Storm send battered Bulldogs into sudden-death semi

Melissa Woods | September 12, 2025

Melbourne have earned a week off after locking down a preliminary final with a 26-18 victory over a gallant Canterbury, who played much of the match without injured skipper Stephen Crichton.

The top-four teams opened the NRL finals series at AAMI Park on Friday night, with the home side edging the Bulldogs, who were hunting their first play-off victory in 10 years.

Instead they will meet either reigning champions Penrith or the Warriors, who square off in an elimination match on Saturday, in a semi-final next weekend, while the Storm can put their feet up.

It is Melbourne’s 18th preliminary final – their 10th in the past 11 years under Craig Bellamy – as they chase a 12th grand final berth.

Bellamy wasn’t entirely happy with his team, but also praised their opponents.

“I thought we really started the game well, but I thought we lost our way with the ball a bit. I think what hung us in today’s game was our defence,” he said.

“You’ve got to give the Bulldogs a lot of credit too as they had a few injuries there and they had to move different people to different positions and whatever, but they kept fighting all the way. 

“It’s really nice to be in another prelim. I think the nicest thing, especially for the players at this time of year, they get a week off playing.”

While unhappy with some of the refereeing calls that went against his side, Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo hailed his team’s bravery.

“It’s one of the bravest performances I’ve seen or been involved in,” he said.

“I’m just incredibly proud of how they prepared and how they played.

“A lot’s been said about how we’ve been playing, but we came down here full of belief and played like it and the mission stays the same. 

“We’ve still got three wins to do what we want to do.”

Melbourne hit the front in the 65th minute after super-sub Tyran Wishart barged across the line, with young halfback Jonah Pezet kicking a crucial conversion, before winger Will Warbrick iced the win with a runaway intercept try.

Melbourne were missing some key men, including Jahrome Hughes, who was out with a fractured wrist, but his young replacement Pezet stood up in his first ever final.

Canterbury were also forced to rely on an unlikely face in the halves, Toby Sexton entering the fray at the 20-minute mark when Crichton limped off with syndesmosis and appeared after halftime on the sidelines on crutches.

Playing his first NRL match in two months after being demoted following the arrival of Lachlan Galvin, Sexton scored with his first touch of the ball and got his team firing in attack.

It was carnage for the visitors, with star second-rower Viliame Kikau struck by a stray elbow to the eye and temporarily leaving the field, while centre Enari Tuala was forced off in the second half with a calf injury.

Ciraldo wasn’t sure of the extent of Crichton’s injury, but conceded he would be forced into changes for next week’s sudden-death match at Accor Stadium.

“It’s hard to know now without scans, but when you can’t finish the game it’s not looking great,” Ciraldo said.

“We’ve got a lot of depth in our side and some guys are going to get opportunities.”

The Storm led 14-12 at halftime, Pezet booting a timely 40:20 to give his team field position before prop Ativalu Lisati touched down.

Burton, who shifted from five-eighth to the centres to cover the loss of Crichton, crashed through the Melbourne defence to again put his team ahead in the 57th minute.

The teams went toe-to-toe, with Melbourne regaining the lead through Wishart’s effort, but the result was far from assured.

With four minutes remaining Warbrick, playing just his fifth match of the year after a long stint out with lingering concussion symptoms, intercepted a desperate Kikau pass and ran 90 metres unchallenged to seal the win for his team.