Brilliant Bulldogs upset Storm in thrashing

The Canterbury Bulldogs have pulled off a huge upset in the first week of the NRL finals, comprehensively defeating the Melbourne Storm 28-4 in front of 19,230 stunned fans at AAMI Park.

Melbourne looked flat to begin with, and found themselves down 6-0 early as Greg Eastwood benefited from a pinpoint kick and bat-down from the Bulldogs. 

The Storm looked positively shocked four minutes later as a few great balls left their defenders grasping at thin air as Hodkinson scored by the posts.

The result looked barely in doubt as Lafai latched onto a Ben Roberts intercept to make it 18-0, and Lafai made it a double just before half time as the Bulldogs produced slick ball movement to out-enthuse a static Storm defence.

Melbourne claimed their only points just after halftime, as Sisi Waqa scored, before being denied the following set of six.

The match degenerated into a slug-fest dominated by injuries and players being placed on report, before Lafai completed a fairytale evening after Eastwood latched onto another intercept to put him away for a hat-trick.

This result means Canterbury will now face Manly at Allianz Stadium next Saturday night - with the winner facing the Penrith Panthers in a preliminary final a week later. Melbourne begin their off-season early, bowing out in the first week of the finals for the first time in a long time.

3 points - Greg Eastwood
2 points - Timoteo Lafai
1 point - James Graham

MELBOURNE STORM (4)
Tries: Sisa Waqa
Conversions: Will Chambers (0/1)

CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS (28)
Tries: Greg Eastwood, Trent Hodkinson, Timoteo Lafai (3)
Conversions: Trent Hodkinson (4/5)

LATE MAIL: Melbourne Storm - Cameron Smith takes his place in the purple jersey this afternoon despite reports he will miss the clash with an ankle injury. A positional change on the bench sees Jordan McLean promoted to lock-forward with Ryan Hinchcliffe starting off the interchange.

LATE MAIL: Bulldogs - Moses Mbye, Reni Maitua and Harlan Alaalatoa drop out of the extended squad. Pat O'Hanlon fills the final bench spot this afternoon

Good afternoon all! Crowd building nicely at AAMI Park. Beautiful looking afternoon in Melbourne.

Final instructions coming out - we're almost ready to go!

1: Underway here in Melbourne!

3: Tolman puts Reynolds into space, Melbourne shut it down.

5: Sisi Waqa injured after a big hit coming off his goaline.

7: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Greg Eastwood. Kick to come.
Bulldogs put a bomb up to the right, it's batted down to Eastwood who scores untouched by the uprights.

8: Bulldogs let the restart roll into touch. Storm on attack 10 out.

8: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
No issues with the conversion from Hodgkinson....ahem.

8: No issues with Canterbury holding out.

9: Bulldogs looking like they did earlier this year. Big change!

11: Melbourne knock on 10 out from their own line, on tackle one.

12: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Trent Hodkinson. Kick to come.
Great ball from Ennis, brings the Storm defence up and Hodkinson walks in.

14: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
No issues again!

16: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Timoteo Lafai. Kick to come.
Disaster! Ben Roberts fires an intercept right at Lafai who skips away to score under the uprights.

17: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
18-0! Who saw this coming?

22: Penalty Storm, hot on attack!

23: Line dropout Storm...

31: Still very Bulldogs at the moment. Melbourne lacking a lot of polish.

34: Line dropout for Canterbury. All over Melbourne at the moment.

34: Melbourne get away with a short drop out!

36: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Timoteo Lafai. Kick to come.
Quick ball movement to the right and Lafai claims a double.

37: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson successful.
24-0. This is quite something!

40: Half time, and in possibly the shock of the season, Canterbury are belting Melbourne 24-0 at half time.

40: Back underway - are Melbourne about to drop out of the finals without firing a shot?

44: Storm get a line drop out.

44: Klemmer goes on report for a high tackle.

46: TRY MELBOURNE STORM
Scored by Sisa Waqa. Kick to come.
Cronk with a perfect cross kick to Waqa who scores in the right corner.

46: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION MELBOURNE STORM
Conversion attempt by Will Chambers unsuccessful.
Chambers misses.

48: Video referee for a possible Storm try....

48: Harsh call, Melbourne seemed to be in under the posts and Canterbury get the ball back.

51: Video referee for a possible Bulldogs try...

53: No try, ball grounded on the touchline.

56: Fonua stopped inches short, penalty Storm hot on attack!

56: Bromwich forces a needless pass, and Melbourne compound the error by giving away a penalty.

59: Nasty scenes as Pat O'Hanlon has broken his leg.

61: Or if not broken, certainly in a bad way. Game's gone a bit flat now. Melbourne feel as though they're going through the motions.

61: Reynolds has now taken Slater's knees to the back.

61: Slater on report for knees to the back of Reynolds.

63: Waqa now injured after fielding a high kick.

63: Josh Morris on report for a chicken wing tackle.

68: This match really feels like it's treading water towards an inevitable conclusion.

70: Pretty average late shot on Ennis from Chambers. Chambers goes on report.

70: Proctor knocks on. Bulldogs scrum 15 out.

75: TRY CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Scored by Timoteo Lafai. Kick to come.
Intercept taken by Eastwood, who finds Lafai who scores easily in the corner.

75: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION CANTERBURY-BANKSTOWN BULLDOGS
Conversion attempt by Trent Hodkinson unsuccessful.
Hodkinson misses from out wide.

80: Melbourne knock on, and we're looking at full time in moments.

80: Full time, and probably the upset of the round - Canterbury hammer Melbourne by 24 points to stay alive in the finals!