Storm front blows Knights away as Bellamys men pile on the pressure

Strip Melbourne Storm of key players through injury, rest some of their main men because of fatigue, give the odd youngster a game.

But whatever you do, the end result seems to be the same â€" a ruthless, relentless, rousing performance by Craig Bellamy’s team as it produces another high-scoring romp to victory.

Melbourne’s Justin Olam attempts to fend off Kurt Mann of the Knights.Credit:Getty Images

This time the Storm’s victims were the Newcastle Knights, beaten 48-4 and the latest to be left dazed, dazzled and disoriented by the Victorian team which never â€" ever â€" lets any beaten opponent off the hook.

A five-try-to-zero first half (30-0) only served to reinforce the gulf in class between the league leaders and their mid-table opposition.

By the end the lead had stretched to 44 points as Storm notched 40 points in a game for a record 11th time this season and stretched their current winning streak to 14.

The fact that they could do so without main attacking weapon Josh Addo-Carr, as well as Christian Welch, proved no problem, Jordan Grant being one of the beneficiaries as he was able to make his NRL debut off the bench.

Jahrome Hughes lets his emotions flow after scoring one of the Storm’s string of tries.Credit:Getty Images

Not even the lockdown chaos sparked by the latest COVID outbreaks can affect them.

The Storm had to scramble to get out of Melbourne barely 48 hours before this game to arrive in Queensland but it certainly did not cramp their style.

That strength in depth, the quality of their key players, the ferocity of their desire and their capacity to follow Bellamy’s tactical blueprint for each opponent makes them virtually irresistable.

The Knights never looked likely to offer any sort of challenge and their performance was sluggish and slow, with too many errors and not enough pressure put on the Storm ball carriers.

Nicho Hynes was one of the stars for the Storm in their dominating win over the Knights.Credit:Getty Images

The writing was on the wall from the seventh minute when English import Dom Young’s error gave the Victorians the chance to break, and it was an opportunity Justin Olam was never going to spurn.

Nicho Hynes then fired over the first of five conversions he would make in the opening period, and Bellamy’s men had given themselves not just the early initiative but also established psychological dominance.

Jahrome Hughes, who has been such a key to their dominance this season, then rampaged forward to set up Cameron Munster for a second in the 18th minute: from that point on it was impossible to imagine a comeback.

Winger George Jennings produced a bullocking run to go over for a third before Hughes got on the scoresheet.

Hynes then added insult to injury with a “shoey” celebration where he simulated drinking a beer from his boot after picking up a long kick forward and going over for a try which he converted seconds before the interval.

Hughes showed his class once again just after the restart when he picked up a Knights kick virtually on his own goal-line before running the length of the pitch and offloading to Remus Smith to make it six tries and 34-0.

When Hynes found Jennings wide on the right and the wide man went over the Knights â€" like many other teams this season â€" must have wished the mercy rule applied at senior level.

They at least managed to avoid a whitewash when Young grounded the ball but it was mere consolation as the avalanche at the other end soon continued.

Michael Lynch is The Age's chief soccer reporter and also reports on motor sport and horseracing

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