Melbourne Storm have sent off a host of departing stars with an emotional runaway 34-4 win over the Newcastle Knights at AAMI Park on Sunday afternoon.
The try-fest many expected didn't come until late as the Storm farewelled Greg Inglis, Brett White, Ryan Hoffman, Aiden Tolman, Jeff Lima and Brett Finch, the latter watching on from the stands but the 20,517 in attendance were treated to some highlights to end the club's horror 2010 season.
Stripped of two premierships and unable to accrue points after the club's salary-cap cheating was revealed in late April, Melbourne capped off their 14th win of the season in fine style.
Newcastle's cause wasn't helped by the absence of star skipper Kurt Gidley and the early loss of Cooper Vuna - although Vuna's absence was cancelled out by Ryan Hinchcliffe also being forced off early - but they had their chances despite being given little hope beforehand.
In the opening 10 minutes Inglis and Hinchcliffe scored as Storm led 12-0 and it appeared the visitors were about to be put to the sword but for the majority of the rest of the half they dominated most statistical categories except the one that mattered, on the scoreboard.
The Knights scored first after the resumption through Zeb Taia but the missed conversion from Wes Naiqama was followed by a third try to Hoffman with 28 minutes remaining and with the errors continuing to pile up for the visitors they never seriously threatened.
In the final dozen minutes White and Tolman both scored their first tries of the year and Inglis got a double, with Lima converting Tolman's try and Hoffman trying to do likewise after Inglis had crossed again but coming up well short.
A flowing move that saw Hoffman pulled just short in the seventh minute saw Inglis barge over on the next play and Cam Smith landed the conversion for 6-0 before three minutes later a Smith line break put Hinchcliffe away from 40m to make it 12-0.
But despite pinning the Storm in their own half for much of the next 30 minutes the Knights simply could not find a way over before the break, needing until six minutes after the resumption to breach the line through Taia after a juggle and reflex pass from Naiqama.
Six minutes on though and lead-up work from Smith and youngster Luke Kelly set up Hoffman who ran through an Adam MacDougall tackle and spun around full circle before just getting the ball down on the line for 18-4.
The floodgates that had looked set to open early did so in the final stages as firstly White went over and then Adam Blair mesmerised two defenders with a one-handed carry before setting up Tolman while Inglis put the icing on the cake in the left corner to complete the rout.
Melbourne Storm 34
Tries: Inglis 2, Hinchcliffe, Hoffman, White, Tolman
Conversions: Smith 4, Lima
Newcastle 4
Try: Taia