And that's full time, the Storm simply too good, running out winners 34-4.
Less than a minute on the clock now, and the Knights seem to have lost all semblance of how to be a football team.
Edrick Lee does all the hard work to set Hymel Hunt up for a try, but Hymel forgets to put the ball down...
Ryan Papenhuyzen slides the kick left of the posts, with Cameron Smith off the ground.
And Stimson gets his second. This has been an expensive 10 minutes with Edrick Lee off the field.
Smith converts the try.
Now Munster intercepts a pass and puts Marion Seve away down the right sideline.
The Storm kick deep on the last, but it dribbles dead.
The Storm head for another try in the left corner, but Chambers loses the ball over the line under some heavy defence.
Smith converts.
Cameron Smith runs down a very short side, puts a grubber in, and then Edrick Lee tackles him without the ball. Pretty blatant, embarrassing, and Lee's in the bin for a professional foul.
And Melbourne expose the 12 man Newcastle Knights, with Stimson scoring a try.
Ponga's pass to Fitzgibbon on the second goes to ground.
The Knights get a piggy back penalty, with Munster overplaying his hand trying to steal the ball. Cameron, HELD means let him go...
A better defensive set from the Knights, with the Storm kicking from their own half on the last, and the kick going straight down Ponga's throat.
Great leg drive from Dale Finucane there, but on the next play Bromwich knocks on.
A long dropout from Pearce.
Munster kicks into the in goal, and Ponga is forced into a line drop out.
Pearce kicks high on the last under heavy attention from the Storm, and Addo-Carr gets picked up and dumped.
The Storm return the ball strongly here, after a poor kick chase from the Knights.
Ponga sends the conversion well out to the left of the posts.
Its a TRY! A beautiful pass from Ponga hits Hymel Hunt, and he fights his way to the line.
And now we're going to the Bunker for a possible Knights try. Looks like a try, but we're checking for a double movement.
Mann heads for a gap near the Storm line, but the gap closes quickly.
Finally a bit of a showing from the Knights. Ponga kicks in to the in goal, and the Knights trap Vunivalu for a line drop out.
Ponga takes the Storm bomb easily, and sprints 30 metres down field.
Smith adds the extras.
Croft kicks on the second, Vunivalu catches the ball and scores. The surface there really killed Edrick Lee there, as his feet just went out from underneath him. A great play, but the Knights got very unlucky.
A late offload from the Storm, and they're on the Knights 20 on the 2nd.
The Knights spread the ball out to the left edge, but Fitzgibbon's pass is forward.
We're back in the second half, and Pearce slips over catching the kick off. The surface here really is terrible this afternoon.
And that's halftime, the Storm going to the break leading 12-0.
The Knights work the right edge through Mann, and Munster rakes the ball off him again.
And now Herman Ese'ese stays down, possibly with a shoulder injury.
Christian Welch hits the ball up, but Connor Watson rips it off him.
Another mistake from Glasby, and the Knights kill another opportunity.
Munster rushes up on Mann, but he was a mile offside.
Edrick Lee makesa massive break down field, before being tackled only 20 metres from the Storm line. Now the Storm are penalised, and the Knights will have another opportunity for points.
Barnett's been put on report for that tackle.
A terrible tackle from Barnett, dropping his body weight on to the Storm players' neck.
A double knock on, and the Knights will play the ball on their own 10m line.
Ryan Papenhuyzen is on the field, and will be looking to expose some tired Knights defenders.
Connor Watson makes a break, but the cover pulls him down. Ramien throws a beautiful flick pass, but the ref somehow finds a forward pass.
The Knights cover defence then catches Chambers down the left edge, and push him out over the sideline.
The Storm pick up another penalty.
Smith converts the try from the sideline, and the Storm lead 12-0.
Chambers kicks in behind the line, and Josh Addo-Carr chases through and plants it down.
A terrible end to the set there, and Mann is forced into a rushed kick.
Six again for the Storm, after Ponga touches the ball, but then they lose ball. If Jesse Bromwich could pass, the Storm would have had a second try.
A short pass for Kenneath Bromwich, but there are 5 Knights in front of him.
Scrambling defence from the Knights, but they loiter around the ruck too long and get penalised.
Looks like SKD might be having one of his "rocks" games. He just made the worst play the ball I've seen in a while.
Ramien runs around sideways, and then gets to Munster, who forces a lost ball. Another missed opportunity for the Knights.
Now another penalty against the Storm, this time for a high shot.
Sione Mata'utia is on the field now, and draws a penalty on his first touch. The Knights tap the ball and will get their second opportunity to attack the Storm line.
Saifiti stays down now, and it looks like there's been some pressure on his neck as he came to ground. Didn't look particularly intentional, but it is the Storm...
The Storm kick high again, but Lee comes flying in and takes it nicely. SKD then gets another penalty.
And now Glasby has put the ball down on the Storm line.
Pearce kicks out from the penalty, and the ball only just scrapes over the top of Josh Addo-Carr.
Glasby gets hit high and draws a penalty for his team.
Croft kicks to Ponga on the last, and Ponga finds a little bit of space before being ankle tapped.
No dramas with the conversion from straight in front.
Cameron Smith picks out an injured Tim Glasby in the defensive line, and puts a try on right next to him.
Kurt Mann throws a cutout ball to Gavet, but Gavet wasn't expecting it and the ball goes to ground.
The Storm have had 70% of the posession so far, but their attack has been very scrappy so far.
A wobbly pass from Chambers at dummy half, and Brodie Croft drops the ball again.
The Storm spread the ball left, but the cover defence gets there.
Another offside penalty against the Knights. That's four penalties in only 10 minutes.
Melbourne have had almost all of the field position so far, but the Knights defence has held strong.
Dale Finucane taps on a quick ball, but Brodie Croft knocks on. On the next tackle SKD gets chopped down around the hips by Felise Kaufusi, and loses the ball.
Pearce gets a kick away this time. SKD catches it cleanly, but is tackled soon after on the Storm 30.
The Storm throw a grubber in behind the line, but Ponga reads it beautifully and almost makes a line break on the return.
Croft tries to take the line on, but Watson tackles him easily.
Another penalty, with the Knights ruled offside. Smith kicks for the sideline, and the Storm will attack from 20 metres out from the Knights' line.
The field looking very dusty after a Rebels game here last night - the surface looks quite slippery down the Knights' left edge.
Mann throws a late pass to Ramien, and Addo-Carr picks him up and drops him. Ramien loses the ball in the tackle.
And now another penalty, this time to the Knights. That will help them out of their own end.
Great defence from the Knights here, with Cameron Smith trapped at dummy half on the last. The Knights looked to be a bit offside, but the refs think it's ok.
Chambers sprints down the left edge but is brought down by Ramien.
The Storm are heavily marking Mitchell Pearce - that looks to be the game plan.
Kurt Mann kicks on the last and Vunivalu runs over Ponga before drawing a penalty for his team.
Almost 60 metres from that first set, and the Storm kick high for Edrick Lee to catch unpressured.
And we're underway. Jesse Bromwich takes the first hit up.
Moments away from kick off here this afternoon in Melbourne, in this clash between two of the form teams of the competition. Melbourne will have first use of the football.
Referees & scorers:
Referee: Gerard Sutton, Gavin Badger
Touch Judges: Michael Wise, Todd Smith
Video Referee: Jared Maxwell, Ben Galea
MELBOURNE STORM (34)
Tries: Jahrome Hughes, Josh Addo-Carr, Suliasi Vunivalu, Joe Stimson (2), Marion Seve
Field Goals:
Conversions: Cameron Smith (5/5), Ryan Papenhuyzen (0/1)
Penalty Goals:
NEWCASTLE KNIGHTS (4)
Tries: Hymel Hunt
Field Goals:
Conversions: Kalyn Ponga (0/1)
Penalty Goals: