NRL Sunday: Raiders and Storm trade blows in high-scoring first half

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By Jon Healy

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HALF-TIME: It's 20-20 and four tries each in Melbourne

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By Jon Healy

Well, fair to say that was a chaotic half of footy.

The Raiders shot out of the gates with three tries in 16 minutes, before the Storm found their footing in the game.

Three tries of their own in six minutes followed, before they traded tries in the final few minutes.

It feels very much like a last try wins kind of game, but hey, maybe someone will figure out how to stick a tackle in the second half.

Both teams have some tackle busters, and my word are they working today. The Raiders have missed 36 and the Storm 25. Ricky Stuart and Craig Bellamy will be apoplectic.

The Storm strike before the break!

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By Jon Healy

A hilarious play to end the set as the Storm are tackled 5 metres out.

Harry Grant shapes to go right, realises he can catch Hudson Young off side if he runs straight into him on the left. So he does that real quick, then gets back to playing footy. They spin it right and find Will Warbrick unmarked. He could set sail for the corner, but instead steps back infield and almost bombs it before eventually getting an arm free to slam the ball down.

39' The sea parts for Moses

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By Jon Healy

Sua Fa'alogo fields the early kick by Owen Pattie, beats one tackle end sends Moses Leo through a hole and 50 metres upfield.

Raiders are too rapid

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By Jon Healy

The Raiders threaten with the speed of Kaeo Weekes on the right against Jack Howarth, and then spin it left to Matt Timoko, who burns Joe Chan for pace and bounces out of the tackle of Jahrome Hughes to dive over.

That's the seventh try of the first half.

35' Both teams lose their captain's challenges

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By Jon Healy

Ethan Strange and Trent Loiero owe their respective captains a beer after dropping the ball in tackles and convincing them to challenge the call.

So, for the final 45 minutes, the refs' calls stand.

33' What the hell was that?

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By Jon Healy

The Storm have it on the last in a perfect spot for a cross-field kick, but Jahrome Hughes comes toa complete stop as he shapes to bomb for Will Warbrick.

Warbrick had sprinted through as Cameron Munster looked to kick before Hughes, and had to come back onside.

Warbrick comes down with the ball, but his offload misses Hughes and finds Savelio Tamale.

CAMERON MUNSTER IS IN!

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By Jon Healy

The milestone man hits the line hard with Cooper Clarke alongside him.

Kaeo Weekes just pulled off a stunning try-saver on Sua Fa'alogo under the posts and looks to have done it again along with Owen Pattie and Zac Hosking, but somehow the Storm star manages to stick the ball out the bottom of the pack and get it to ground.

Sua Fa'alogo is kicking, and misses from not all that wide on the left.

The goal-kicking is a real problem for Melbourne until Jamayne Isaako arrives next year.

27' A bit of World Cup razzle dazzle from the Storm

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By Jon Healy

The ball goes out left and again hits the ground, but Sua Fa'alogo toes it up and over the defence.

Moses Leo storms through, but Ethan Sanders arrives in time to bat it over the sideline.

26' The kick-off goes dead on the full

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By Jon Healy

Sua Fa'alogo tracks back with the kick-off and gets it millimetre perfect to put his foot on the dead-ball line just before catching it.

And makes sure the ref sees it.

Back to back from Melbourne!

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By Jon Healy

The Storm, straight after points roll up the field and Jahrome Hughes bombs out to the right. Savelio Tamale isn't great under the high ball and Will Warbrick can be one of the best. This time he flies over the top and takes a great grab, flicking the ball back inside and sending Ativalu Lisati in under the posts.

The Storm are on the board

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By Jon Healy

Harry Grant's injection into the game immediately changes the tempo of the Storm's attack and gets them into the dangerzone. They spin it right from the right upright, and Sua Fa'alogo's desperately flung bounce pass is just good enough to send Will Warbrick over out wide.

INTERCEPT! The misery continues for Melbourne

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By Jon Healy

The Storm spin it left and Xavier Savage shoots the final gap between Jack Howarth and Moses Leo. Howarth throws the pass straight into Savage's arm and Savage regathers the ricochet, going 90 metres to score. No-one was ever going to catch him.

15' The Storm can't get anything going

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By Jon Healy

They try the trick shot with a chip over the top on the right for Will Warbrick. He regathers, but is almost dumped into touch.

Then the last-tackle play ends with Sua Fa'alogo throwing the ball behind Jack Howarth.

They get another chance as Cameron Munster breaks up a pass. Can they find some rhythm here?

13' Joe Chan makes a silly play

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By Jon Healy

Jahrome Hughes bombs and Joe Chan chases. He arrives a little too late to contest with Kaeo Weekes, but instead of waiting and hitting him when he hits the ground, Chan leaps and tackles Weekes in the air, giving away a costly penalty.

Those are the sort of plays that have left him a little out of favour with Craig Bellamy.

THE RAIDERS WITH AN ABSOLUTE STUNNER!

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By Jon Healy

OK, let's start with this: Owen Pattie has scored off Hudson Young's grubber. But that doesn't even tell a tenth of the story.

The bomb goes up on the right and it goes straight up and down, so the Storm allow Zac Hosking to catch it, but fail to wrap him up when he hits the ground. Hosking dumps out the back to Kaeo Weekes, who quickly flicks the ball to Corey Horsburgh. Big Red fires a flat ball across to Jayden Brailey, who finds Joe Tapine. Hudson Young wraps around and receives the ball from his skipper, passes to Matt Timoko, wraps around again like the biggest fullback you've ever seen, receives the ball, breaks into the back field and grubbers back inside, where Owen Pattie dives in to ground it with an outstretched hand.

Insanity.

Just too easy for the Raiders

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By Jon Healy

Straight off the error, a really simple left-side shift. Jahrome Hughes rushes up on Ethan Sanders and none of his outside men follow him, making it oh so easy for Matt Timoko to send Savelio Tamale over on the left in just the third minute.

2' The Storm fumble straight away

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By Jon Healy

Second tackle of the match and Moses Leo has dropped it cold.

Not a great start for the Storm in this clash of two of the most under-performing teams of 2026.

1' The Storm kick off in Melbourne

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By Jon Healy

So the Raiders have first use of the ball in Melbourne, getting through their set and bombing high for Sua Fa'alogo.