Manly coach Des Hasler maintains Melbourne are still the NRL benchmark despite his side grinding out a thrilling 13-12 win at Brookvale Oval to move into the outright lead on the competition table.

Manly captain Matt Orford nailed a 30m field goal with just over three minutes left on the clock to secure the Sea Eagles' 10th win of the year in one of the toughest games this season in front of 18,640 fans.

The Sea Eagles led 12-0 after just 19 minutes and then held on grimly as the Storm came firing back into contention with two tries from kicks to Israel Folau and Matt King.

Storm coach Craig Bellamy labelled his side both "brave" and "dumb", their loss compounded by a fractured cheekbone to fullback Billy Slater ruling him out for several weeks.

The Storm levelled scores 12-all when King scored in the 52nd minute from a Cooper Cronk cross-field bomb.

But Cronk and hooker Cameron Smith both failed to clinch the result with a field goal, Cronk missing once and having his first attempt charged down by Michael Monaghan's head.

Orford was successful with his first shot from 30m, Monaghan going within inches of booting the sealer five minutes earlier from 35m.

Despite winning and holding the Storm to two tries from kicks, Hasler said Melbourne remain the benchmark because they had five players backing up from State of Origin on Wednesday night.

"I guess tonight wasn't a crunch game but it was certainly a game that was mentally important for us," said Hasler.

"It was an uneven playing surface given the preparation for both sides but they are still definitely the benchmark.

"It was certainly a contest and a half and to get the points in those sorts of games is very gratifying."

The top-of-the-table clash started appallingly, with three early dropped balls from Melbourne's Dallas Johnson, Manly's Luke Williamson and then Storm centre Matt King straight from a scrum.

Manly settled first, with Chris Hicks barging over in the corner on four minutes off a play started by Monaghan, who was again outstanding for the home side.

Backrower Anthony Watmough, also superb for the home side, pushed Manly's advantage out to 10-0 after 14 minutes when he scored a fortuitous try when Israel Folau fumbled Orford's bomb.

Jamie Lyon added the conversion and a penalty five minutes later as the Eagles' lead swelled to 12 points.

Slater was ruled held up in the 29th, before Folau's spectacular high-flying antics opened the account just before half-time.

The teen sensation plucked Cronk's bomb from well above his own head while leaping over Michael Robertson and then carried two defenders on his back to touch down one-handed.

Bellamy couldn't fault the effort of his side, but said their execution was poor.

"While we were very brave, we were very dumb," said Bellamy.

"The players (backing up from Origin) really put in and for other players to play that dumb is all for nothing really.

"That's the brave part, the hanging in there. They're a gutsy team but I expect a few smart decisions out there at crucial stages which we didn't come up with.

"I have never questioned the bravery of this team or the resilience of this team.

"I could not ask for any more effort from them."

Manly's Watmough and Jason King were put on report for a dangerous throw on Steve Turner in the 44th minute, but Watmough said he thought "he landed on his back".

Substitute George Rose suffered a season-ending right leg fracture, sent to hospital after the sickening incident which left his foot facing in the wrong direction.

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