Melbourne have pulled off an NRL miracle as Xavier Coates scored a freakish try to win the game with 25 seconds left on the clock against the Warriors at AAMI Park on Saturday night.
Coates flew through the air from five metres out and almost defied physics to plant the ball from his vertical position before taking out the corner post or going into touch.
WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Melbourne Storm pull off epic victory with last-second try.
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“Xavier Coates, can you believe it?!” Warren Smith said on commentary.
“He jumped like a rainbow and came up with a pot of gold for Melbourne!”
The acrobatic individual effort put the Storm back in front before Nick Meaney converted to extend the final margin to four points as the Storm stole a famous victory.
The Warriors had looked certain to finally take down the bogey team after dominating the home side in the second half until Melbourne scored twice in the final three minutes of the game.
The victory extends the Storm’s winning run to 15 over the Warriors, who haven’t been successful against the men in purple since 2015.
Melbourne led 18-6 at halftime but the visitors scored three second-half tries to take control of the match.
Nothing appeared to be going the Storm’s way, with Ryan Papenhuyzen and skipper Harry Grant giving away four points with dumb penalties in front of the goal posts.
After being pinged for an illegal steal Papenhuyzen made amends with his second try of the night, coming in the 77th minute, with Meaney making it a two-point game.
Winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak scored a try in each half with the Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson marshalling his backline in style.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, playing in the centres, was also a constant danger as he continued his transition back to the NRL after two years in rugby.
The first half was all Melbourne with halfback Jahrome Hughes starring with two try assists, two line-breaks and six tackle busts.
Meaney’s galloping try came off a Hughes break but the No.7 was equally as important in defence, managing to stop a certain Marcelo Montoya try with a ball-and-all-tackle.
– With AAP