The final weekend of pre-season trials will see games across three countries, with four more trials set to whet our appetite for the forthcoming NRL season. The Storm face the Knights in gorgeous Fiji, a star half returns for the Warriors in a vital final clash in Auckland, and the Dragons and Tigers look to put a difficult preseason behind them with a solid final trial showing.

Here’s all you need to know from Saturday’s action in the NRL Pre-season Challenge.

Melbourne 28, Newcastle 10

Storm show their class, Ponga makes long-awaited return

The Storm have completed their preparations with a successful swatting aside of the Newcastle Knights on a hot afternoon at Churchill Park in Fiji.

With temperatures exceeding 30 degrees celsius on Viti Levu, the match became a battle of attrition, with the Storms big signings proving the decisive factor in their 28-10 victory.

Jonah Pezet, Young Tonumaipea and Harry Grant were among a strong contingent of players who delivered a solid result for the men from Melbourne, with Elisea Katoa and Xavier Coates bagging tries in the first quarter of the match to go out to an early lead.

While the Knights fought back with a try of their own in the 26th minute when Pezet cut the Newcastle backline in half. Having spent the last two years in the wings behind Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes, the young half put in a solid performance and looks ready to transition to NRL level.

Storm strike through the middle in Fiji

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Newcastle did look off the pace for much of the match, however, with combinations and cohesion clearly their focus for this clash there were plenty of positives to take from the performance.

Kalyn Ponga was a welcome return for the Steel City, looking to have picked up right where he left off with a contribution to one of Newcastle’s tries, and despite both being rested after 40 minutes, Bradman Best and Tyson Frizell also looked to ease into the season.

Less fortunate however was the Knights discipline, with new signings Kai Pearce-Paul and Thomas Jenkins both being placed on report in the second half, with Jacob Saifiti being sent to the bin for a late shot on Storm local Tui Kamikamica.