Melbourne have snapped their two-game NRL losing streak with Cameron Munster orchestrating a 28-8 victory over Manly in their Thursday night clash.
The scoreline flattered the Storm, who mostly looked a shadow of the team that piled on 162 points in three games earlier in the season, with Munster the difference at AAMI Park.
The superstar playmaker scored a try in each half and set up another, answering critics who questioned his patchy form in recent weeks as Melbourne suffered heavy losses to Penrith and North Queensland.
The Storm's attack otherwise looked disjointed, with their spine undergoing yet another change with hooker Harry Grant suffering a match-eve injury to join fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen on the sidelines.
They at least welcomed halfback Jahrome Hughes back from a calf injury with the No.7 outplaying his opponent Daly Cherry-Evans.
Team stats
The Sea Eagles gifted their opponents possession and territory with errors and poor discipline proving costly.
They were lucky to only trail 12-4 at halftime with their sole try scored by winger Jorge Taufua in his return to first grade after rupturing his Achilles in round 17 in 2020.
Two minutes into the second half Melbourne winger Xavier Coates leapt high to take a Munster bomb and the lead was out to 12 points.
With Queensland State of Origin selection looming on Monday, Munster showed his bag of tricks, stripping the ball from Manly players twice in two minutes and darting through to the line with the second.
The Storm's fifth try, scored in the 65th minute by Kenny Bromwich, sealed the result although Manly winger Christian Tuipulotu dived across in the corner to have the final say.
