Storm sweat on Dallas

Melbourne Storm coach Craig Bellamy is hopeful that Dallas Johnson's season isn't yet over despite the lock suffering what looked to be a serious knee injury on Sunday night.

The Storm had already wrapped up the JJ Giltinan Shield for the third year in succession on the way to a 42-4 win over South Sydney when Johnson went down just a couple of minutes before the end.

Having turned in another solid display in the No.13 as Melbourne blew its points differential out to +302 to seal top spot ahead of Manly (+290), the Queensland Origin workhorse ran the ball just inside Souths territory.

But with two Rabbitohs taking him down, Johnson's right leg buckled under that of Luke Stuart as he was brought to ground and he had to be assisted from the field immediately.

With the Storm farewelling their last foundation player Matt Geyer on Sunday night after the game, Johnson hobbled back onto the field to take part in the ceremony with his leg heavily wrapped in ice but Bellamy said early reports were encouraging.

"They seem to think he's not too bad," Bellamy said post-match. "Certainly it didn't look so good, the ankle or the position he got himself into, but they seem to think it's not too bad … until they have a scan."

"They seem to think it's a medial, but how bad they're not quite sure. But he got up and he went back out there for the presentation for Boof (Geyer) … so if anyone deserves to be playing in September it's Dallas Johnson so hopefully he'll be ok."

Bellamy and skipper Cam Smith were also both impressed that five-eighth Greg Inglis played just 24 hours after a marathon return home to country New South Wales after his father suffered a heart attack.

With Wade Blair taken to Sydney from his hometown of Coffs Harbour, Inglis flew to Coffs Harbour and picked up his family before then driving them more than 400km to the NSW capital.

After visiting his father on both Saturday night and Sunday morning, Inglis returned to Melbourne even though he had been given permission by the club to remain in Sydney.

"I said to the players before the game I just thought it was a wonderful gesture for him to come back," Bellamy added. "His dad is stable now … but for him to come back … it was a huge thing for him to do."

"I think it's a little sign of the respect all these guys have got for each other, and for other guys' big moments. I thought he was tremendous and to play like he did, it was a huge effort from him and we just hope Wade … will get well real quick."