Wests Tigers prop Alex Twal has scored a long-awaited first NRL try but Melbourne spoiled his celebrations with a 28-6 win as Storm winger Will Warbrick crossed four times.
Storm halfback Jahrome Hughes took charge with Cameron Munster and Harry Grant away on State of Origin duty and his composure in attack was the difference between the understrength sides.
The match was the Tigers' first since injured Luke Brooks rejected their contract offer and their directionless attack reiterated the urgent need to finalise a halves pairing for 2024.
In the absence of Brooks and hooker Api Koroisau, makeshift halves pairing Starford To'a and Brandon Wakeham were incapable of turning brief periods of dominance into points.
The loss was Wests' third in a row, leaving their promising May firmly in the past and consigning them to last spot on the ladder.
But in his 116th first-grade game, Twal put to rest one of the NRL's longest-running gags.
Wakeham's cross-field kick ricocheted from Melbourne hands onto the turf midway through the first half and Twal reached out to ground it just one minute after coming on from the bench.
Twal's teammates immediately swarmed him and referee Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski struggled to suppress a smile as he awarded the try.
Cheers of 'Twally' rang out across Campbelltown Stadium.
The try clearly encouraged the Tigers but the Storm were patient and claimed a 14-6 halftime lead thanks to Hughes and his golden boot.
He put a bomb up for Warbrick's second try and then dribbled a grubberkick through for Tyran Wishart, whose first try in 22 NRL games wasn't quite as popular with the crowd as Twal's.
Warbrick's other three tries were simpler, coming as the Storm shifted the ball right through hands to bamboozle the laggard defence.
The Storm would have won more convincingly had Nick Meaney brought his kicking boots; the fullback nailed only two of six attempts at goal.
Nelson Asofa-Solomona could attract scrutiny from the match review committee for striking stand-in Tigers captain John Bateman with an open palm off the ball in the second half.
Bateman appeared to shove the big Storm forward as he attempted to play the ball, prompting the moment of rage and ensuing melee.
Melbourne's Tom Eisenhuth was placed on report for a crusher tackle on To'a and could join Asofa-Solomona on the charge sheet.
