Storm swamps Raiders on top of CNK blow

The Raiders gave up a 10-point lead to lose 34-10 to the Melbourne Storm at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.

They let in 34 unanswered points and it's the fourth time they've given up a double digit lead this season - half of the total times that's occurred in the NRL.

The loss was compounded by news Nicoll-Klokstad will require surgery on his neck on Tuesday and will likely miss the rest of the season - a round 24-25 return was a best-case scenario.

Raiders hooker Tom Starling also picked up an ankle injury, although he was able to play on after having it strapped, and Elliott Whitehead dislocated a finger.

In a positive for the Raiders, Brad Schneider made his NRL debut - coming on for Starling to play hooker for the final 10 minutes.

There was a raft of players put on report, including Canberra prop Corey Horsburgh for a high shot on Nelson Asofa-Solomona - but he should get off with a fine at most.

Storm forward Tui Kamikamica was put on report for a crusher tackle on Bailey Simonsson, while Chris Lewis was put on report for a high tackle on George Williams.

A dejected Ricky Stuart said missing key players through injury and suspension couldn't be used as an excuse, but he felt the effort was there just not the execution.

"They stayed in it for a longer period than us," he said.

"I'll have to look at it again. It's definitely not [the missing players], I'm not going to look at that as an excuse.

"It's not attitude. It will be another tough one next week."

Asofa-Solomona scored two tries for Melbourne and hooker Brandon Smith was excellent - running for 158 metres out of dummy half.

Storm fullback Nicho Hynes was also outstanding, playing almost as a half in the absence of usual playmakers Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes.

Hynes ran for 209m, kicked five from six goals, had two tries assists, one linebreak, two linebreak assists and made 10 tackle busts.

He's off contract at the end of the season and Storm coach Craig Bellamy was adamant he wanted to keep him in Melbourne.

The 24-year-old has been linked with a potential move to the Brisbane Broncos.

Bellamy felt Ryan Papenhuyzen (concussion) was still a few weeks away, as were Cameron Munster (foot and Harry Grant (hamstring) - with both unlikely to be available for State of Origin - but he thought Hughes (calf) and Kenny Bromwich (hamstring) could return.

The Raiders will welcome back Jack Wighton and Josh Hodgson from suspension.

"He's been like that for the last three or four weeks since he's been full-time in the team," Bellamy said of Hynes.

"Just his involvement has been the real impressive thing for me. He's been involved everywhere.

"We're obviously really, really keen to keep him and hopefully we can, but he's playing some really good footy at the moment.

"We'd like him to stay and hopefully he'll take into consideration he's fitted in really well with us and he's definitely in our 17.

"He can fill a whole heap of spaces. We'd love to hang on to him if we can."

The Storm were allowed to slow down the ruck to a crawl at times, frustrating the Green Machine.

But the Raiders were able to get off to a flying start, with Simonsson and Whitehead putting the team 10-0 up.

But then Asofa-Solomona scored his first and Storm five-eighth Chris Lewis put Melbourne ahead at half-time - a lead they would never relinquish.

They ran in four unanswered tries in the second half, including Trent Loiero's first in the NRL.

Canberra now travels to Gosford to play the Sydney Roosters next Saturday.

AT A GLANCE

MELBOURNE STORM 34 (Nelson Asofa-Solomona 2, Chris Lewis, Reimis Smith, Tom Eisenhuth, Trent Loiero tries; Nicho Hynes 5 goals) bt CANBERRA RAIDERS 10 (Bailey Simonsson, Elliott Whitehead tries; George Williams goal) at Canberra Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton. Crowd: 14,120.