League: King keeps party going for Storm

Giant centre Matt King kept the party going for Melbourne with two tries to set up a hard-fought 22-10 win over the New Zealand Warriors in their National Rugby League match at Olympic Park in Melbourne tonight.

The Warriors' third straight defeat eliminates them from playoff contention this year, although their chances were already slim coming into the match.

The Storm celebrated their 100th home game with a gala luncheon and a parade of their 1999 premiership players before kickoff.

But the real celebrations were put on hold until after the match, with Melbourne snapping a two-game losing streak to maintain their position in the top eight.

The only downside for the Storm was a hip injury to representative fullback Billy Slater, which saw him assisted from the field midway through the second half.

The Warriors still made the home side battle for the win and showed plenty of courage in defence.

Blasted by coach Craig Bellamy after a dismal performance against Cronulla last week, the Storm showed a marked improvement in their ball control and commitment with senior players such as Matt Orford, Cameron Smith and Slater starring.

The Warriors were denied first points 10 minutes into the match when video referee Chris Ward ruled lock Louis Anderson was offside after pouncing on a Stacey Jones kick into the in-goal.

The Storm took their opportunity two minutes later when halfback Orford found King on the fly and he barrelled through the defence of Francis Meli and Sione Faumuina to crash over the line for his first try of the night.

Melbourne then extended that lead to 10 points with just over 11 minutes remaining in the half thanks to a perfectly weighted kick from the 40m line into the in-goal by hooker Smith, with flying fullback Slater beating Brent Webb in the race to the ball.

The Warriors then got on the scoreboard with Meli collecting the honours at the end of a well-worked backline move and the teams went to the sheds with Melbourne 10-4 up.

King got his second try 12 minutes into the second half when Orford put up a towering bomb, with the Storm player showing his aerial skills to take the ball ahead of Meli.

New Zealand closed to within six points with its second try, scored by five-eighth Nathan Fien 17 minutes into the half but the home side hit back through an Orford try and then hung on for a much-needed win.

- AAP