NRL: Storm finish strong to defeat Broncos

Maurice Blair of the Storm celebrates the first try of the match. Photo / Getty Images

Storm 26
Broncos 6

Melbourne turned back the clock to notch their eighth successive NRL win, a hard-fought 26-6 victory over Brisbane at AAMI Park.

And this time it counts.

The last time the Storm won eight games straight was in 2007 on their way to a premiership that was stripped last year when salary cap rorting was exposed.

A frenetic match, on par with finals football, was in the balance until the 57th minute when Melbourne winger Justin O'Neill dived across in the corner despite the best efforts of Brisbane captain Darren Lockyer who later limped off with a hamstring problem.

With Melbourne captain Cameron Smith on target with the conversion, the Storm took a very handy 14-6 lead.

Non-stop halfback Cooper Cronk managed to force the ball down in the 69th minute and centre Maurice Blair grabbed his second for the night in the final minute.

Smith converted both to cap the win.

The first half was an arm-wrestle with the teams locked at 6-6 at the break.

Melbourne got a better start and broke through for the first points in the seventh minute.

Cronk decided to run the ball on the last tackle and found Blair, who ran over the top of Jack Reed to touch down.

Brisbane then applied the pressure and, despite getting over the tryline twice, through Corey Parker and Ben Hunt, they were unable to get the ball down.

It looked like the home side would take the lead to the sheds until the Broncos levelled with two minutes remaining.

Lockyer kicked high into the in-goal and Melbourne fullback Billy Slater spilled the ball in a contest with Brisbane winger Jharal Yow Yeh.

Video referee Paul Simpkins ruled a benefit of the doubt try, crediting Yow Yeh with the points.

Parker converted to tie up the match.

Broncos forward Sam Thaiday was penalised at the tackle eight minutes into the second half in front of the posts, which Smith booted to break the dead-lock.

MELBOURNE 26 (M Blair 2 C Cronk J O'Neill tries C Smith 5 goals) bt BRISBANE 6 (J Yow Yeh try C Parker goal) at AAMI Park. Referee: Tony Archer, Ashley Klein. Crowd: 22,912.

- AAP