NRL talking points: Corey Horsburgh pranks Cam Munster, Ricky Stuart questions Matt Timoko call in Canberra Raiders' win over Melbourne Storm

Matt Timoko squared up against one of the best in the game and won, Hudson Young had a kick assist and scored a crucial four points, Xavier Savage and Sebastian Kris combined for the match-sealing try and Corey Horsburgh brought a rare smile to Ricky Stuart's face in a magical finals victory.

There's a lot to like about this next breed of Raiders after their eight-point win over the Storm.

Captain Elliott Whitehead talked up the youngsters in the group that stood tall in Melbourne.

"They've all been outstanding all year," Whitehead said.

"Guys like Xavier Savage and Matt Timoko, this is their first finals and I thought they did an outstanding job.

"Hopefully they keep growing as players for us and push onto next week."

Saturday marked the first time since 2014 that Melbourne has been knocked out in the opening week of the finals. The last eighth-placed team to win week one of the post-season were the Cowboys in 2017 and they went all the way to the grand final.

The Green Machine showed heart, played through pain, and when it mattered most they produced the entertaining style of footy that saw them claw their way back into premiership contention.

The man nicknamed 'Big Red' also brought his A-game niggle to Melbourne and it couldn't have made his coach happier.

After tackling Munster in the second half, Horsburgh picked up the Storm star's loose boot and chucked it a good 20 metres away from the ruck.

Munster complained to the ref, but he could only trot back to retrieve it, and tie his laces a little tighter next time. In the coaches section beside the press box, Ricky Stuart was seen grinning ear to ear.

Try-scoring machine Sebastian Kris didn't cross the white line on Saturday night, but he did provide one of the highlights of the year.

It'd be hard to find a more outrageous way to score and Kris' assist sealed Canberra's fifth-straight win in Melbourne over the Storm - the only team ever to achieve the feat.

As the Raiders spread the ball to the left wing in the late stages of the game, Savage batted on the ball to Kris who was not ready to receive it.

The footy struck his head and even though it bounced forward, it was not a knock-on, and Jordan Rapana collected the crumbs to score in the corner.

"There were some calls that were tough - we didn't get any 50-50s and you need them," Raider coach Stuart said after the game.

"The way the players hung in tonight makes me so proud as their coach, and we got a stroke of luck on that header."

Just minutes after his sensational opening try fending off Munster's face, Raiders centre Timoko was forced to the sidelines for a HIA in unusual circumstances.

The 22-year-old's chin connected with Jesse Bromwich's shoulder, leaving him dazed but no penalty was called.

Timoko was able to shake it off and continue, only to be yanked from the field moments later.

He eventually passed his HIA, but wasn't able to return until 25 minutes into the game, where Melbourne scored twice in his absence.

It begs the question why a penalty wasn't called for high contact that warranted a HIA.

After the Timoko incident, league-leading Joe Tapine was stunningly put on report and penalised after an innocent mishap with Jahrome Hughes.

The Storm halfback collided awkwardly into the prop's body as Elliott Whitehead wrapped him around the hips.

Hughes stayed down but passed his HIA and returned to the game.

Munster missed the penalty goal attempt that followed the call, leading NRL guru Phil Gould to conclude: "Maybe the footy gods were watching and blew it away from the post because that should never have been a penalty."

Stuart tried his best to bite his tongue in the post-match press conference responding to the Tapine decision.

"I don't want to be negative," the coach said.

"We just had a good win, but Matty Timoko went off for a head clash, a HIA. Well, something hit him.

"Then young Hughes went off, spun out of a tackle and went into Joe.

"[Tapine] won't have anything to answer for there."

The Queanbeyan Whites won the John I Dent Cup in Canberra on Saturday, snapping a 12-year title drought in the process, and former Whites half Stuart gave a shoutout to his old union club following the Raiders' win.

"Can I just say congratulations to the Queanbeyan Whites," he said to book-end his press conference.

"They won the rugby union grand final in Canberra today. I watched most of it and good on ya."

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