The Melbourne Storm lead the Newcastle Knights 18-10 at half time amid sweltering conditions at Churchill Park in Fiji.
Melbourne took the lead through Elisea Katoa in the 11th minute, capitalising on a period in which both teams traded early penalties.
MATCH CENTRE: Melbourne Storm vs Newcastle Knights live scores, teams
The Storm’s Christian Welch made a strong, driving run at Newcastle’s backline before offloading it to star playmaker Jahrome Hughes.
Hughes then flicked it to Katoa who had popped up on his right and burst though a gaping hole for an easy try, with Nick Meaney adding the extra two points with a conversion straight in front of the posts.
Melbourne added a second try courtesy of Xavier Coates in the 18th minute when some slick passing and off-loading from the Storm got the ball into the hands of the Queensland winger and he crossed over.
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Jonah Pezet made the conversion with an impressive kick from the left sideline.
Enari Tuala clawed one back for the Knights in the 26th minute, but Pezet helped the Storm extend their lead five minutes later after he fooled Adam Elliott with a dummy before breezing past Kalyn Ponga.
However, the Knights would make things interesting with the last play of the first half as Ponga burst into space before offloading to Bradman Best on his left as the star centre bagged his first try of the match.
TEAM NEWS
Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. William Warbrick 3. Reimis Smith 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Jonah Pezet 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Tui Kamikamica 9. Harry Grant 10. Josh King 11. Kane Bradley 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Christian Welch 15. Joe Chan 16. Tristan Powell 17. Tyran Wishart 18. Keagan Russell-Smith 19. Dean Ieremia 20. Shawn Blore 21. Bronson Garlick 22. Young Tonumaipea 23. Lazarus Vaalepu 24. Jack Howarth
Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Enari Tuala 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Tyson Gamble 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Leo Thompson 11. Tyson Frizell 12. Dylan Lucas 13. Adam Elliott 14. Jack Cogger 15. Daniel Saifiti 16. Jack Hetherington 17. Kai Pearce-Paul 18. Thomas Cant 19. Riley Jones 20. David Armstrong 21. Will Pryce 22. Jed Cartwright 23. Brodie Jones 24. Thomas Jenkins 25. Fletcher Sharpe 26. Laitia Moceidreke 27. Fletcher Myers
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