Canberra Raiders have ended Melbourne Storm's hopes of another NRL premiership victory, claiming a 28-20 upset victory in Saturday's elimination final.
Courtesy of their fifth consecutive victory over the Storm at AAMI Park, the Raiders advance to face Parramatta Eels next week, with the winner earning a preliminary final against reigning premiers, Penrith Panthers on September 24.
After Canberra centre Matthew Timoko opened the scoring in the seventh minute, Melbourne hit back - twice - through winger Xavier Coates.
Coates' two unconverted tries gave the Storm an 8-4 advantage, only for the Raiders to take the lead again before the break when halfback Jamal Fogarty scored his side's second.
Another score, this time from Elliott Whitehead, gave the Raiders a 16-8 lead at halftime, as the Raiders threatened to end the perennial title contenders' season early.
After the break, Coates completed his hat-trick to bring the game to within two, before NZ Kiwis prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona gave the Storm the lead again.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, the Raiders regained control courtesy of Hudson Young, who levelled the scores, before Fogarty kicked Canberra two points clear.
And with time ticking away, a pass that rebounded off the head of Canberra's Sebastian Kris fell into the path of NZ Kiwis winger Jordan Rapana, who needed no second invitation to cross over for the decisive try.
Up 26-20, Fogarty's conversion put the score beyond a converted try, as Melbourne were unable to crack the Raiders' defence, as the NRL's eighth qualifier knocked out the fifth-placed regular season finished for just the fourth time in the top-eight finals system's history.
Canberra Raiders 28 (Timoko, Fogarty, Whitehead, Young, Rapana tries; Fogarty 4 conversions) Melbourne Storm 20 (Coates 3, Asofa-Solomona tries; Munster 2 conversions)
