Relieved Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy has praised his side's never-say-die defence for helping the NRL premiership favourites scrape to an 18-16 victory over the under-rated Wests Tigers at Olympic Park.

The Storm were largely expected to romp home in the season opener, but an equally spirited defence from the Tigers and some costly attacking errors by the home side ensured an enthralling finish.

Ultimately it was a superb solo effort from Storm debutant Israel Folau that won the game for Melbourne.

The 17-year-old plucked a towering bomb from mid-air and carried two defenders across the line to give the Storm an 18-10 lead with 20 minutes to play.

A fumble in-goal by Storm man-of-the-match Cooper Cronk on 67 minutes allowed the Tigers' Kiwi international Paul Whatuira to score and draw the visitors back within range, but it was the Storm's water-tight defence which held firm to take the two competition points.

Bellamy said he was impressed with his side's committed defence, but lamented a disastrous 10 minutes prior to halftime when they gave away consecutive penalties for incorrect play the balls leading to a Tigers try and cutting their lead to 12-10.

"I thought our defence was pretty good most of the time," said Bellamy.

"The last 10 minutes before halftime I certainly wasn't pleased with.

"It was no-one else's fault but our own."

While the Storm were the better side, they didn't have the match all their own way as the Tigers put a disappointing premiership defence in 2006 behind them with some outstanding defence.

The Storm, led by skipper Cameron Smith and lock Dallas Johnson, controlled the game after an indecisive opening 10 minutes where the Tigers skipped out to an early lead with a try to winger Jason Moodie.

Storm second-rowers Jeremy Smith and Ryan Hoffman crossed for tries midway through the opening 40 minutes, hooker Cameron Smith converting both efforts.

But the Storm virtually handed the visitor's their second try three minutes from the break, Bronson Harrison barging over on the back of the home side's laziness with the ball in conceding penalties in attack.

The second half was a dogged encounter before Folau's brilliance opened a gap and Whatuira's luck delivered the tense finish.

Tigers star Benji Marshall - playing his first NRL match since shoulder surgery ruined his 2006 campaign - had one last chance at victory but his final pass went astray and the Storm celebrated victory in front of 13,535 fans.

Having lost a trial game to wooden spoon favourites Canberra two weeks ago, the Tigers weren't considered to threaten Melbourne, yet somehow pushed the competition favourites all the way to the end.

Tigers coach Tim Sheens, however, was far from impressed with the game, disappointed his team coughed up possession at critical moments, cruelling their challenge for an upset.

"I'm not satisfied with just getting beat at all to be quite honest," said Sheens.

"There's a couple of issues that as a coach I was not happy we did.

"We turned over a bit of football at critical times at set pieces. The Storm are going to hurt you when that happens.

"We never got past the third tackle on repeat sets.

"I'm expecting mistakes early in the season but not too many mistakes from mix ups and simple errors.

"But in saying that there was plenty of courage shown.

"It's a long season and something for us to build on."

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