casualties now - Dale Finicane, Gavin Cooper, Kane Linnett. Some are playing on, some are not. Johnathan Thurtston from the sideline .... he can't get there. Melbourne 14-10
Back to top51 min: Bromwich try, Smith goal
And Kiwis captain Jesse Bromwich is over after Cameron Smith works a runaround and slips him a short pass running straight at the line, to the right of the right upright. It takes him a couple of lunges but he gets it down. Snith converts. Melbourne 14-6.
Try time @storm!#NRLStormCowboys #NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/pWt8nfmbgB
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
48 min: Smith goal
A oenalty to Melbourne in easy kicking distance for captain Cameron Smith - just to the right of the posts. Tonight's crowd is 21,233. Smith lands it and Melbourne have the lead. Melbourne 8-6
Smith adds the 2 and the Storm reclaim the lead!#NRLStormCowboys 8-6 after 50 mins #NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/kj8is7GXys
Second half is a couple of minutes old now, North Queensland with the ball. 6-6
The 2nd Half is underway! #NRLStormCowboys #NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/rzJnNF1qmD
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
Halftime at AAMI Park: MELBOURNE 6 NORTH QUEENSLAND 6
SOME mesmeric reflexes right on halftime from North Queensland fullback Lachlan Coote has allowed his side to draw level with minor premiers Melbourne in the qualifying final at AAMI Park.
Coote managed to pick up a richocheted kick at his bootstraps and put winger Anthonio Winterstein over for a try after Suliasi Vinivalu had earlier scored a long range try to extend the Storm's lead.
In slippery conditions before a big crowd, the sides have had a more or less equal share of good moments in the first half.
COMMENT: A high standards, defensive game which will probably be decided by errors given the skills of the playmakers on both sides.
Lockyer chats with JT as he heads into the sheds.#NRLStormCowboys #NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/UnzQgpJ3TR
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
39 min: Winterstein try, Thurston goal
Antonio Winterstein is over in the south-eastern corner. A kick richocheted off the legs of Cooper Cronk, with Lachlan Coote fielding the ball around his bootstraps in stunning fashion before shovelling it out to Winterstein. Johnathan Thurston expertly converts from the sideline with a dozen fans in the background filming on their iphones. 6-6
Back to topWhat a pick up!#NRLStormCowboys 6-6 right on HT.#NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/XhsK44PYqC
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
31 min: Vunivalu try
Vunivalu scoops up a lame kick from Gavin Cooper and runs almost 90 metres to score. They're still going to the Bunker even though there scarecely seems any reason to do so. Kane Linnett had offloaded on the last tackle and Cooper tried to keep it alive with a half-hearted kick. It's a try. Melbourne 6-0
Vunivalu!#NRLStormCowboys #NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/wLFeTkImuq
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
27 min: Smith goal
A shoulder charge on Suliasi Vunivalu results in a penalty to Melbourne and a goal from Cameron Smith from 12 metres in from touch on the right. Melbourne 2-0
The Storm get the 1st points of the game!#NRLStormCowboys 2-0 after 30 mins#NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/yzzM9ysYcL
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
These sides are taking turns at turning the attacking screws on the other, with multiple line dropouts so far. They're sweating on errors which are yet to come. 0-0
Gavin Cooper pulls off a trysaving tackle on Cameron Munster Melbourne have been hammering the Cowboys line, North Queensland just holding on. Antonio Winterstein cleans up a kick, the Storm forcing another dropout. 0-0
We have kick-off! Melbourne with first use, running north. Forty twenty kick from Cameron Smith. Melbourne 0 North Queensland 0
Back to topWe're underway at AAMI Park!#NRLStormCowboys #NRLFinals pic.twitter.com/m52Z8s4Wwt
— NRL (@NRL) September 10, 2016
Warm-up over, kick-off soon!
Teams - Second qualifying final at AAMI Park
MELBOURNE: Cameron Munster; Suiliasi Vunivalu, Will Chambers, Cheyse Blair, Marika Koroibete; Blake Green, Cooper Cronk; Dale Finucane, Tohu Harris, Kevin Proctor, Jordan McLean, , Cameron Smith (c), Jesse Bromwich. Res: Kenny Bromwich, Christian Welch, Tim Glasby, Ben Hampton.
NQ: Lachlan Coote; Kyle Feldt, Justin O'Neill, Kane Linnett, Antonio Winterstein; Michael Morgan, Johnathan Thurston; Jason Taumalolo, Ethan Lowe, Gavin Cooper, James Tamou, Jake Granville, Matt Scott (c). Res: Rory Kostjaysn, Coen Hess, Scott Bolton, Ben Hannant.
Referees: Ben Cummins/Grant Atkins.
Fulltime at GIO Stadium: CRONULLA 16 CANBERRA 14
CRONULLA have stormed back from 12-0 down against Canberra to march into a preliminary final.
The Sharks are a step closer to their first-ever premiership despite losing captain Paul Gallen to injury before kick-off and his deputy, Wade Graham, to concussion during the first half.
In one of the games of the season, the Sharks hit the front for the first time with a 74th-minute penalty goal and the Green Machine was attacking right up until the siren.
A key moment for Canberra was the loss of hooker Josh Hodgson to an ankle injury after halftime.
COMMENT: Surely one of the most courageous wins in the history of the Cronulla club. They looked down and out after 20 minutes.
74 min: Maloney goal
A penalty 20 metres out to Cronulla for a Josh Papalli high tackle. It's clearly in kicking distance. Huge call from the match officials. Maloney kicking to put his side in front for the first time tonight. Cronulla 16-14
Aiden Sezer misses a field goal attempt from in front. A determined chase from Michael Ennis. The crowd 25,592. 14-14
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