Melbourne showcased their incredible depth as they lent on some fresh faces to clinically dispose of Canterbury 41-10 on Saturday.
That pool of talent will be tested again though after another knee injury to Cameron Munster, the Queensland and Australian half falling awkwardly in a tackle and set to miss at least two weeks.
They were already without hooker Cameron Smith (shoulder), in-form fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen and forward Dale Finucane (both rested) on the Sunshine Coast.
Munster has already missed time with a knee injury this season and will now join Smith on the sidelines for next Thursday’s clash with the Sydney Roosters and possibly the following round against Parramatta.
It didn’t fluster them on Saturday though, with the Storm continuing their dominance over bottom-four teams – they haven’t lost to one since 2015 – as Smith’s namesake and hooking replacement Brandon Smith, backrower Kenny Bromwich (two tries) and new fullback Nicho Hines ran riot.
The Bulldogs didn’t help themselves. Lachlan Lewis and Josh Jackson both threw loose passes that were scooped up by wingers Josh Addo-Carr and Suliasi Vunivalu respectively for long-range tries.
The first was one of three in five minutes to break the game open, while Vunivalu made up for some sloppy play to close the first half just as the Bulldogs threatened a boilover trailing 23-10.
Addo-Carr then added salt to the Bulldogs’ wounds, winning the race to a long kick down-field to grab a brace.
Hines was as far back as fourth in the pecking order last season but was all class in the No.1 with strong carries, assured kicking, safe hands and an early try.
Lewis’s forgettable game included a sin-bin and report for a loose high shot on Munster, the playmaker returning to land another high shot on Addo-Carr.
The Bulldogs (2-11) remain rooted to the bottom of the ladder while the win was the Storm’s (11-2) seventh-straight, moving them ahead of the Panthers who meet Canberra later on Saturday.