MATT ORFORD is not a big-game player. It's unlikely that he cares now because he's a premiership-winning captain.

The Sea Eagles have won the competition in the centenary year of the game, and they did it with a commanding 40-0 shutout of the side that inflicted similar punishment on them last year.

Manly raged against the machine. This time they won.

Winger Michael Robertson crossed for three tries but it was the fifth one of the game that went through the hands of half the side midway through the second half that broke the Storm's heart and ensured the premiership was headed for the peninsula.

When Brent Kite stretched out and buried the ball between the posts, the celebration of the Manly players and the dejection of their Storm opponents suggested they knew the game was over.

When Brett Stewart threw a flick pass for centre Steve Bell to score late in the game, they created history with the largest grand final winning margin.

These moments were only surpassed by the sight of Steve Menzies, in his record-equalling 349th and last first-grade match for his club, rising from the bench, slapping on the headgear and charging over for the 180th try of his career. About time this game had a fairytale.

"I don't think it's sunk in yet," Menzies said. "What happened last year, to come and turn it around … we've done so well."

It was Menzies' night, and Kite was adjudged the Clive Churchill medallist, but it's the result that has singularly handed Orford the respect he has long craved and those close to him think he is due.

Orford usually shrugs off the excrement thrown his way but he bristled at the press conference following the grand final breakfast when it was suggested he was about to play the most important game of his life. "I don't see why this is a career-defining game for me," he shot back.

In the first half, he laid the foundations for Robertson's first try when he put a stinging shot on Melbourne giant Antonio Kaufusi - a man almost twice his stature.

Minutes later, he was creamed by Michael Crocker but still did well enough to run a second-man play that found fullback Stewart, whose catch and pass allowed Robertson to sneak over. Replays showed his foot might have found one blade of the sideline. The call went Manly's way. Clearly, it was their night. There was Orford again just after the break, his inch-perfect grubber kick threading through the Storm's brick wall to find Robertson for his second.

There has been enough speculation that Manly wouldn't renew Orford's contract beyond next season if he didn't guide the Sea Eagles to grand final victory this season. Apparently, they were already eyeing NRL exile Todd Carney in Huddersfield.

Orford is now entitled to go on and play as many matches as Menzies. "That's made my year," he said afterwards. Try career.

Did we slip into a parallel universe last night? Same place, same combatants but an eternity from the night a year ago when Manly were crunched. A twilight zone for the twilight grand final. Last year, Storm five-eighth Greg Inglis launched a torpedo bomb that touched the heavens and came down for Manly fullback Brett Stewart to be smashed out of the decider by Crocker. This year, the ball slid away and over the deadball line before Billy Slater could ground it.

Last year, Inglis frolicked among Manly defenders to score a superb and telling try. This year, Israel Folau went on similar searching runs but the try wasn't forthcoming, the play breaking down. Last year, Manly were bamboozled and broken, and the Storm were in complete control.

That was last year.

The opening try came in the 24th minute when hooker Matt Ballin bullocked over from dummy-half - the first No.9 since Royce Simmons went over for Penrith in 1991.

All suspended captain Cam Smith could do was watch forlornly from the sidelines.

"So far, this has been the toughest day of my life," he said during the broadcast.

The sight of Melbourne players trying to comfort an inconsolable Folau highlighted just how tough it would be.