"We wanted to be relentless", Ponga says of record win

The 11-try demolition eclipsed Newcastle's 60-0 win against South Sydney in 1999.

Skipper Kalyn Ponga, kicking for the first time this season, converted every try to equal another club record - held by Andrew Johns since Newcastle's 70-32 romp against Canberra in 2006.

After three successive losses to Brisbane (24-20), Sydney Roosters (18-16) and Penrith (20-12), the Knights were in no mood for another slip-up against the Bulldogs, one of only three teams below them on the competition ladder before the game kicked off.

Knights coach Adam O'Brien said his team had been building towards such a performance and was more pleased about "keeping them to zero" than the attacking onslaught.

"It's a great piece of history for the players, absolutely," O'Brien said of the record.

"We just wanted the two points, that's all I wanted. That's probably the most pleasing thing. I guess it's something this group can hang onto. I'm happy for them to have that, definitely."

Asked if he had any sympathy for the opposition, O'Brien said he felt for his opposite number, Cameron Ciraldo, before adding: "We're in a ruthless business."

A shell-shocked Ciraldo said his team "started off with a lot of energy and stuck to the plan," but once the Knights grabbed the momentum "it just snowballed".

The slaughter was Newcastle's sixth win of the season, plus a draw, and kept them within three wins of the top eight, although they remained in 14^th position on the points table.

Their next opponents, after a bye this week, are incumbent wooden spooners Wests Tigers, who were humiliated 74-0 by North Queensland in Townsville on Saturday night.

After an underwhelming start, the Knights posted first points through a Jackson Hastings try in the 13th minute and the floodgates burst open.

By half-time Newcastle had run in five tries to lead 30-0, prompting Canterbury fans to boo their team off the field when the siren sounded.

Ponga had a hand in three of Newcastle's first-half tries, two of which were scored by centre Bradman Best.

The procession continued three minutes after the interval when utility Kurt Mann raced away to score.

Best, who was denied a try by the video referee early in the second half, finished with the first hat-trick of his NRL career.

Hastings and hooker Phoenix Crossland scored doubles.

Canterbury's day was summed up when winger Jacob Kiraz was denied a try by desperate defence on the last play of the game.

Ponga was pleased that Newcastle did not clock off at any point, despite racking up such a commanding lead in the first half.

"We wanted to be relentless after half-time," he said.

"The coach will be happy that we kept them to zero. That was probably the thing that we focused on the most.

"Off the back of running hard, we created opportunities.

"We stuck the process, stuck to the plan. A few passes went a bit astray but I think our mentality was pretty good."

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