The Melbourne Storm have come up short for the second year in a row in the biggest game of the NRL season.

Despite leading at halftime, they lost all momentum during the second half and were chased down by the Reece Walsh-led Brisbane Broncos.

Here is how we rated each of their 17 players.

Melbourne Storm player ratings

1. Ryan Papenhuyzen - 8.5/10
Papenhuyzen was among Melbourne's best. Looked a threat with the ball more often than he didn't, running 235 metres from 21 carries and adding a couple of line break assists.

2. Will Warbrick - 4.5
Warbrick had a strong first half, but suffered a severe case of the dropsies in the second half.

Wound up making three errors and couldn't find a way around bench spark Ezra Mam, who essentially took ownership of that side of the field during the second half.

3. Jack Howarth - N/A
Impossible to rate Howarth. Tried to battle through a groin injury for a number of minutes before coming from the field just 15 minutes into the game.

4. Nick Meaney - 7
Scored the opening try for the Storm running a terrific inside line, and looked dangerous doing it more throughout the game.

Finished with 119 metres but couldn't flip the tide during the second half.

5. Xavier Coates - 7
Had a bad moment when he was taken over the sideline in a critical attacking set late in the game for the Storm, but otherwise played okay with some decent runs, and as always, was a threat in the air.

6. Cameron Munster - 7.5
Munster never stopped working for the Storm as he looked to break the Brisbane line during the second half, but struggled to have a great deal of influence over the game as Brisbane ran over the top of the contest.

7. Jahrome Hughes - 7
Hughes was in everything during the first half, scoring a sensational try with a double right foot step to cap it all off.

Much quieter in the second half though as his forwards were rolled.

Will also be a concern about a potential knee injury sustained in the last minute of the game.

8. Stefano Utoikamanu - 6.5
Utoiakamanu had a strong first stint, but was very average in his second stint, where he made a couple of errors and added just a handful of metres and runs.

For the carry on early in the week, he didn't have the best of performances.

9. Harry Grant - 8
Grant never really plays a bad game. Strong service out of dummy half and excellent defence, but he just couldn't find a way to get his side over the top of the Broncos.

10. Josh King - 6.5
Had to play big minutes owing to injuries and defended well in patches, but with less than 100 metres, and four misses tackles, it's tough to give him a great mark.

11. Shawn Blore - 7.5
Blore had some really nice moments on the edge throughout his 64 minutes. Looked a threat to break the line at times, cracked 100 metres, but did miss a few critical tackles.

12. Eliesa Katoa - 9.5
If Melbourne had won the game, there is little doubt that Eliesa Katoa would have won the Clive Churchill Medal.

He had a phenomenal first half, scoring a try and setting up another, while his running game and defence were also excellent.

Among Melbourne's best without the footy in the second half too.

13. Trent Loiero - 6.5
Finished the game in the sin bin for a high shot that could have been a send off in the regular season.

That may lower his mark a touch, but he didn't have the greatest of performances regardless, winding up with 92 metres.

14. Tryan Wishart - 6.5
Wishart was forced to play out of position in the centres after the early injury to Jack Howarth.

A solid performance without setting the world on fire, but he certainly never stopped trying with 18 runs for 129 metres.

15. Ativalu Lisati - 5.5
Lisati didn't get into the game until late. Only had two runs and while he defended okay, there wasn't anything to write home about for the bench forward.

16. Tui Kamikamica - 4.5
Not a whole lot of impact for the Fijian forward in what may be his final game for the Storm.

Dropped a certain try over the line too in a moment that could well have cost the Storm the game in the end.

17. Alec MacDonald - 6
MacDonald spent a fair chunk of the game on the bench dealing with an elbow problem before returning late.

Only had four runs, but they all had impact, and he defended with his usual high intensity and work rate in the minutes he did have.