The 2023 NRL season opener lived up to the hype, as Melbourne Storm snatched a 16-12 golden point victory over Parramatta Eels in Sydney.
Up against the 2022 premiership runners-up, and with scores locked at 12-12 after 80 minutes, hooker Harry Grant darted over from dummy half to score the winner, as the Eels anticipated a field goal.
However, Melbourne's win might have come at a cost, with star five-eighth Cameron Munster forced from the field with a finger injury before halftime.
Parramatta were the first team to score on the night, as Mitchell Moses kicked a penalty after he was hit late in a tackle before Will Penisini grabbed the first try of the year to extend the lead to 6-0 at the break.
Down at halftime, Melbourne struck back in the second when fullback Nick Meaney's fast feet put him through to level the scores.
But against the run of play, prop Junior Paulo restored the Eels' lead, and proved unstoppable close to the line to power over.
Down 12-6, the Storm levelled again - this time as centre Young Tonumaipea crashed over, leaving both sides unable to be split at full-time.
A late scramble for field goals from both sides failed to amount to a winner, sending the season's opener to golden point extra time.
Meaney tried and failed to score the game-winner with the boot in the opening minutes of golden point before Grant took it upon himself - running from dummy half to put the Storm in front for the first time on the night.
Victory on Thursday night extends the Storm's unbeaten run in round one to 20 years, never dropping their first match of the season under coach Craig Bellamy.
Melbourne's last round-one defeat came back in 2001, going down 14-10 to Canterbury Bulldogs.
Melbourne Storm 16 (Meaney, Tonumaipea, Grant tries; Meaney 2 conversions)
Parramatta Eels 12 (Penisini, Paulo tries; Moses conversion; Moses penalty)
