The Melbourne Storm have locked up another minor premiership and they've done it in style with a 48-6 win over the Dolphins at AAMI Park in Melbourne.
Despite the dominant scoreline, it took the Storm 20 minutes to open the scoring when Sua Faalogo scored in the corner after the Dolphins defence was caught in all sorts and Jamayne Isaako rushing up left space open on the outside.
Harry Grant extended the Melbourne lead just after the half hour mark when Harry Grant sniffed an opportunity close to the line and went from dummy half. Nick Meaney converted for a 10-0 lead.
The Storm added two more tries in the last five minutes when Alec McDonald fought his way to the line and got the ball to the line with the bunker taking a long look to see whether he held the ball and then Jack Howarth scored just shy of half time. Nick Meaney converted both from close range and Melbourne lead 22-0
Controversy rained for the first Melbourne try inside the second half when Sua Faalogo took a big dive and got the ball down barely inside the dead ball line (which personally to me it did) though many were questioning the decision to uphold the live call.
Melbourne quickly added another try when Jahrome Hughes had a nice clear passage to the loose ball when Harry Grant put a grubber kick through for his halfback to score. The conversion was kicked from close range.
Eli Katoa added a try a few minutes later as the Storm juggernaut continued and the score ballooned out to 36-0.
A rare Melbourne error when Sua Faalogo put a kick down gave the Dolphins the opportunity and Jake Averillo was on the spot to ground the ball.
It was a true party on Swan Street because the Storm were able to cross again and it was the main man Nelson Asofa-Solomona who scored and let the crowd know about it. The Storm then added a final nail in the Dolphins coffin when Josh King went over in the final five minutes to seal the 48-6 win after Nick Meaney converted.
The win for Melbourne seals the Minor Premiership with two games to spare with clashes in Townsville and Brisbane. The Dolphins drop to tenth with clashes against the Broncos and Knights to decide their season.