Late Will Warbrick Try Helps Storm Beat Injury-hit Bulldogs In Qualifying Final

Melbourne person earned a week disconnected aft locking down a preliminary last pinch a 26-18 triumph complete a gallant Canterbury, who played overmuch of nan lucifer without injured skipper Stephen Crichton.

The top-four teams opened nan NRL finals bid astatine AAMI Park connected Friday night, pinch nan location broadside edging nan Bulldogs, who were hunting their first play-off triumph successful 10 years.

Instead they will meet nan victor of either reigning champions Penrith aliases nan Warriors successful a semi-final adjacent weekend, while nan Storm tin put their feet up.

Melbourne deed nan beforehand successful nan 65th infinitesimal aft super-sub Tyran Wishart barged crossed nan line, pinch young halfback Jonah Pezet kicking a important conversion, earlier winger Will Warbrick iced nan triumph pinch a runaway intercept try.

Melbourne were missing immoderate cardinal men, including Jahrome Hughes, who was retired pinch a fractured wrist, but his young replacement Pezet stood up successful his first ever final.

Canterbury were besides forced to trust connected an improbable look successful nan halves, Toby Sexton entering nan fray astatine nan 20-minute people erstwhile Crichton limped disconnected pinch syndesmosis and appeared aft halftime connected nan sidelines connected crutches.

Stephen Crichton of nan Bulldogs seen connected nan chair pinch a satellite footwear aft his injury. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Playing his first NRL lucifer successful 2 months aft being demoted pursuing nan presence of Lachlan Galvin, Sexton scored pinch his first touch of nan shot and sewage his squad firing successful attack.

It was carnage for nan visitors, pinch prima second-rower Viliame Kikau struck by a stray elbow to nan oculus and temporarily leaving nan field, while centre Enari Tuala was forced disconnected successful nan 2nd half pinch a calf injury.

The Storm led 14-12 astatine halftime, Pezet booting a timely 40:20 to springiness his squad section position earlier prop Ativalu Lisati touched down.

Burton, who shifted from five-eighth to nan centres to screen nan nonaccomplishment of Crichton, collapsed done nan Melbourne defence to again put his squad up successful nan 57th minute.

The teams went toe-to-toe, pinch Melbourne regaining nan lead done Wishart’s effort, but nan consequence was acold from assured.

With 4 minutes remaining Warbrick, playing conscionable his 5th lucifer of nan twelvemonth aft a agelong stint retired pinch lingering concussion symptoms, intercepted a hopeless Kikau walk and ran 90 metres unchallenged to seal nan triumph for his team.