Melbourne completed a week Brisbane will never forget with an astonishing 16-14 Houdini act in the NRL knockout semi final at Suncorp Stadium.

Melbourne had been behind on the scoreboard for 79 minutes and 14 seconds until superstar Greg Inglis broke Brisbane hearts with a try in the dying seconds.

Broncos coach Wayne Bennett leapt from his chair in the coach's box prematurely two minutes early after it appeared prop Ben Hannant had scored a match-winning try.

However video referee, Bill Harrigan, who had a chaotic night "upstairs" ruled he had been held up by Billy Slater and Matt Geyer.

Slater thought he'd blown the Storm's chances of defending its premiership when he lost control of the football with a three man overlap with 90 seconds to go.

Storm replacement Sika Manu then came up with a bone-jarring hit on Brisbane forward Ashton Sims which jolted the ball free in the final minute.

In the blink of an eye, the ball shot out to the left and "GI" came up with a try he will always remember.

Sims was a gutted figure as exhausted Brisbane players dropped to the ground shattered after such a gut-wrenching loss.

The Broncos led 12-0 at half time and looked to have emerged from their week from hell with a steely win.

The loss ended Bennett's 21-year reign at the club in front of a crowd of 50,466 that was left shell shocked by the result.

Storm halfback Cooper Cronk was relieved at the end of the epic battle.

"We were lucky to get away with that one," said Cronk whose kicking game played a big part in the win.

"We were just lucky that Sika (Manu) caused that mistake (Sims). We scored on the end of that.

"The Broncos were all over us but we survived for another week."

A distraught Lockyer was almost inconsolable as he stumbled almost aimlessly from the field.

"I don't think I have ever felt like that before. We turned up tonight .... I'm lost for words.

"Anyway, it's happened now," he added still in a daze.

Lockyer took the field for his 30th finals game after admitting he was the player in a security video who tackled a hotel bar manager earlier this month.

During the darkest week in Brisbane's 21-year history star players Karmichael Hunt, Sam Thaiday and Darius Boyd were interviewed by detectives over sexual assault allegations and Lockyer and other Brisbane players were accused of poor behaviour on drinking binges after games.

But any fears the off-field dramas would rattle Brisbane were dispelled in the opening minutes when Hunt provided the final pass for Boyd to dive over in the left corner for the opening try of the game.

Second-rower Corey Parker drew a massive roar from the sellout crowd when he converted Boyd's third minute try.

The game had a State of Origin pace to it in the opening 15 minutes as both sides tried to take control of the ruck.

Melbourne got across the Brisbane try line twice, the first time when video referee Bill Harrigan ruled flying fullback Billy Slater had failed to ground halfback Cooper Cronk's 17th minute grubber kick and in the 25th minute when Brisbane teammates Peter Wallace and Parker held up Cronk who darted through a gap 10 metres out.

Brisbane went to half time 12-0 up following a spectacular try to winger Denan Kemp who handled twice after Wallace, Lockyer (twice)and Hodges all handled the ball late in the tackle count.

Melbourne play the Sharks next weekend for a spot in the grand final against the winner of the other preliminary final between Manly and the New Zealand Warriors.

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