FULL REPORT BY THE CLOCK:
3 min: Try Blacklock. Backline movement as Barrett sends sharp pass to Gasnier who repels a couple of would- be tacklers and sends the ball to Tingha out wide. Conversion Riddell from the sideline. Saints 6-0
10 min: Try Moala. Terrible miss from Roberts on Melb 20 m line following scrum sees 80m try. Conversion Orford. 6-all
14 min: Try Hill. Once again Peters having to defend in the centres close to line. Confronted with deep running backs. Conversion Orford from fairly wide. Melb 12-6
17 min: Blacklock makes rare knock on 30 m out from Saints' line.
19 min: McGregor makes rare knock on 40 m out from Saints' line.
17 min: Try Bell. Bad error from Blacklock who is unable to pick up a grubber. Awkward bounce but should have been handled. Conversion Orford from wide. Melb 18-6. Saints in trouble.
24 min: Ref error. When in a 2 man tackle, Melb players knock the ball from Saints player's arms. Ref rules knock on against Melb but it should have been a penalty to Saints. Ref Tony Archer compounds error when he rules that Willie Peters knocks on at the scrum base. There is no knock on and Peters is heard to say to the ref, 'If that was a knock on, I'm not here'. Fortunately, there is some justice when Saints get ball back short time later.
26 min: Strong defence from Melb pins Saints down. Roarty on report for high tackle on Hooper.
27 min: A try goes begging when Hooper is unable to handle a tricky pass from Barrett.
28 min: Another near chance when Ryles makes a glorious bust up the middle and finds Barrett in support. He tries to pass back inside to Peters who would have scored but the ball is knocked down in flight by a Melb player and Geyer cleans in in his own in-goal.
32 min: Try Treacy. Barrett runs on last and passes a floater cut out to Treacy who steps inside the defence to score near the posts. This follows another bust from Ryles. While lining up the kick, Bartrim is distracted by some idiot Melb supporter who jumps the fence and waves a huge flag behind the posts. It was all in vain. Conversion Bartrim. Melb 18-12
HALF TIME
44 min: Saints survive repeat sets which sees an attempted intercept from Nathan Blacklock. The ball goes to ground as Blacklock desperately tries to reel it in. There is no one in front of him and he would been away for a 95 metre solo try.
48 min: Try Bai. Scott Hill intercept sticks. Grubber into in-goal. Conversion Orford. Melb 24-12
50 min: Roberts caught in goal after very good kick from Orford. Melb attacking Saints' line again.
51 min: Orford held up over line mainly by Thompson. Roberts very tardy...looking on. Melb get feed into 10 metre scrum.
52 min: Try Perenara. From scrum base he scores under posts. Poor defence, should have been Hart's man. Very Ordinary stuff well exploited by Melb and that looks to be the ball game. Conversion Orford. Melb 30-12
53 min: Play is held up for a number of minutes and time is called off as officials look for a replacement for Stapleton's blood stained jersey. Under the rules, no player is allowed on the field with exposed blood anywhere on their body or gear.
55 min: Try Barrett. Next to posts after charging at line. Great turn of pace is almost tackled but manages to have enough momentum to tumble over the line. Video ref called to check for double movement but no problem. Conversion Bartrim. Melb 30-18
57 min: Try Hookey. Third tackle from kickoff. Best try of the match. Peters makes a break from 20 m out and finds Blacklock in support. Blacklock appears to be pinned by the mid field cover defence which converges from both sides but they can't lay a hand on him. He steps to the right, forward, back and then back to the left where he the supports of Gasnier and Hookey link up. Gasnier draws in the last of the defence and Hookey finishes, scoring out wide. Hard conversion attempt from Bartrim...no dice. Melb 30-22
65 min: Try Geyer. Bai fields kick and passes to Geyer who switches to the left. Simple stuff as he steps through the defence and runs 80 metres down the sideline to score. Ryles is in pursuit all the way and keeps him honest while Ainscough ambles. There's a hint that Ainscough felt that Ryles was in between he and Geyer but the fact is Ainscough let Geyer get away to a good lead in the first place. Whatever way you look at it, this the turning point of the match and Saints' comeback suffers a killer blow. Conversion attempt from Orford hits posts and misses. Melb 34-22
68 min: Scott Hill on report for high tackle on Barrett.
69 min: Poor pass to Blacklock who fumbles. Another knock on.
71 min: Try Hooper. Following some lead up work from Peters. Mid field and a pass goes to ground. Peters kicks through and regathers in style. He is tackled heavily from behind by Bai*. Another players flops in and is penalised. Blacklock takes a quick tap. Barrett sets up Hooper who scores 10 metres wide of the posts. Saints still a chance! *(Peters was knocked out and he has to leave the field. He diagnosed with a shoulder injury which puts him out for 2-4 weeks). Conversion Riddell (hits posts and goes in). Melb 34-28
74 min: Saints missed opportunity. McGregor unable to get ball to flying Ainscough.
75 min: Blacklock caught in-goal. Line drop out.
76 min: McGregor kills another chance kicking on 4th tackle and it goes dead. He had inside supports.
78 min: Ainscough kicks on 4th. Looks like disorganised panic.
79 min: McGregor holds onto ball despite having the support of Ainscough unmarked and and with a clear run to the tryline.
FULLTIME: MELB WIN 34-28
At times, Saints showed some good fight but were simply not good enough.
Their game was marred by too much dumb football. Melbourne weren't that great as well but showed enough to pull off a win in a match riddled with many errors on the slippery (indoor) surface.
In conclusion, the Dragons did well when fighting the battle up the middle and just wide of the ruck but there were too many errors at critical moments, too many poor options in attack and too many lapses in the defensive line.

For full list of all the year's sound files - click here

Gaz draws 'em and sets up Tingha on the outside
Ryles is put into a gap by Peters	Darren Treacy
Barrett attacks the line	and scores

Peters bursts through. Tingha is seen in support to the right.	Tingha (#2) looks to score himself by stepping around the cover but the defence converges from both sides.
Nathan then decides to switch back towards the supports and the defenders are unable to touch him.	Tingha pops the pass to Mark Gasnier.
Gaz finds Lee Hookey out wide	Hookey finishes with a try!

Front rower, Ryles pusues the fullback, Geyer	Peters regathers a kick through
Peters making another bust	Hooper scores