Skip to main content

NRL grand final: Blake Austin barracking for Melbourne despite Storm ending Raiders' season

Posted , updated 
Blake Austin passing the pill
Blake Austin ... hoping for a Storm win on Sunday.(

Getty Images: Robert Cianflone


The Melbourne Storm crushed Blake Austin and Canberra's premiership dreams on Saturday night, but he will still be cheering for them next Sunday.

Melbourne edged the Raiders 14-12 in a thrilling preliminary final at AAMI Park and the scoreline would have been far uglier if not for the spirit shown by Canberra.

Captain Jarrod Croker was hobbling at left centre after copping a knee injury in the 11th minute, devastating right centre Joey Leilua carried a hamstring strain before leaving the game altogether with 10 minutes left, and they were reduced to 12 men late in the second half.

Full-back Jack Wighton left them short-handed when he was sin-binned for a 59th-minute professional foul after cutting down Storm flyer Marika Koroibete.

During that window, Cheyse Blair darted over for a try and Storm skipper Cameron Smith potted a penalty goal to extend the lead to eight points.

Austin hailed the Green Machine's surprisingly successful season and their ability to match it with the grand finalists.

Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders players scuffle
Tempers flared early on Saturday but the football took centre stage.(

Getty Images: Robert Cianflone


"We had to hang tough if we were going to face adversity and we probably did that, we just couldn't get over the line in the end," the Canberra pivot told the ABC.

Austin had every right to be proud of his team's effort against the minor premiers.

Despite all the challenges, the Raiders kept fighting and if not for a couple of dropped balls by winger Edrick Lee, the result could have gone the other way.

Lee missed a golden opportunity to pick off a Cameron Munster pass and streak into open pastures on 57 minutes and dropped a pass from Wighton with only thin air to beat in the 70th.

"Shattering. We've worked very hard this year. Really disappointed," Austin said.

"But they're a class team and we pushed them all the way. Unfortunately we couldn't get the job done."

Posted , updated