As it happened: Storm into prelim as Dogs lose Captain Critta

Welcome back, Jacob: The Bulldogs got a huge boost with powerhouse winger Jacob Kiraz's return from injury and he delivered big time with 25 runs for 211 metres and four tackle breaks. With Stephen Crichton and Enari Tuala almost certainly gone, Kiraz becomes even more important for Cameron Ciraldo next weekend.

Will finds a way: After a tough season with a lengthy lay-off due to concussion, Will Warbrick was huge for the Storm, running for 294 metres and breaking 10 tackles. The Kiwi winger had a couple of shaky moments early but found his feet and iced the win for the Storm with a runaway try in the closing minutes.

Full-time: The Storm are one win away from another grand final after a brutal contest that left the Bulldogs counting the cost ahead of a semi-final against the winner of the Warriors-Panthers clash.

77 min: AAMI Park erupts as Will Warbrick intercepts a Viliame Kikau pass and sprints 80 metres to score under the posts. Kikau was attempting to lob a pass over the top to Matt Burton but Warbrick read it well and pounced to take the intercept that looks set to carry the Storm into the preliminary final. Jonah Pezet converts. Storm 26-18.

75 min: The Bulldogs make the ball sing and get within 20 metres of the line but a poor kick by Kurt Mann is easily cleaned up by Will Warbrick.

66 min: Stefano Utoikamanu goes to the line and slips an offload to Harry Grant who picks up Tyran Wishart, the supersub running a courageous line to bust through Viliame Kikau and Connor Tracey to score. Jonah Pezet converts. Storm 20-18.

65 min: Nick Meaney leaves the field for a HIA after a collision with Connor Tracey as the pair chased a grubber into the Dogs in-goal. The Storm fullback passes his HIA.

64 min: Toby Sexton kicks out on the full and the Storm take over on halfway.

63 min: Harry Grant chooses to play the short side on last tackle and Grant Anderson is tackled just short of the line. The Bulldogs have to make the tough metres out of their own end.

62 min: The Storm throw in a captain's challenge and it comes up trumps when the bunker overturns a knock on call and rules it was Jethro Rinakama who made the error in the contest for a kick. 

61 min: Tyran Wishart is sent into the game by Craig Bellamy.

60 min: Another blow for the Bulldogs with Enari Tuala leaving the field with a calf injury.

58 min: A left side raid by the Bulldogs is finished off by Matt Burton who powers through Grant Anderson's tackle to score and put the blue and whites in front. Burton converts from wide out. Bulldogs 18-14.

56 min: Cameron Munster dabs a grubber into the in goal and Lachlan Galvin does well to cover up and tap the ball dead. The Bulldogs get the ball back from the short dropout.

54 min: A short dropout from the Bulldogs is knocked on in the air by Jacob Kiraz and the Storm get a scrum 20 metres out.

52 min: The Bulldogs are penalised for a high tackle on Will Warbrick and then compound the error when Kurt Mann is marched 10 metres for dissent.

49 min: Some brilliant attack from the Storm ends with a kick to the corner for Xavier Coates who takes the ball on the full and offloads but Enari Tuala intercepts it.

45 min: Bulldogs forward Josh Curran is placed on report for a high tackle.

44 min: Great kick pressure from Josh Curran forces a dusty kick from Jonah Pezet and the Dogs go on the attack.

Metre men: Connor Tracey (15 runs for 134m) and Jacob Kiraz (15 runs for 128m) led the way for the Bulldogs while Nick Meaney racked up 86 run metres for the Storm.

Half-time: A half full of drama with Viliame Kikau, Stephen Crichton and Joe Chan all in trouble with injuries. Kikau was able to return to the field after passing a HIA but Chan won't return after failing his HIA and Crichton (ankle) is in a moon boot and could be facing the end of his season.

39 min: A mistake by Xavier Coates puts Storm under pressure but a forward pass from Kurt Mann to Sitili Tupouniua takes the air out of the balloon for the Bulldogs.

35 min: Brilliance from Cameron Munster and Harry Grant down a short after a quick play the ball from Jack Howarth. The skipper Grant finds Munster who sends it to Ativalu Lisati who crashes over. Nick Meaney converts. Storm 14-12.

34 min: Jonah Pezet steps up and delivers with a 40-20 for the Storm.

30 min: In his comeback from injury Jacob Kiraz gets a try after slick lead-up work from Lachlan Galvin and Connor Tracey on the right edge. That's 10 tries for the season for Kiraz. The conversion from Matt Burton makes it 12-8 to the Bulldogs.

29 min: The Bulldogs go high, Lachlan Galvin and Nick Meaney compete for the ball. Meaney is ruled to have knocked on first and the Dogs get a scrum feed 20m out.

25 min: Jonah Pezet launches a huge kick in search of a 40-20 but Connor Tracey gets across to keep the ball in play and deny the 40-20.

24 min: A high tackle penalty against Viliame Kikau hands Nick Meaney a shot at two points and he converts. Storm 8-6.

23 min: Jacob Kiraz makes an error coming out of his own end to put the Dogs under more heat.

22 min: Joe Chan leaves the field for a HIA after a head clash with Harry Hayes. The Storm man fails his HIA and is unable to return.

21 min: Toby Sexton grabs a try with his first touch after Viliame Kikau slipped an offload and it Sexton's knee and bounced up for the recalled playmaker to score the Dogs' first try. Matt Burton adds the extras. 6-6.

20 min: More drama for the Bulldogs with skipper Stephen Crichton going off with an ankle injury.

18 min: Viliame Kikau returns to the field with swelling around his eye.

18 min: Jonah Pezet comes up with a trysaver on Matt Burton before the Bulldogs turn the ball over with a forward pass from Lachlan Galvin to Jaeman Salmon.

15 min: Another error from Will Warbrick on kick return hands the Bulldogs a golden opportunity inside the Red Zone.

13 min: An error by Jacob Kiraz puts the Bulldogs under pressure but their defence holds firm.

12 min: Matt Burton goes to the air but doesn't get it sweetly and Will Warbrick makes the catch on his own 30m line.

8 min: An error by Will Warbrick coming out of his own end is followed by a penalty to the Bulldogs for a dangerous tackle by Stefano Utoikamanu but the visitors fail to make it count when Josh Curran makes an error.

4 min: The Storm click into gear with Cameron Munster putting Joe Chan into space before Jonah Pezet goes to the right and picks up Eli Katoa with a superb pass and the back-rower crosses for his 13th try of the season. Nick Meaney converts. Storm 6-0.

1 min: Drama for the Bulldogs early as Viliame Kikau cops a stray elbow to the eye as he goes in to make a tackle on Will Warbrick. The Bulldogs back-rower leaves the field for a HIA and Harry Hayes enters the game. Kikau passes his HIA.

Late Mail

Storm: Centre Jack Howarth has been called into the starting side an hour before kick-off in his return from a groin injury so Joe Chan goes to the back row, Ativalu Lisati to the bench and Bronson Garlick to 18th man. Jonah Pezet starts at halfback and Tyran Wishart comes from the bench in another key late change.  Nick Meaney is the new fullback with Ryan Papenhuyzen (concussion) sitting out a week. Captain Harry Grant is back from suspension in a huge boost for Craig Bellamy's men. 

Bulldogs: A big in an hour before kick-off with winger Jacob Kiraz back from an ankle injury and starting in No.23. Blake Wilson drops to 18th man. Prop Harry Hayes (hamstring) is also back on deck and will join the bench. Josh Curran is promoted to start at prop and Sam Hughes drops out. Toby Sexton is back for his first game since Round 19 at the expense of Reed Mahoney, who has played every game this season either at hooker or off the bench. Marcelo Montoya (ankle) and Bronson Xerri (concussion) are sidelined.

Numbers Game

• The Storm have won nine of their last 10 games against the Bulldogs.
• The Bulldogs have won only one of their last five games at AAMI Park.
• Storm winger Xavier Coates has scored 41 tries in 37 games at AAMI Park.
• The Bulldogs have not won a finals match since 2015.
• The Storm have won only three of their last eight finals matches.