Blog: Up to third on ladder after fifth win of season

Press conferences: Melbourne's victory saw Craig Bellamy extend a winning streak over Wayne Bennett that dates back to 2016. Both coaches will have plenty to discuss after a gritty affair in Melbourne so be sure to check out the post-game press conferences to catch what they thought of the match.

Full-time: South Sydney made things interesting when Jack Wighton crossed for his second try of the night with four minutes remaining, however Melbourne successfully closed out the contest to secure a 24-16 victory. 

The Rabbitohs woes in the Victorian capital continue, with the club still seeking their first win over the Storm in Melbourne. They are now 0-20 in the city. 

Jahrome Hughes was outstanding for the hosts, playing superb wet-weather football to ensure his side controlled the contest. The pressure ultimately led to points and the Storm wore their opponents down throughout the match. Storm 24 - Rabbitohs 16.

65th min: Melbourne are at their attacking best around the halfway line and they've produced another long-range try to extend their lead tonight. An offload led to an immediate shift and Nick Meaney charged down the sideline before drawing Latrell Mitchell and sending Tyran Wishart over for the try. Storm 24 - Rabbitohs 10.

62nd min: Melbourne have activated 18th man Kane Bradley after Sua Faalogo failed his HIA. The winger was ruled out following the hit that saw Latrell Mitchell sin binned, which allows the Storm to introduce Bradley into the contest. South Sydney had a minor win throughout the past 10 minutes, conceding just the two points while their fullback was off the field. Storm 18 - Rabbitohs 10.

51st min: The Storm have extended their lead to eight after a penalty goal for a Latrell Mitchell high shot. The tackle came on Sua Faalogo after he broke through the defensive line. The Storm winger slipped as he approached the fullback and passed to Tyran Wishart, with Mitchell collecting Faalogo high in the process. The youngster has left the field for an HIA. Storm 18 - Rabbitohs 10

43rd min: The drama continues a minute later, with Eli Katoa leaping over Bayleigh Bentley-Hape to pluck a bomb out of the air and score the first points of the second half. Storm 16 - Rabbitohs 10.

42nd min: It's been an eventful opening 74 seconds of the second half. A South Sydney error off the kick-off handed Melbourne an attacking scrum 10 metres out, with the hosts running a set play. Jahrome Hughes delivered a perfect pass for Sua Faalogo who set off for the corner. Jye Gray was just too fast for him and forced the Storm winger out before he could ground the ball. Storm 10 - Rabbitohs 10.

Half-time: We're all square heading into the sheds at AAMI Park, with the two teams locked at 10-all. Melbourne have largely been in control, with Jahrome Hughes kicking superbly in the wet conditions to build pressure on South Sydney. 

Two untimely errors, however, proved costly and they were all the visitors needed to strike. Jack Wighton has been dangerous with ball in hand and the Rabbitohs will look to repeat their success down the left edge in the second half. Storm 10 - Rabbitohs 10.

38th min: The Storm have hit back moments before the break, Xavier Coates crossing in the corner. Jahrome Hughes produced a superb kick to force a line dropout and the hosts continued to build pressure until South Sydney cracked. Ryan Papenhuyzen almost put Shawn Blore through a hole, with the edge forward managing to offload to Coates as he was tackled. Storm 10 - Rabbitohs 10

32nd min: Melbourne have largely controlled this contest but a forward pass on the first tackle has handed South Sydney another chance to attack. Jack Wighton burst through the line and looked set for his second try of the night, only for Eli Katoa to knock the ball out. The Bunker ruled it a strip, with Bayleigh Bentley-Hape grounding the ball for one of the more unusual tries he'll score in his career. Storm 6 - Rabbitohs 10

17th min: Storm coach Craig Bellamy will not be happy with his team after Stefano Utoikamanu spilled the ball in the first set after points. The Rabbitohs made their opponents pay, with Jack Wighton latching on to a Keaon Koloamatangi flick pass to strike back immediately. Storm 6 - Rabbitohs 6.

14th min: The Storm have largely played a low-risk strategy throughout the opening stages of this contest but they've now opted to chance their arm and it has paid off. A midfield shift saw Sua Faalogo find space out wide, before the winger cut back inside and linked up with Ryan Papenhuyzen to score. The fullback has now scored nine tries in seven matches against the Rabbitohs. Storm 6 - Rabbitohs 0.

Kickoff: The Storm have hosted a moving ANZAC Day ceremony at a sold-out AAMI Park, with darkness descending on the stadium for the service. 

The rain is falling as the Rabbitohs get the game started, with South Sydney out to win their first game in Melbourne in their 20th attempt. It's not the only stat in the Storm's favour, with the side winning 13 of 17 games on ANZAC Day, with three losses and a draw. 

Coach Craig Bellamy has also had the wood on his former mentor Wayne Bennett in recent years. Bennett has not defeated the Storm since 2016. Storm 0 - Rabbitohs 0

Late mail: The Storm have made one late change on game day, with livewire Sua Faalogo coming on to the wing for his first NRL game of the season. Kane Bradley reverts to 18th man as a result.

No further changes for South Sydney following Thursday's team update, where Cody Walker dropped out of the side with a calf injury. Jye Gray will line up at five-eighth, with Lewis Dodd added to the bench. 

Warriors v Knights at Apollo Projects Stadium, Christchurch

Full-time: Newcastle forward Brodie Jones crossed for a late consolation try, however it was too little too late. The Warriors were scratchy in the first half but they capitalised on their opponents' errors to jump out to a 16-0 lead.

After weathering an early storm, a Luke Metcalf intercept swung the second half back in the hosts' favour and the halfback did a superb job managing the game to ensure the Knights never had a sniff.

The Warriors have now won back-to-back games heading into next week's Magic Round clash with the Cowboys, while Newcastle have slumped to five-straight losses. The Knights' attacking woes remain a major area of concern as they look to kickstart their season in the coming weeks. Warriors 26 - Knights 12.

73rd minute: The Warriors are pretty close to closing this one out after Pompey crossed for his second. After withstanding an early onslaught, the hosts have worn the Knights down throughout the second half and snuffed out any chance of a Newcastle comeback. Warriors 26 - Knights 6

56th minute: Newcastle had all the momentum, however it has come to a shuddering halt after Luke Metcalf took an intercept and raced 70 metres down the field. The halfback was dragged down by Fletcher Sharpe, however Wayde Egan darted over from dummy half a couple of plays later and the hosts have some breathing room. Warriors 20 - Knights 6.

51st minute: The Knights have come out with an attacking mindset to start the second half and the pressure has eventually turned into points. The try came from halfway, with Dane Gagai slicing through the defensive line before putting James Schiller away for Newcastle's first points. Warriors 16 - Knights 6.

Half-time: The Warriors have walked from the field to a standing ovation from the sold-out crowd in Christchurch, after an impressive first half performance. Cross-field kicks have proven to be the Knights' kryptonite and Luke Metcalf has caused havoc for the Newcastle wingers throughout the opening 40. 

The challenge now will be to go on with it, while the visitors will be desperate to find their rhythm in attack. The Knights have scored just 24 points in their last nine halves of footy and will have to change that after the break if they are to prevail tonight. Warriors 16 - Knights 0

36th minute: The Warriors have capitalised on the Newcastle error, with a penalty helping them down the field. Another contested bomb saw the hosts receive a repeat set of six and Jackson Ford benefited from some skilful passing to score his second try of the night. It's the first double of his career. Warriors 16 - Knights 0

34th minute: The Knights have been denied by the Bunker for a second time tonight. The visitors thought they had scored when James Schiller scooped up a loose ball, however Dane Gagai had knocked it forward in a contest for a bomb and Newcastle's quest for points continues. Warriors 10 - Knights 0.

29th minute: They say fortune favours the brave and that can certainly be said about this Warriors try. A cross-field bomb saw Adam Pompey leap for the ball while the Knights opted not to contest, with the winger catching the ball and producing a brilliant pass for Ali Leiataua, who then flicked it inside to Jackson Ford for the second try of the match. Warriors 10 - Knights 0.

25th minute: The Knights have worked their way back into the game and generated some attacking opportunities of their own. Best is again in the thick of the action, producing a classy tap on to winger Greg Marzhew, who charged for the corner. Marzhew was met by multiple cover defenders, with the Bunker ruling his arm touched the sideline before grounding the ball. Warriors 6 - Knights 0. 

14th minute: The Warriors are full of running and the Knights are just holding on. Kurt Capewell burst through the defensive line on the left edge, with Newcastle fullback Kalyn Ponga deflecting the final pass to prevent a certain try. The hosts remained on the attack and Taine Tuaupiki dived for the line in the right corner, only to be denied by a desperate Bradman Best try-saving tackle. Newcastle's task is about to get a bit easier with Leo Thompson preparing to return from the sin bin. Warriors 6 - Knights 0.

9th minute: This time the Warriors will not be denied, with Adam Pompey crossing in the corner. A seven-tackle set allowed the hosts to march down the field and put up an attacking kick. Dane Gagai was not able to secure the ball, with Kurt Capewell gathering and delivering a superb pass to link up with Pompey. Warriors 6 - Knights 0

7th minute: It's now 12 on 12 after Knights forward Leo Thompson was also sent to the sin bin for a high tackle and the Warriors appeared to have capitalised on the additional space. Luke Metcalf slid through the line before Leka Halasima came agonisingly close to the line. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad thought he had the first points of the match, however the Bunker ruled an obstruction in the lead up and we remain scoreless. Warriors 0 - Knights 0

Kick-off: We are underway at a sold-out Apollo Projects Stadium in Christchurch, with both teams desperate for victory. Mitch Barnett has taken the first carry for the Warriors and will look to set the tone up front. It's been a tough start for the hosts, with Warriors prop Marata Niukore sent to the sin bin after just 85 seconds for a high shot. Warriors 0 - Knights 0

Late Mail

Warriors: The Warriors have shuffled their forward pack in Friday's final team update, with Marata Niukore shifting from back row to prop. Leka Halasima comes into the side in the second row, with Jackson Ford moving to the bench. Tanah Boyd remains in the squad as 18th man. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad has been cleared to make his return from a concussion for Friday's Anzac Day blockbuster in Christchurch. Taine Tuaupiki will line up on the wing, with Ed Kosi dropping out. Kurt Capewell is set to return to his preferred back row slot, with Rocco Berry back from suspension in the centres.

Knights: One change on gameday, with hookers Jayden Brailey and Phoenix Crossland trading places, Brailey to start at dummy-half and Crossland on the interchange. Halfback Tyson Gamble dropped out of the side on Thursday due to a broken nose suffered against the Sharks. Gamble has had surgery and remained in Newcastle to recover. His place is taken by Jack Cogger, who is back after undergoing surgery for a dislocated finger suffered in the Round 5 loss to Canterbury. Rising back-rower Dylan Lucas (hamstring) is back on deck so Thomas Cant moves to the bench. Matthew Arthur is the 18th man.

Roosters v Dragons at Allianz Stadium

Overall a strong performance from the Roosters, with Sandon Smith having one of the best games of his career. After scoring the first try of the match, he helped set the tone for the Roosters who have now won 12 of their past 14 games against the Dragons.

Full-time: The Roosters put an exclamation point on an emphatic win, with Savala going over for the seventh try of the afternoon for his side. With Smith's conversion, the scores end up 46-18. 

77th min: Teddy gets a double to help celebrate his 100th match as skipper after going over just inside the right touchline. The conversion attempt from Smith is off target and scores remain 40-18.

74th min: St George Illawarra have been on the back foot for much of the second half but haven't given up and Sloan gets a reward for effort with a nice try under the posts, showing off some footwork along the way. Holmes converts from in front and narrows the lead to 36-18. 

Numbers game: Off the field, after a record breaking attendance last round, seems fans are enjoying their rugby league in Round 8, with 41,021 in attendance at Allianz Stadium, while Storm announced a full house for their ANZAC Day game, giving them the first back-to-back sell-outs in their club's history. 

60th min: More points for the Roosters. Smith slots a penalty goal for a 36-12 scoreline. 

56th min: The action keeps on rolling ... the Dragons were on the attack, making a break down the right sideline thanks to Tyrell Sloan, but his pass back inside can't find Cook and instead it gives the Roosters the ball back. They go straight on counter-attack and with Smith returning from the sin bin, he's also straight back into the action, kicking ahead for skipper James Tedesco to touch the ball down for his first try of the year. Smith converts and they are 34-12 in front. 

53rd min: An immediate response from the Dragons, with Holmes setting up a try on the left-hand side for Kyle Flanagan to score. Holmes converts and there's fire left in the Dragons yet as they trail 28-12. 

50th min: In his first time playing on ANZAC Day, Blake Steep has a special try to remember, blitzing through the field and serving dummies before going over to extend the lead for the Roosters. Savala slots the conversion and it's 28-6 to the Roosters. 

48th min: The Roosters swing the action back to their attacking area and go further in front with a penalty goal - taken by Hugo Savala with Sandon Smith in the sin bin - after Ilias is pinged for pressure on the kicker.

45th min: The Dragons have come out for the second half with more energy and go on the attack. In amongst the action, Sandon Smith has been pulled up for a high tackle on Lachlan Ilias and is put on report and sent to the sin bin. 

Half-time: The Roosters go into the sheds with a 20-6 lead, but given the the stats in their favour, it could have been worse for the Dragons. The home side have had 64% of the possession, completing 20/24, while the Dragons have completed at 12/16. Roosters have also made five line breaks to none. 

36th minute: Dragons hooker Jacob Liddle goes for an intercept, but instead pops the ball directly to Smith who accesses the situation and runs back downfield to score under the posts. He converts his own try and in the blink of an eye, Roosters are in front 20-6. 

33rd min: Nawaqanitawase makes a break down the right-hand side of the field, but the Dragons chase gamely to shut him down. However, they then give up an off-side penalty, gifting the Roosters a shot at goal, which Smith takes to push out the lead to 14-6. 

A medical update from Emma Lawrence on host broadcaster Channel 9 says that Dragons hooker Damien Cook has left the field with a Category 2 HIA, while Roosters forward Spencer Leniu's suspected ankle issue in of no concern.

19th min: The Dragons have been under continued pressure and after it is ruled that Clint Gutherson knocked on when contesting a kick, they lose their Captain's Challenge after he queries the on-field call. 

17th min: After repeated attacking sets, the Rooster have capitalised on their possession with winger Mark Nawaqanitawase diving over on the right, just inside the touchline. Smith nails the conversion to put his side back in front 12-6. 

8th min: What a response from the Dragons! A huge hit on Smith by Valentine Holmes dislodges the ball, allowing youngster Sione Finau to pounce on the loose ball, before sprinting away to score against the run of play. Holmes converts and it's locked up at 6-6.

3rd min: The Roosters are off and running with the first try of the game thanks to Sandon Smith stepping away from defenders down their left side. Smith converts his own try for a 6-0 lead.

1st min: A special pre-game ceremony sets a sombre and respectful tone for the match ahead, but the emotions are not far from the surface as the action kicks off, with scuffle between the two teams in the opening minute after an early Roosters error. 

ANZAC Day holds special meaning not just for the players and clubs involved in the game, but for the match officials as well. This year, the NRL match officials gained a greater appreciation of ANZAC Day after participating in a parade with veterans and touring a museum displaying membership badges to the exclusive “Caterpillar Club”.

Earlier in the curtain raiser match, the New Zealand Defence Forces team came from 8-0 down to beat the Australian Defence Forces side 16-8.

Late Mail

Roosters: No late changes for the Roosters on game day. Egan Butcher is on track to play his first NRL game since rupturing his ACL in Round 12 last year. The forward made a successful return to the field via NSW Cup last week. Angus Crichton is also good to go after missing last week's loss with a groin injury, with Salesi Foketi moving to the bench as a result. Out wide, Mark Nawaqanitawase will shift to the wing, with Billy Smith returning from suspension in the centres and Dom Young dropping out. Ethan King is 18th man.

Dragons: One swap for the Dragons on game day, with Dylan Egan to start in the second row with Luciano Leilua reverting to the interchange. Loko Pasifiki Tonga is the side's replacement player. Emre Guler is set to make his return from suspension via the bench, with Hamish Stewart dropping out of the squad after suffering a concussion last week. Sione Finau has been called into the side on the wing in place on Mat Feagai (fractured leg). 

Friday Flashback

Before the first game on ANZAC Day kicks off, take some time to look back on one of the more memorable match ups between today's opponents, the 2015 encounter where the traditional clash was rocked by an epic thunderstorm that forced the game to be suspended for half an hour.