The Storm kept the Roosters scoreless for the first time on Saturday night in what turned out to be a record-breaking 46-0 rout at Allianz Stadium. Melbourne's outside backs were simply unstoppable while not even the elements could stop Cameron Smith.
When it rains it pours for Vunivalu
Having missed the first six games of the season, Suliasi Vunivalu should be nowhere near the top of the try scorer's list in 2016.
The Storm winger isn't just in contention to finish the season with the most tries; he's now sitting in equal first with Valentine Holmes on 11 tries.
The Fijian flyer exploded onto the scene with doubles in his first three NRL games and backed it up two games later with another two-try effort against the Eels.
On Saturday he touched down for his first hat-trick in the NRL, and while he won't break Les Brennan's record of 29 tries in a debut season, there's no reason he can't go close.
Incredibly, just seven games into his career, he now has 11 tries and is a genuine chance to considerably add to that in what has been an unprecedented debut season.
Missed opportunities haunt the Roosters
While the scoreboard suggests it was all one-way traffic, the Roosters had their chances throughout the game to make it a contest.
Daniel Tupou put down a ball from Latrell Mitchell in the first half that would have led to a try, while Mitchell Aubusson was bundled over the sideline just after half-time centimetres shy of the line.
But it was Blake Ferguson's bombed try approaching the half-hour mark that hurt the most.
The Roosters winger appeared certain to score when he scooped up a Jake Friend kick close to the line, but instead of strolling over untouched, Ferguson tripped and lost control of the ball.
It was a telling moment in the game as the Storm marched downfield and scored a try through Kevin Proctor from the very next set.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson lamented his side's inability to convert their opportunities when the game was still in the balance.
"There were probably three opportunities that we had in the game. And that's all you're going to get against Melbourne. If you don't take those opportunities, it's going to be tough," Robinson said.
"We had three genuine opportunities and we didn't take one of them and that makes it really hard.
"The start of the game was a pretty normal physical start and as soon as they got an opportunity they took it. They took the second one and they took the third and it ends up 18-nil at half-time."
Perfect Storm happy to fly under the radar
While the Sharks, Cowboys and Broncos have attracted all the premiership talk in 2016, the Melbourne Storm have quietly gone about their business with seven straight wins to sit atop the competition ladder after 14 rounds.
Bookmakers have the other three teams ahead of them in the market, but it's something that doesn't faze Storm coach Craig Bellamy in the slightest.
"At the end of the day it doesn't worry me what people say about us, whether it's good, bad or indifferent," Bellamy said after his side's crushing win.
"We know what we're about within the club.
"Sometimes we think we should be getting more praise, but sometimes we should probably be getting a bit more of a whack over the head."
It doesn't get any easier for the Roosters
There won't be any time for the Roosters to dwell on Saturday night's loss with a showdown across the ditch looming next Sunday.
The trip to Auckland was what sparked their 12-game winning streak last year but the assignment looks far more formidable this time around.
The Warriors are coming off two impressive wins including a 50-14 drubbing of the Knights on Saturday afternoon and are pressing for a top eight berth.
Trent Robinson's men will most likely be without State of Origin incumbents Blake Ferguson and Aidan Guerra, while Mitchell Pearce and Boyd Cordner are still injured.
Is there anything Cameron Smith can't do?
The Melbourne Storm skipper has achieved pretty much everything on offer in rugby league, but on Saturday night he produced something out of the ordinary.
Lining up a sideline conversion in the 20th minute, the superstar No.9 slipped on the Allianz surface as he took the kick, but instead of watching the attempt sail wide, Smith got up in shock to see the ball land over the black dot.
The Maroons and Kangaroos captain even took a moment to revel in his glory before composing himself and returning to the grind.
Despite all the rain in Sydney over the past week, Storm prop Jesse Bromwich couldn't understand what all the commotion was about.
"I'm not sure what happened there," he said. "I don't think it was too slippery after last week. I'm just happy he got it."
