Former Newcastle player Josh King said he felt sorry for his old Knights teammates after Melbourne piled on 50 points in a rampant performance at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday.
Newcastle players had proclaimed how keen they were to make up for their lacklustre showing against Parramatta, and while the effort of a few players pleased coach Adam O'Brien, collectively the Knights fell well short of doing so as the Storm dominated start to finish.
It was a beating reminiscent of Newcastle's wooden-spoon years as the confidence-hit home side failed to make any real impact.
"I did feel for sorry them," King, who left the Knights to join the Storm last year, said.
"It's not ideal doing something like that to your best mates. I'm very close with a lot of the boys that played today, obviously I want success for them - I don't want to see them go through these hard times."
The Knights were battered from the outset and were forced to make 52 tackles before having their first run.
The Storm had the lion's share of possession and completed at a clinical 90 per cent in the first half and 82 per cent across the game, compared to Newcastle's 55 per cent.
The Knights had virtually no try-scoring opportunities and failed to force a single line dropout, or even go close, twice caught on the last tackle inside 10 metres.
Jake Clifford's performance exemplified his side's dented confidence.
He kicked out on the full from the first whistle and then put another over the sideline shortly after.
Such was his day, he was pulled from the field 13 minutes into the second half and Phoenix Crossland put into the halves. He returned for the final nine minutes after Crossland had a head knock.
Melbourne ultimately scored nine tries in what was an impressive rout.
King, a Singleton Greyhounds junior, was stoked to get a win in his first game back in town but found it hard watching what his old teammates were enduring.
"I've been on the other side of that scoreline plenty of times, so I know how it feels and I know how they'd be feeling. It hurts," he said.
The loss was the worst of O'Brien's two-and-a-bit year tenure, four points greater than the 48-4 defeat the Knights suffered against the Storm last year.
It was also the second-straight game the Knights failed to score a try in. They have only scored 26 points in their past five.
King, who has started every game this year, believes the Knights are a far better team than their past two outings. The 27-year-old lock suggested with the return of some key personnel in coming weeks his old side could bounce back to form.
"We knew coming up here today they would be out for redemption, but they are missing quite a lot of numbers as far as quality and senior players go," he said.
"They had an early HIA which didn't help and there were some fifty-fifty calls that could have gone either way.
"Their backs are up against the wall a little bit.
"They do have the potential to be a really quality side.
"They've just got to get their combinations right and once they get on a roll, it will be good to see."
