Melbourne and the Bulldogs cleared away from the rest of the field with 40-point drubbings of their NRL opponents on Saturday night.
The Storm surged away from last year's premiers the Wests Tigers in the second half.
Ahead 16-4 at halftime they ran away to a 46-4 winning margin with Kiwi test winger Jake Webster scoring four of their 10 tries.
The win took Melbourne to 38 points, still six clear of the Bulldogs who went six clear of third place with their 54-14 pounding the North Queensland.
The Cowboys, ravaged by injury, were completely outplayed from the outset, falling 0-30 behind by the break.
Kiwi back rower Sonny Bill Williams scored two of the Dogs' nine tries while Hazem El Masri scored one and converted every try for a haul of 22 points.
Match details:
At Olympic Park, Melbourne:
MELBOURNE STORM 46 (Jake Webster 4, Steve Turner 2, Greg Inglis, Matt Geyer tries; Cameron Smith 5 conversions, penalty; Greg Inglis conversion).
WESTS TIGERS 4 (Jamaal Lolesi tries).
Halftime: 16-4 Storm.
Referee: Sean Hampstead.
Crowd: 12,481.
At Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville:
BULLDOGS 54 (Andrew Emelio 2, Sonny Bill Williams 2, Reni Maitua, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga, Hazem El Masri, Trent Cutler tries; Hazem El Masri 9 conversions).
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 14 (Mark Henry, Ashley Graham, Matthew Scott tries; Ashley Graham conversion).
Halftime: 30-0 Bulldogs.
Referee: Paul Simpkins.
Crowd: 20,486.
The Storm surged away from last year's premiers the Wests Tigers in the second half.
Ahead 16-4 at halftime they ran away to a 46-4 winning margin with Kiwi test winger Jake Webster scoring four of their 10 tries.
The win took Melbourne to 38 points, still six clear of the Bulldogs who went six clear of third place with their 54-14 pounding the North Queensland.
The Cowboys, ravaged by injury, were completely outplayed from the outset, falling 0-30 behind by the break.
Kiwi back rower Sonny Bill Williams scored two of the Dogs' nine tries while Hazem El Masri scored one and converted every try for a haul of 22 points.
Match details:
At Olympic Park, Melbourne:
MELBOURNE STORM 46 (Jake Webster 4, Steve Turner 2, Greg Inglis, Matt Geyer tries; Cameron Smith 5 conversions, penalty; Greg Inglis conversion).
WESTS TIGERS 4 (Jamaal Lolesi tries).
Halftime: 16-4 Storm.
Referee: Sean Hampstead.
Crowd: 12,481.
At Dairy Farmers Stadium, Townsville:
BULLDOGS 54 (Andrew Emelio 2, Sonny Bill Williams 2, Reni Maitua, Luke Patten, Willie Tonga, Hazem El Masri, Trent Cutler tries; Hazem El Masri 9 conversions).
NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS 14 (Mark Henry, Ashley Graham, Matthew Scott tries; Ashley Graham conversion).
Halftime: 30-0 Bulldogs.
Referee: Paul Simpkins.
Crowd: 20,486.
