Melbourne coach Craig Bellamy rarely affords a smile but one crept onto his face after his team had knocked South Sydney down 50-0 at Stadium Australia.
A 71-year record-equalling six tries from star winger Josh Addo-Carr helped the Storm run up the unfortunate score against the depleted Rabbitohs on Thursday night.
The win rocketed last year's premiers into second on the ladder but the coach was more impressed with their complete performance, which he hailed as their best of the season.
Earlier this year, they scored 52 points against Canterbury but let in three tries which tested Bellamy's impossibly high standards.
But Thursday's win was the first time this season the Storm have held a team scoreless, and just the third time they've done so since the start of 2017.
"That was easily our best performance of the season. I don't think we've put together a good consistent 80 minutes together this year," Bellamy said.
"We've had a couple of good halves, and a couple of games that we've been good for 60 minutes or so, but not 80 and I thought tonight we did that.
"I know Souths were down in strength a bit but a team can only play what's put out there and I thought they were tremendous tonight."
Addo-Carr's incredible six-try haul pulled the spotlight, but Bellamy reserved praise for his dual dummy halves, Brandon Smith and Harry Grant.
Smith started the game with Grant coming on after 20 minutes to hunt around the ruck, with the pair working in tandem to punch holes in the defensive line.
It's a ploy that's worked for Bellamy so far this season, but perhaps better than anyone could have expected after losing the game's greatest player in Cameron Smith for this season.
"We had a big whole to fill there with Cameron retiring, I'm not quite sure we've filled that hole but we've done it in a different way with the players," Bellamy said.
"They care about the club, they care about the team and they care about their performance and they play to their strengths and that's what we're about.
"I'm sure Cameron is sitting up there with a beer in his hand on the Gold Coast and really enjoying it.
"He's given those two guys a lot of advice and a lot of help and we're seeing the results of what they've spoken to Cameron about and practised."
Australian Associated Press
