While the Stingrays got within three tries of the Lions at full time, in reality the home side was well in control throughout the match after building a commanding 34-4 lead at halftime.

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The win is the fifth straight the Lions have run in at least 40 points, while the loss means the Stingrays still sit in fifth position as they hunt their first finals appearance since joining the competition.

The Lions wasted little time in opening the scoring when veteran half Rixon Russell crashed over on the left hand edge after some second-phase play from Corey Mullhall.

Jake Taylor converted to make it a 6-0 lead.

Gerringong's enterprising play continued and they soon had their second through Corey Grigg.

Rookie Wes Pring batted down a bomb and the ball ended up with Grigg who chipped for himself and got the perfect bounce to score left of the posts for a 10-0 lead in the sixth minute.

The Lions continued to make the most of their chances and skipper Nathan Ford was the next Lion to cross after catching the Stingrays defence on their heels close to the line.

Taylor again converted and the lead was out to 16-0.

Five-eighth Isaac Russell then followed Ford's lead and dived over from dummy half, with Taylor adding another conversion for 22-0.

Everything continued to go the Lion's way and the bounce of the ball soon gave Grigg his second as an ill-timed bat down of a Taylor pass saw the ball land perfectly into the back-rower's hands.

Taylor's fourth conversion pushed the lead out to 28-0 after just half an hour.

In the ensuing set, the Lions ran in their sixth try of the half as Mulhall and Denver Ford combined to put the Lions deep into the Stingrays' half.

Centre Kayne Brennan then strolled over untouched from dummy-half, with Taylor's conversion pushing the lead out to 34-0.

Just as it looked like the Lions would hold that lead until the break, the visitors crossed on the stroke of halftime through winger Ben Weatherall after some strong lead-up work by Junior Vaivai.

The Rays made it back-to-back tries inside the first ten minutes of the second half when prop Tom Warner spotted a space near the posts and crashed over.

Junior Vaivai added the conversion to make it 34-10.

The Lions would soon hit back as the old and new guards combined.

Rookie Hamish Stewart speared into a hole and raced downfield before finding the ever-green Rixon Russell who crossed under the posts.

Taylor knocked over the conversion and the Lions held a commanding 40-10 lead.

That lead would last until the final 10 minutes when the Stingrays managed to run in three tries, taking advantage of Rixon Russell's sin-binning.

Utility Villiami Latu grabbed a late double, before the visitors saved their best for last with Willie Heta producing a cross-field kick that allowed Jayden Harris to race away to score on the stroke of full-time.

Two conversions to Vaivai rounded the score at 40-26.

The Lions will look for their sixth straight next weekend in a battle of the titans clash with Jamberoo, while the Stingrays will look to get back on track against the Magpies.