Must watch: The Coates try the NRL world will be talking about for years

Xavier Coates has instantly written himself into the rugby league history books with what is arguably the greatest matchwinning try in the NRL era, sealing a 30-26 victory for the Melbourne Storm in a bonafide barnstormer at AAMI Park on Saturday.

Melbourne, still two points down, was desperate to score anything to stay in the game and first went for a two-point field goal that was denied midway through the final set.

With possession regathered but the two-pointer now out of the question, Papenhuyzen staged a raid down the left side of the field, passing to Remis Smith, who got Coates into space. Then, the miracle: Coates leaped five metres out and defied gravity all the way to the in-goal area, holding off Dallin Watene-Zelezniak as he did.

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“Xavier Coates!” Warren Smith yelled in commentary on Fox League as the moment unfolded. “Can you believe it! He jumped like a rainbow and came up with a pot of gold for Melbourne. Unbelievable.”

The try, which sealed the last-gasp win for the Storm, has to be seen to be believed.

And even then, some didn’t believe—including Coates, who had nerves right up until the NRL Bunker double-checked the ground (which was as clean as you like) and gave it the green lights.

“I didn’t really know… there was a bit of adrenaline going,” the match-winner admitted moments later.

“I didn’t even know if I got the ball down, when all the boys were rushing up all around me, I didn’t even know if I got the ball down, so I couldn’t really celebrate with them. I was panicking a bit. I didn’t want to celebrate too early and then it be a no-try, but…. my ears are still ringing at the moment [from the fans], I can’t even really hear.

“But it popped up on the big screen and I ended up getting a try. I was thinking I don’t want to put my left hand down on the sideline. I knew I was up in the air and I just ended up getting the ball down.

“Pretty happy to get the ball down and finish the game the way we did.”

Coates then added: “We do train for these scenarios, knowing we’re down a certain amount of points, [knowing] there’s a way we can fight back and keeping our composure like we said, getting down the field, getting quick play-the-balls. It was a slick play from all the boys in the middle and I got the reward [for that] out on the edge.”

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On the heartbreaker, Warriors coach Andrew Webster said: “When you’ve got a winger who can jump over a skyscraper, it’s pretty amazing. But it’s hard to cheer when you’re feeling this way.”