Coates injury sours Storm defeat of Raiders

The injury to Coates, who suffered a hamstring injury earlier in the season, overshadowed the bravery of the Raiders, who lost two players to HIAs and were forced to defend for long periods of the match.

Hughes laid on a try, produced two line-break assists, made nine tackle breaks, ran 158m with the ball and kicked for 343m.

A lone first half try to prop Josh King in the 37th minute gave the Storm a 6-0 lead after the Raiders withstood an onslaught from the home team.

Just a week after conceding eight tries in a 48-24 loss to Wests Tigers, the Raiders spent much of the first half defending their line under relentless pressure from the Storm but stood firm until King crashed over just before the interval.

Melbourne had 60 per cent possession in the first half as the Raiders conceded nine errors, three penalties and five six-again calls but their defence held up until just before halftime.

By fulltime, Canberra had been forced to make 425 tackles to 273 by the Storm, who had possession for 33.15 minutes compared to 22.34 minutes for the Raiders. 

The Raiders came out firing in the second half and fullback Kaeo Weekes raced 90 metres for a brilliant individual try after fielding a Wishart kick two minutes after the interval to level the scores at 6-6.

However, errors continued to prove costly for Canberra and the Storm dominated field position and possession in the second half.

Kiwi forward Shawn Blore put Melbourne back in front when he crashed over in the 45th minute after hooker Bronson Garlick dummied and held up a pass close to the line.

Much touted Storm rookie Jack Howarth gave his side a 10-point buffer on the scoreboard when he muscled his way over the tryline off a Hughes pass in the 52nd minute. 

Coates appeared to have sealed the win in the 74th minute but he failed to ground the ball as he dived in-goal and immediately called out to team-mates that he had injured his hamstring.

Jordan Rapana followed Coates into the dressing room soon after, joining rookie Jordan Martin, whose long awaited NRL debut lasted just five minutes before he was forced off for a HIA. 

Match snapshot

• The Storm have won seven of their past nine games against the Raiders, but the win was just their second over the Green Machine in the past seven meetings between the clubs at AAMI Park.
• The Raiders were forced to make 152 more tackles than the Storm.
• Raiders captain Elliott Whitehead was placed on report as the teams returned for the second half over an earlier hip-drop tackle on Shawn Blore.
• Tyran Wishart, whose father Rod was a renowned goalkicker for the Steelers, Dragons, NSW and Australia, landed his first NRL conversion for the Storm.
• Wishart was placed on report for a tackle on Xavier Savage in the second half.
• Canberra winger Albert Hopoate was placed on report for a high tackle on Storm centre Jack Howarth.
• Raiders hooker Tom Starling made 53 tackles, while Whitehead (46), Morgan Smithies (45) and Hudson Young (43) also tackled themselves to a standstill.

Play of the game

Only desperate defence kept the Raiders in the game at halftime but when Kaeo Weekes raced 90 metres from a kick return to score in the 42nd minute they gave themselves a chance to win.

What they said

"It has been a very disruptive season as far as injuries and people being out so the guys have got to take credit for the resilience they have shown. I can't remember too many pretty wins this year but they have just hung in there and got the job done. I am proud of that and I know the players are proud of that," - Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

"That's probably our best defensive performances this year. But you don't want to keep handing possession over in their end of the field - set after set. We just made it too hard for ourselves," - Raiders coach Ricky Stuart.

What's next 

The Storm travel to Sydney to play Wests Tigers at Leichhardt next Saturday before a Round 19 bye and a home game against the Roosters after Origin III, in which Cameron Munster may return from his troublesome groin injury.

Captain Harry Grant is expected to play against the Tigers after being rested following Origin II, while Ryan Papenhuyzen may also return after missing the match against Canberra due to a heel injury. 

The Raiders host the Knights next Sunday before a Round 19 bye following by two further home games against the Warriors and Rabbitohs.

Star halfback Jamaal Fogarty is expected to make his eagerly awaited return from a biceps injury after the bye.