NRL: Storm overcome Tigers

Melbourne avoided Origin woe when they scrambled to a 14-12 win over the desperate Wests Tigers in their NRL clash at Olympic Park this afternoon.

The Storm lacked star-power without Origin representatives Billy Slater, Cameron Smith, Greg Inglis and Dallas Johnson but still did enough to dim the premiership hopes of the Tigers, who have now lost six of their past seven matches.

Last year the Storm lost all three of the games played without their Origin heroes.

However the game wasn't all glory for Melbourne, who had centre Dane Nielsen, looking to impress in the absence of Inglis, sent from the field with just over three minutes remaining for a dangerous tackle on Tigers winger Beau Ryan.

The Tigers had their chances but either blew it with an error or the Storm's solid defence held firm.

Their last opportunity came with two minutes left when Dene Halatau threw a wild pass over the sideline when his side had an overlap.

The battle of the halfbacks was an even affair, with Melbourne's Cooper Cronk and Wests Tigers Benji Marshall both starring for their sides.

Cronk earned first plaudits when he crossed in the 18th minute, running on to a ball from five-eighth Brett Finch.

But Marshall showed that he could match Cronk's moves when he set up his side's first half try.

The fleet-footed No 7 held Storm defenders at bay and then after a dummy which drew three, got a perfectly timed ball away to his five-eighth Blake Ayshford who scored in the corner.

The visitors lifted their attack as the clock wound down to half-time and should have been ahead.

Instead, Cronk pulled off a try-saving tackle on bustling winger Taniela Tuiaki and then, to coach Tim Sheens' horror, replacement forward Daine Laurie dropped a simple pass from Gareth Ellis with the line wide open.

A late penalty strike by Joseph Tomane then broke the deadlock with the home side hitting the sheds up 8-6.

Laurie's fortunes didn't change early in the second half.

Seven minutes in he was penalised for taking out Cronk after he put a kick up and in the ensuing play, replacement forward Matt Cross barrelled across the line for a try, going through Laurie and Todd Payten.

Soon after he was penalised for a dangerous tackle on Storm winger Anthony Quinn.

The Tigers trailed 14-6 with just over 11 minutes remaining but Ayshford slipped through the defence and made a break before he found fullback Tim Moltzen, who outpaced his opposite Steve Turner, among others, in a 50m dash to the line in the try of the game.

- AAP