This is where we will leave tonight's live digital coverage. 

Melbourne and Canterbury have given us a terrific start to the NRL finals. 

The Storm prevailed at home, and they will now host a preliminary final in two weeks. 

It's not over for the Bulldogs. They will host either the Warriors or Panthers next week in a sudden-death semifinal.

ABC Sport's live digital coverage of the NRL finals continues tomorrow with two elimination finals. 

We hope you join us then.

Goodnight.

Cameron Ciraldo was unhappy with some of the refereeing decisions tonight. 

But there is an argument that the Bulldogs were fortunate to get away with two potential hip-drop tackles in the second half. 

Matt Burton came down on the legs of Grant Anderson midway through the second half, as Anderson was going for the goal line.

Late in the match, Cameron Munster was rolling in pain after Jaeman Salmon came down on the back of his legs. 

In both cases, the defender's feet were off the ground, and their full weight landed on the legs of the Melbourne ball carrier. 

Bellamy was asked about Melbourne slowing down the ruck, a complaint of Ciraldo's. But Bellamy quickly raised his own frustration. 

"Seems though, the league has come to a different opinion of hip-drops now," he says.

"I don't think any player goes out there to drop their hip on the back of someone's leg.

"But in the past we've had players, and other clubs have had players, that have been suspended for that.

"But all of a sudden now it seems to be, 'it's an accident'."

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy has guided the club to another preliminary final. 

Bellamy is speaking the the media.

He praised his side's defence for the win over the Canterbury Bulldogs.

"I probably have a few mixed feelings at the moment," he says.

"I thought we started the game well but we lost our way with the ball, a bit.

"What hung us in today's game was our defence. That really improved, but I just thought we struggled with our attack."

Cameron Ciraldo has been asked about the refereeing of tonight's match. 

The Bulldogs coach is clearly annoyed.

After mulling over whether to discuss it, he opts to point out three frustrations tonight. 

He was unhappy with Melbourne slowing down their ruck, in his view.

Melbourne's penalty goal from a high tackle in the first half was another frustration. Viliame Kikau was pinged for hitting Josh King high. Replays showed Kikau's arm was high, but it appeared to hit King's raised arm. 

There was also a crusher penalty against the Bulldogs, on the Melbourne goal-line, which he was also unpleased by. 

Here is what Ciraldo said after being asked about the the calls against him.

"I was probably hoping you'd ask me that question 10 minutes ago, and then [I] calm down and think about myself not getting in trouble. 

"Just shut me mouth — but, I think by half-time it was about half a second slower in the play the ball, and we were the ones getting penalised for slow rucks. I wasn't happy with that. 

"The high tackle penalty in the first half, I was disappointed in that. 

"And then when we gained some ascendancy in the second half and there was a crusher tackle penalty coming off their own try line, I was even more unhappy with that. 

"As I've said before, you need a bit of luck in these games and we got zero tonight."

The Bulldogs' season is not over.

While Melbourne has earned a home preliminary final in two weeks, the Bulldogs will host either the Warriors or Panthers in a sudden-death semifinal. 

After the narrow loss to Melbourne, in a match where they lost both centres to injury, Ciraldo has taken a lot of confidence heading into next week.

"A lot's been said about how we've been playing, but we came down here full of belief, and played like it," he says.

"The mission stays the same. We've still got to get three wins to do what we want to do."

Canterbury Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo is speaking to media after his side's 26-18 loss to the Melbourne Storm. 

The Bulldogs lost both centres to leg injuries; Stephen Crichton (20th minute) and Enari Tuala (60th minute).

Viliame Kikau also missed a big chunk of the first half after copping an accidental elbow to the head.

Ciradlo has heaped praise on his team, who were leading with 15 minutes to play.

"I think, firstly, it's one of the bravest performances I've seen or been involved in," he says.

"Not much was going our way, but geez they were brave.

"Just incredibly proud of how they prepared and how they played."

It is another preliminary final for the Melbourne Storm.

They will host a grand final qualifier in two weeks.

The win tonight also snaps a two-match losing run. 

"We set out to give ourselves an opportunity to play in the prelim, and that's what we got, it wasn't perfect, but finals games are never perfect," Grant tells ABC Sport.

"There's plenty to work on, and we'll get back to work this week."

Toby Sexton was a surprise inclusion for the Bulldogs.

He had not played in the NRL since July after starting in the halves for most of the season.

He has summed up his emotions after tonight's loss.

"Oh, yeah, I dunno, we lost it at the end of the day, and at finals time, it's just win or lose... It's a tough one to swallow." 

Tyran Wishart scored the try, which gave Melbourne a two-point lead with 14 minutes to play.

He has joined ABC Sport, and he has heaped praise on the big forwards in the centre of the field.

"Our middles were exceptional tonight. They laid the platform for us," he says. 

"I thought we really handled the armwrestle well."

Canterbury hooker Bailey Hayward has joined ABC Sport after the Bulldogs' 26-18 loss.

The Bulldogs will now host a sudden-death semifinal against either the Warriors or Panthers.

The Bulldogs lost both centres to leg injuries tonight, including captain Stephen Crichton.

"When you have not only a world-class player, but your skipper, goes down it hurts," Hayward says.

"But, I think the boys who came in did a great job.

I think we handled it pretty well, but didn't get the result in the end."