Canberra Raiders upset ends Melbourne Storm’s September reign

Fearless Canberra have ended Melbourne’s NRL season in stunning fashion, posting a 28-20 victory in their elimination final to continue their dominance at AAMI Park.

The Raiders repelled a second-half Storm fightback to oust the perennial finals heavyweights and march on to a semi-final showdown against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium next weekend.

Canberra second-rower Hudson Young pounced on a Jack Wighton grubber which wrong-footed Cameron Munster in the 65th minute, with Jamal Fogarty adding the extras for the visitors to regain the lead 22-20.

And then an opportunist try by winger Jordan Rapana, when the ball bounced off the head of Sebastian Kris, secured the upset win for the eight-placed Raiders over fifth-placed Melbourne.

The Storm trailed 16-8 at halftime and looked down and out, but winger Xavier Coates bagged his third try of the night and then giant prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona crashed over in the 56th minute to put the home side ahead 20-16.

But the gutsy Raiders refused to go away.

Winners on their last four visits to Melbourne, Canberra kept their composure to reclaim the lead and keep the Storm at bay.

Canberra coach Ricky Stuart’s tactics targeted Nick Meaney, who was defending at five-eighth for the Storm, with the Raiders’ big men, led by Joe Tapine and Josh Papalii, doing plenty of damage.

The Raiders were starved of territory in the opening stanza but made almost every visit into Melbourne’s half count.

After weathering some early Storm pressure the Raiders flung the ball wide and young centre Matt Timoko showed his pace and power, palming off Munster to touch down in the seventh minute.

Two tries to Coates put his side ahead 8-4 but the Raiders crossed twice in the final nine minutes of the half to