Coach Craig Bellamy described Melbourne's third successive NRL minor premiership as the best, saying his side had earned it more this year.

The Storm sealed a record-breaking third straight JJ Giltinan Shield, scoring enough points in their final round 42-4 win over Souths to relegate Manly to second on points differential and are now eyeing back-to-back premierships.

They open their campaign with a qualifying final against the eighth-placed Warriors in Melbourne next Sunday afternoon.

"I think it's probably our best," Bellamy said when asked where the minor premiership ranked.

"They've earned it more than any other years in that we played before three Origin games without nine or 10 players and I don't think any team's ever done that.

"These guys have been ultra-consistent and they really deserved the minor premiership this year.

"It means a fair bit but come next week it will mean nothing."

Melbourne overcame a difficult preparation with gun five-eighth Greg Inglis rushing to Coffs Harbour on Saturday and then driving to Sydney to be by the hospital bedside of his father, Wade Blair, who suffered a heart attack.

His father's condition stabilised although Inglis will return to Sydney on Monday.

"It was a wonderful gesture for him to come back and for him to go out and play like he did was a huge effort," Bellamy said.

The Melbourne faithful were on their feet early as retiring veteran Matt Geyer led the side out onto paddock for his last home and away game after 11 seasons.

Geyer, who successfully converted the final try of the night, made his night even more memorable by opening the scoring with a try in the fifth minute.

"That was great, although I probably could have scored a few more tries" Geyer joked.

The Storm reached their required 26-point margin in the 57th minute through in-form fullback Billy Slater.

Cameron Smith converted to boost the scoreline to 32-4 and then the home side kept the Bunnies at bay to the delight of the raucous 13,875-strong Olympic Park crowd.

After Geyer's opening try Melbourne's push hit a stumbling block with Slater sin binned nine minutes into the game.

Slater pulled off a try-saving tackle on Souths winger Jamie Simpson but referee Steve Lyons ruled a professional foul as he failed to let Simpson up to play the ball.

But Slater turned from villain to hero in the second half.

At the 53rd minute he collected a Chris Sandow kick a metre inside the tryline and raced the length of the field to touch down between the posts.

His next try, four minutes later, came off an Israel Folau break with the burly centre throwing a long ball inside - it missed the target player but Slater scooped it up.

The only downside for Melbourne was the sight of hardworking lock Dallas Johnson limping from the field with two minutes remaining.

He will undergo scans on his knee on Monday.

South Sydney coach Jason Taylor believed Melbourne were specials to take their back to back titles.

"Over the last four weeks we've played Manly, Canberra and the Roosters ... but the Storm were a different kettle of fish tonight, they were just too powerful for us.

"They will be very, very hard to beat."

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