Melbourne proved to be unlucky 13 for Canberra as the visitors snapped the home side's 12-game winning streak in the nation's capital with a 68-4 pummelling on Sunday afternoon.
The Raiders had not lost at Canberra Stadium since July 29, 2012 but that unbelievable streak had not seen them face the defending premier Storm at all.
Melbourne was staring down the barrel of three straight losses after falling to last year's runner-up Canterbury and the Warriors in succession.
But the Storm did their name justice as they blew away the hapless Raiders in a 12-tries-to-one humiliation that saw Sisa Waqa and Mahe Fonua bag hat-tricks while Billy Slater and Will Chambers each scored a brace.
It was the equal second-highest score ever put on against the Raiders and the second-highest losing margin the club has ever suffered.
Only a 74-12 home thrashing at the hands of Penrith in 2008 saw a larger concession of points while a 68-0 loss to Parramatta in Canberra in 1993 was the biggest deficit.
The yawning margin puts the Raiders in high danger of losing their place in the eight while Melbourne drew level with Manly on 29 points and significantly narrowed the for-and-against gap.
More to follow.
Melbourne: 68 (S Waqa 3, M Fonua 3, B Slater 2, W Chambers 2, K Proctor, T Harris tries; C Smith 10/12 conversions)
Canberra: 4 (A Milford try)
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