NRL: Storm crush bottom-placed Titans

Cooper Cronk of the Storm passes the ball. Photo / Getty Images

Melbourne 40 Gold Coast 16

Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk scored a hat-trick of tries as the Storm crushed the Gold Coast Titans 40-16 on Saturday night at Skilled Park.

But the ruthless victory was soured after Cronk (left ankle) and winger Justin O'Neill (back) were forced from the field during the final 10 minutes of the lopsided match.

The Storm took an iron grip on the NRL minor premiership and equalled a club record 11 consecutive victories with their first win at the Robina venue from three attempts.

Cooper's kicking game was superb and he combined brilliantly with partner-in-crime Billy Slater, who bagged a brace of tries, to push the hapless Titans closer to the wooden spoon.

The third member of the Storm's "big three" - skipper and hooker Cameron Smith - controlled the play while backrower Sika Manu tore the Titans' defence to sheds in the seven tries to three victory in front of an 11,663-strong crowd.

Melbourne led 22-6 at halftime after Slater, Cooper and Manu ran riot against a Titans outfit missing a host of star players, including talisman Scott Prince (broken arm) and former Australian Test forward Anthony Laffranchi (corked thigh).

Preston Campbell wore the No.7 jersey and the captain's armband but had an unhappy night in his 100th match for the club as he inches closer towards retirement.

Manu ran straight at Campbell in the 24th minute when close to the line and the diminutive halfback had no chance of stopping him from scoring the Storm's third try that put the visitors 16-2 up.

Earlier Slater had picked up a spilt Campbell bomb and stepped his way through a ragged defensive line before offloading for Cronk to finish off a 98 metre movement.

They combined again on the stroke of halftime when Cronk returned the favour and set up a try for Slater with a magical no-look inside ball to the flying fullback.

Cronk added another two tries in a four-minute blitz early in the second half as the Storm raced to a 34-6 lead.

The Titans refused to throw in the towel as interchange forward Bodene Thompson and winger David Mead both touched down to the narrow the gap to 34-16.

MELBOURNE 40 (C Cronk 3 B Slater 2 S Manu A Quinn tries C Smith 6 goals) bt GOLD COAST 16 (D Moore B Thompson W Zillman tries P Campbell 2 goals) at Skilled Park. Referee: Alan Shortall, Jason Robinson. Crowd: 11,663.

- AAP