NRL 2023 as it happened: Melbourne Storm beat Parramatta Eels in golden point epic

Well, what an opening night of the NRL season.

Harry Grant scored a try (yes, a try) in the first period of golden point to help the Melbourne Storm beat the Parramatta Eels 16-12 at CommBank Stadium. And that means Craig Bellamy’s phenomenal record of never losing a round one games goes on.

The Eels led twice through tries to Will Penisini and Junior Paulo after a sparkling Eels debut from Josh Hodgson, but they couldn’t close out the game in normal time with a couple of chances at field goals before the Storm pounced in golden point.

There will be injury dramas for Melbourne though. Xavier Coates didn’t finish the game and Cameron Munster soldiered on with a compound fracture of his finger to finish the match.

If that’s only game one of the season, I can’t wait to see what the rest of them have in store.

Thanks for joining us and enjoy the rest of your night.

It’s still 2001 since the Storm have lost a round one match. What makes them so good at the start of the season?

I think there will be a few question marks over how the Eels handled the last 10 minutes of regulation time with a couple of golden chances to win it down Melbourne’s end. It’s only early in the season, though, and I don’t think Brad Arthur will be too disappointed with the performance given they dominated the Storm on most stats except the scoreboard.

Speaking to Nine, the man of the match says exactly where the match was won...

Unbelievable. The Storm have won with a Harry Grant classic.

With the Storm only 10 metres out from Parramatta’s line and seemingly setting up for a field goal, the little No.9 fools the defence and runs himself to score from dummy-half, holding the ball above the ground and reaching out to win it 16-12 in the fourth minute of golden point.

The Storm’s round one record lives.

Nick Meaney has had the first chance to win with a 25-metre field goal shot, but he hooks it horribly. It just trickles over the dead ball line. Seven tackle set coming up for the Eels.

We’re going to golden point in game one of the 2023 season!

Cameron Munster hit a stinker of a field-goal attempt from long range and then in a frantic final play after Mitchell Moses booted the Eels to half-way off a penalty, the ball finally dies with Melbourne’s Eli Katoa.

The Storm’s round record right on the line now.

How do these players have anything left?

Trent Loiero makes another error coming out of Melbourne’s end, and the Eels try to position Mitchell Moses for a 25-metre field goal shot ... but it’s blocked by Nelson Asofa-Solomona. And he was supported by fellow prop Christian Welch. I’m not sure it was going to be on target anyway, but what an effort from Craig Bellamy’s props.

Just a reminder, this is round one. Two minutes left.