Sometimes you just have to take your hat off to your opponent.

At AAMI Park on Saturday night, it looked like the Warriors were going to end the Storm’s decade of dominance in Melbourne.

The New Zealanders haven’t beaten the Storm in their own territory since 2014 but with less than three minutes remaining and an eight-point lead, it looked like 2024 was going to be the year they ended that run.

The Warriors were playing good footy; on top for the second half and barely giving the Storm anything after a forgettable first half. If they were going to lose from there, it was going to take some style from the Storm.

But after a beautiful passing play saw Ryan Papenhuyzen cross the stripe, Nick Meaney’s conversion brought the hosts within two points, with time remaining to attempt the unlikely.

How they clinched the game will be on highlight reels for years to come.

With mere seconds on the clock, Xavier Coates threw himself at the try line as Dallin Watene-Zelezniak hustled to cover and made a decent effort to force the Storm winger into touch.

But Coates was not to be denied. Launching from about 6m short of the line, Coates absorbed the attempt from Watene-Zelezniak and contorted his body to score one of the greatest match-winners you could hope to see, lifting the Storm to a 30-26 win.

It was a tough way to go out for the Warriors, who instead of leaving with an historic win fell to their second-straight loss to start the campaign.

In was something of a reverse to the trend of that in their loss to Cronulla in their first round clash, they were unimpressive early before having the Storm’s number for 37 minutes of the second half.

The Warriors started poorly; Kurt Capewell knocking the ball on in the opening play of the game and welcoming Melbourne deep inside Warriors territory was about as worst-case scenario as you get.

The Storm strolled in moments later, only for Jonah Pezet’s try to be ruled out due to obstruction – ironically on Capewell.

But it wasn’t long before they struck. The Warriors were made to pay for a high error count in the first half, as the Storm ran in three tries to one in the first half to lead comfortably at the break.

Whatever coach Andrew Webster told his side in the shed seemed to hit the mark, however, as the Warriors looked a refreshed and refocused team when play resumed.

They got over the line through Watene-Zelezniak – who bagged his second for the night with a great finish – and Jackson Ford, and accumulated two-pointers as the Storm gave away penalties within range.

But a 26-18 lead inside the final minutes didn’t prove to be enough – the Warriors left to wonder where it went wrong as Melbourne celebrated the victory.

Warriors 26 (Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 2, Jackson Ford tries; Luke Metcalf 2 cons, 3 pens)

Melbourne Storm 30 (Ryan Papenhuyzen 2, Will Warbrick, Nick Meaney, Xavier Coates tries; Meaney 3 cons, pen)

HT: 6-18