Five-eighth Michael Witt said he was trying to wind the clock down when he hesitated before planting down for the try that kept the New Zealand Warriors' NRL hopes alive.

Witt scored with two minutes to go against Melbourne at Olympic Park, finishing off an incisive break by Jerome Ropati and a big run from Manu Vatuvei, to round off a shock 18-15 victory away from home.

He stood holding the ball up in the air after he crossed the tryline, before finally forcing it, but it was a close-run thing, with Storm skipper Cameron Smith almost kicking it out of his hands.

"I thought there was only one guy chasing me and, when I got past him, I thought I could stand in the corner and not put the ball down a while and waste more time," Witt told NZPA.

"But I didn't realise I had someone else right on me. In hindsight I should have dived for the corner."

His team-mates later asked him what the hell he was doing.

Witt said the move that led to the try was a bit of a blur, but he remembered thinking that he had to make sure he backed up when Vatuvei powered down the left touchline.

"He's such a big strong man that anything can happen," he said.

"I was just sniffing around and calling for the ball and Manu did an awesome effort to get it to me."

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