Minor premiers Melbourne rested their big guns but still lost three to worrying injuries as they crashed 40-8 to the Sydney Roosters in the NRL's last regular season game of the year.

With first place in the bag when Brisbane beat Manly earlier on Sunday, the Storm withdrew Test stars Billy Slater and Cameron Smith before kick-off at the Sydney Football Stadium, along with props Jesse Bromwich and Bryan Norrie.

It didn't take long to see why with replacement prop Jaiman Lowe and centre Maurice Blair suffering first half injuries before five-eighth Gareth Widdop went down in the second 40 minutes.

Lowe suffered a suspected grade one medial ligament tear in his right knee and will have scans on Monday, Blair has a hamstring injury and Widdop an ankle ligament problem.

The toll is a major worry for the Storm a week out from their qualifying final against Newcastle at AAMI Park, although halfback Cooper Cronk made it through the game after two weeks out with a foot injury.

Melbourne were already without Adam Blair, Sika Manu and Sisa Waqa, who were suspended after last week's brawl in the loss to Manly, and have lost two straight heading into the play-offs.

Roosters winger Joseph Leilua bagged a hat-trick but was also injured, suffering a severe hip cork with his amazing airborne putdown for his third try in the 48th minute.

As well as Leilua, Anthony Minichiello, Aidan Guerra, Justin Carney and Mitchell Pearce scored tries for the Roosters, with Braith Anasta booting six from seven as his side finished the season the season with a fourth straight win.

For the depleted Storm, Matt Duffie and Beau Champion bagged four-pointers.

Punters jumped on the Roosters at the news of the team changes and Brian Smith's side responded with four first half tries to one in a physical display.

Leilua got the first of his double in just the sixth minute when he dived on an Anasta kick that had bounced wickedly in the in-goal.

Minichiello finished some hot-potato work seven minutes later and it was 12-0.

The Storm scored against the run of play when Matt Duffie swooped on a Roosters offload gone wrong and ran 80m to touch down in the 19th minute to make it 12-4.

Tries late in the half to Aidan Guerra and Leilua ensured the Roosters' ascendancy and they made it 28-4 when Leilua got his third.

Champion pounced on a Cooper Cronk grubber four minutes later for 28-8 before Anasta played AFL ruckman to bat back a Phil Graham kick and Carney scored in the 68th and Pearce crossed with four minutes left.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy said Widdop could be sidelined for up to a month and Lowe for 2-3 weeks.

"That's going to hurt us a little bit but we'll bat on," Bellamy said.

"We'll work it out as we go and see what we've got left.

"It was a bit of a casualty ward. We had one guy left on the bench with half an hour to go."

Bellamy said he had spoken with AFL clubs in Melbourne about the way they rested players after considering the move early in the week.

"I didn't want to tell (the players) just in case I changed my mind at the last minute," he said.

"We're aware of momentum but I thought it was more important to stay away from injuries."

"I did a little bit of homework with our training staff and they thought both of them (Smith and Slater) would benefit from having a rest.

"I spoke to a couple of AFL clubs as well. They're always resting players so it looked like the right thing to do."

Roosters coach Brian Smith was pleased his side continued building for 2012 after a tough season that left them 11th.

"I don't think we could have done any better than that," he said.

"We got on a bit of a roll and we've played pretty competitively there."

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