Brisbane Broncos impress in defence to beat Melbourne Storm

Brisbane Broncos produced a superb defensive effort to reclaim top spot in the NRL with a battling 14-12 victory over Melbourne Storm on Sunday.

Tries from Lachlan Maranta, Jack Reed and Corey Oates ensured the Broncos ran out winners at AAMI Park despite Blake Green's first-half double for Melbourne.

Yet the scoreline only told half the story as the Storm piled on the pressure in the closing stages, only to be held at bay.

Brisbane defended 11 goal line drop-outs and barely escaped their own half in the final quarter of the game as Melbourne tried in vain to turn things around.

Green just about reached the line to open the scoring from first receiver after nine minutes, but the Broncos hit back through Maranta in the right corner before Reed crossed at the end of a superb fifth-tackle play.

After Green had put the Storm back in front, Oates then claimed the only try of a tense second half as he collected a precise kick to the left wing from Anthony Milford.

And Jordan Kahu's subsequent conversion proved decisive, with Brisbane holding firm in the face of a Melbourne onslaught thereafter.

In Sunday's other fixture, Ben Barba inspired Cronulla Sharks to a thrilling 30-28 victory over Newcastle Knights.

Cronulla trailed 16-12 at the break and fell further behind early in the second half when a remarkable piece of athleticism from Jake Mamo enabled Carlos Tuimavave to touch down under the posts.

Mamo looked to have kicked the ball too far, but flung himself in the air beyond the dead ball line and flicked the ball back for Tuimavave in mid-air.

Barba was subsequently introduced, however, and that prompted an immediate improvement from the Sharks, who crossed three times in six minutes - Barba claiming the second of those scores - to gain the upper hand.

Kade Snowden's late try and Kurt Gidley's conversion reduced Newcastle's deficit to two points, but they were unable to avoid a ninth defeat in 10 matches.