While Melbourne Storm players saved themselves for the Knights, their fans made it clear who they thought the enemy was at AAMI Park on Sunday.

Their reception for NRL boss David Gallop was frostier than a seat high in the stands of the Melbourne home ground.

While he might have been at the qualifying final to present the Storm with the coveted JJ Giltinan Shield as minor premiers, he was made far from welcome by the crowd.

Gallop was making his first appearance at a Melbourne game since the Storm were stripped of their 2007 and 2009 premiership titles, when their massive salary cap cheating was exposed more than a year ago.

The club also lost three minor premierships (2006-08), all competition points in 2010, and were fined $500,000.

He didn't win any more fans when key Storm forward Adam Blair was rubbed out of the finals series and the club fined $50,000 after the brawling at the recent Manly game.

The boos from the crowd started as he walked from the players race onto the field.

They reached fever pitch as the chief executive tried to speak, drowned out as some in the crowd started a "Gallop's a wanker" chant.

Gallop realised he was on a hiding to nothing and kept the speech short, with even those out on the field unable to decipher his words before he handed the shield and a trophy over to Storm boss Ron Gauci.

At least the wintry weather in Melbourne meant the "FCUK Gallop" T-shirts that were printed up and sold out soon after the penalties were handed down were left at home or covered up.

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