The Melbourne Storm have struggled with a State of Origin hangover in recent years, and they had to overcome the odds to ensure they wouldn't be waking up with another headache.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Melbourne have dropped three of their last four games on the rebound, and this time they played most of the second half with two of rugby league's best players in Cameron Smith (pectoral strain) and Billy Slater (concussion) out injured.
The Raiders finally showed some signs of life late in the contest but a spirited effort from Melbourne secured a 20-14 victory at Canberra Stadium.
Canberra will now have to run the table if they are going to feature in finals football, sitting two wins outside the top eight with six games remaining.
Should referees front press conferences?
It's not rare to hear rumblings about how NRL referees need to be held more accountable but not many have come up with a solution.
Raiders coach Ricky Stuart called for referees and/or referees boss Tony Archer to front up to press conferences following the loss that leaves the Green Machine on their knees.
Canberra's season is on the line and Stuart questioned "when do [referees] ever have to face any accountability" following a number of close calls going Melbourne's way.
"The best thing the NRL has done is just keep fining me and fining me and whacking the hell out of me so I don't say anything," Stuart said.
"Why doesn't the NRL come out and make public some of the communications between the referees, the bunker, and the linesmen? Then we'll start fixing some things in regards to what's going on in interpretations, inconsistencies."
Sia Slater
Raiders second-rower Soliola floored Melbourne star Slater with a brutal elbow that saw the custodian leave the field in a medicab.
Soliola is one of the NRL's nice guys but is notorious for his big shots, and he was lucky to escape being sent off after collecting a falling Slater after he passed the ball.
Soliola was put on report for the incident and is in danger of spending some time watching from the stands - a cruel blow for Canberra with Josh Papalii already serving a suspension.
Storm coach Craig Bellamy was lost for words about Soliola staying on the paddock for the shot that cost Melbourne their star fullback.
"If it's not a sending off then I don't know what is a sending off," Bellamy said.
Lost on the last
The Raiders looked at ease in the second week of the Aidan Sezer-Blake Austin switch, but last tackle options still left a lot to be desired.
Canberra were the kings of off the cuff football last year but things aren't flowing this time around, putting the onus on the halves to take control late in the set.
The Raiders trailed by just two at the break but the feeling was they would topple the ladder leaders if they sorted out their last tackle options.
Even with two of Melbourne's most experienced heads on the sidelines, the Green Machine couldn't produce enough to get the job done in the second stanza and their season is nearly over.
Canberra is green
The Raiders are battling to stay in touch with the top eight and their finals hopes are fading, but the crowds are still turning up in numbers - this time 14,115 on bitterly cold evening.
Less than 24 hours earlier, the ACT Brumbies hosted a home quarter-final against one of the best teams in Super Rugby and Canberra came dressed as empty seats.
It was beloved Brumby Christian Lealiifano's first Super Rugby game since being diagnosed with leukaemia almost a year ago and still only 9771 turned up.
The numbers don't lie. Canberra is green.
Munster mash
Storm five-eighth Cameron Munster was coming off one of the greatest debuts in Origin history and set fire to the Green Machine in the opening half.
But it was his kick off late in the second half that people will remember. Munster has the Midas touch at the moment and his kick off forced a drop out just moments after the Raiders sparked back to life.
It led to a Dale Finucane try that secured the win and left Canberra's season on life support.
