Neither side could be split after the opening 40 minutes in Townsville with the score 14-all, but it was the Cowboys who came out with distinct physicality and power in the second half to roll in five tries to Melbourne's one.

Valemei bagged his third of the afternoon three minutes into the second half before fellow winger Murray Taulagi extended the lead to double digits.

Nick Meaney's chip and chase to himself lowered the deficit to six again as Melbourne hung tough, but the Cowboys hit their straps and struck a rhythm not seen thus far this year.

It began with a spread left from midfield as Valentine Holmes accelerated onto a ball from Scott Drinkwater before passing out to Taulagi for his second try.

Jeremiah Nanai ran a hard line off Drinkwater's shoulder for a try on his return from a four game suspension, then when Peta Hiku enjoyed a rare break down the right edge nine minutes from time, his grubber found skipper Chad Townsend for North Queensland's eighth.

Townsend added a field goal just before fulltime as the Cowboys enjoyed a complete rout of the Storm just two weeks after losing 66-16 to Wests Tigers.

"I just asked the team to throw away the finesse and just go back to brutality and playing direct," Payten said of his half-time message.

"It was pleasing, really pleasing."

The Cowboys had a number of standout players, with Reuben Cotter immense in midfield after starring for Queensland midweek, while hooker Reece Robson rattled Melbourne's middles with some bell-ringers whilst also finding metres out of dummy-half.

They were in rare territory on Sunday afternoon as the 16th placed Cowboys flew out the blocks and dominated the early stages for a 10-0 lead following two tries from Valemei.

North Queensland's fast start in both halves was lamented by Storm coach Craig Bellamy.

"Our second half start was the same as our first - it was putrid to be quite honest," Bellamy said.

"We just don't learn from our mistakes and it went to another level today. I'm not quite sure when the penny is going to drop."

Melbourne weathered the onslaught and threw plenty of traffic at the Cowboys' left defensive edge, finally cracking some points when Xavier Coates beat two poor attempted tackles after a hands-play.

The Cowboys soon hit back when Melbourne coughed up the ball inside their own half, with Tom Dearden finding fullback Drinkwater, who sneaked a ball out to Holmes for their third.

Justin Olam crashed over and Nick Meaney added a penalty on half-time to tie the game, but the Cowboys dominated the second half.

Olam departed the game after failing an HIA in the first half.

Australian Associated Press