Benji Marshall has turned back the clock to keep the Wests Tigers' finals hopes alive and all but end Newcastle's in emphatic fashion with a 46-4 flogging.
After a horror week that included the end-of-season resignation of coach Nathan Brown, the Knights offered nothing in his honour on a tumultuous Saturday evening at Campbelltown Stadium.
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In their worst first half since the match which led to Brown's predecessor Rick Stone's sacking in July 2015, the Knights trailed 30-0 at the break and completed just eight sets.
In comparison, it was the Tigers' best opening to a game since September 2006, before they closed out their biggest win over Newcastle.
Marshall set up five tries - including three for winger David Nofoaluma - for the equal-biggest assists haul of his career while Luke Brooks was also sublime.
The result leaves the Tigers in ninth place, and still a shot at the finals if they beat St George Illawarra and Cronulla in the next fortnight.
The Knights, in contrast, are just a slim mathematical chance, needing to win their last two and have three other results go in their favour.
Starting at hooker to cover their No.9 crisis, Marshall had an immediate impact when he grubbered out of dummy-half for Ryan Matterson in the fourth minute to score.
He later reverted to five-eighth and combined with Nofoaluma for three tries in 15 minutes either side of halftime, with the second showcasing two pieces of vintage Marshall magic.
After kicking for him before halftime, he put the Tigers' winger over at the start of the second term with a bullet cutout pass before Nofoaluma grubbered for himself.
Nofoaluma's third came after Marshall broke free on the last tackle, dashing down the right edge before finding the winger to send him over.
His final effort was to put Michael Chee Kam through a gap before he was given an early rest by coach Michael Maguire with 10 minutes to go.
Brooks put on the pass of the match in the first half, with a no-look short ball for Luke Garner to send the second-rower over untouched.
He also bombed for Robert Jennings to score early, although there was some contention as to whether Kalyn Ponga was taken out as he attempted to take the ball.
Ponga had a rough night, also kicking out on the full once and being out of position defensively at times on his own line.
Aidan Guerra scored the Knights' only try in the 73rd minute, but it did little to gloss over arguably the worst performance of Brown's tenure.
AAP
