As we saw yesterday with the Sharks, sometimes you need an early bit of luck to go your way in a big game. Josh Hodgson was pinged for hands in the play the ball as Storm forward Dale Finucane got to his feet, but replays show he dropped it completely cold.

While many fans despise the idea of kicking penalty goals, the Storm took the pragmatic option, as they always do, and pointed to the sticks.

Cam Smith duly steered the ball through the uprights and as we saw at the end, it was a very important penalty goal. 

Cronk goes straight through

At times during the first half, Canberra were rolling down the field at will - and Jordan Rapana's determined effort had the visitors in front.

It wouldn't last for long though, as less than ten minutes later the Melbourne halfback, playing in his 300th game, shot through an over-eager defensive line and put the hosts back on top.

Typically, it was a great short ball from Smith that put his long time teammate through the gap. 

Try time: Cooper Cronk grabbed his side's first four-pointer of the evening. Photo: Getty Images

Koroibete's sparkling run

Probably the biggest moment of the entire game - with twenty minutes to go and the game well and truly in the balance, the rugby-bound winger received a long pass from fullback Cameron Munster after a clearing kick from Canberra's Aiden Sezer, and took off down the left flank.

The run ended some 65 metres further up the field, but he evaded multiple tackle attempts on the way before being pulled down by Jack Wighton.

The Canberra fullback was then sin-binned for holding down for too long, and it was during that next ten minute period where the Storm would score the remainder of their points. 

Speed to burn: Marika Koroibete had some flashes of brilliance in the victory. Photo: Getty Images

Blair takes advantage

The unconverted try that took Melbourne out to a 12-6 lead was vintage Storm. Despite being on the back foot for the majority of the contest, the moment they smelled blood, they took advantage.

With the Raiders a man down and reeling from that huge Koroibete run, all it took was a couple of runs up the middle before a quick switch to the left saw the long-sleeved wearing centre cross for his side's second try of the night. 

Game breaker: Cheyse Blair is mobbed after scoring a try. Photo: Getty Images

Edrick Lee's unwanted hat trick

Growing up, you often saw footage of players having horror games at the most inopportune moments. From Steve Mavin in the 1987 semis for the Rabbitohs, to Paul Carige in the 1998 prelim for Parramatta to Justin Hodges' State of Origin debut, you never want to see players make mistake after mistake.

Unfortunately for the Raiders flyer, his three errors in quick succession in the second half may haunt him for the entire off-season. First, he put an Aiden Sezer cut-out pass onto the deck, before dropping a potential intercept that hit him in the chest (and with his speed, you'd think he would have dashed away to score untouched) and then finally, he dropped a ball with the line wide open as the Raiders were fighting to get back into the game. 

Big Two stay calm at the death

After an Elliott Whitehead try and Jarrod Croker conversion had cut the margin to two late on, the Storm found themselves in possession with a couple of minutes to go. Some teams buckle under pressure, but not one with a pair of seasoned veterans with a slew of grand final and State of Origin victories.

First the skipper Cam Smith forced a repeat set with a neat grubber, before Melbourne recovered the short dropout and Cooper Cronk dead likewise with 15 seconds to go.

Some argued that Canberra fullback Jack Wighton just needed to let that first kick bounce one more time and it would've gone dead, but either way, once again we saw two of the absolute best calmly steer their team to victory in a close game.