LeagueNews.co | Jess Malloy
The Canberra Raiders clinched a thrilling golden point victory, defeating the Melbourne Storm 20-18 at Suncorp Stadium during the final game of Magic Round.
The match was particularly special for Raiders' captain Joseph Tapine, as it marked his milestone 200th NRL game.
The game started with a setback for the Raiders when an early knock-on by Corey Horsburgh awarded a penalty to the Storm.
Despite this early challenge, Canberra's robust defense held strong, foiling the Storm's attempts to capitalize on the mistake.
However, a significant line break by Storm's Sualauvi Faalogo nearly took him the length of the field, only to be halted just short by Kaeo Weekes.
The Storm first opened the scoring through Grant Anderson, putting points on the board.
Shortly after, they were granted a penalty due to an obstruction by the Raiders, which they converted to increase their lead.
With around 20 minutes left in the first half, the Storm scored again, leading 12-0.
The Raiders struggled to regain momentum, and a subsequent late tackle led to yet another penalty kick for the Storm.
In this intense matchup, the Raiders demonstrated resilience and skill that ultimately shone through, securing a memorable win.