The St George Illawarra Dragons initially seemed poised for an upset against last year's NRL runner-up.
However, Melbourne's Sualauvi Faalogo turned the tide with a late hat-trick, leading the Storm to a decisive 46-20 victory at WIN Stadium.
Although the Dragons fell behind early at 12-0, they showcased resilience, taking a 20-18 lead with less than 20 minutes remaining.
An unfortunate HIA to captain Clint Gutherson, compounded by injuries to key halves Daniel Atkinson and Kyle Flanagan, proved pivotal.
This situation set the stage for the Storm's late-game offensive explosion, netting five tries in the final 18 minutes.
Faalogo's performance solidified his presence in the NRL spotlight.
The Dragons lamented a challenging night marked by injuries, three HIAs, and 12 errors.
A swift play-the-ball set up a scoring opportunity, with Atkinson finding Holmes on a key cutout pass.
After Gutherson scored at the corner nearing halftime, the Dragons led briefly, but Storm captain Harry Grant snatched the lead just seconds before the break.
This last-minute try was a crushing setback, especially with two Dragons' halves injured moments before.
Still, Atkinson and Holmes teamed up early in the second half, reigniting hopes for the Dragons at 20-18.