Bellamy wants ref input as Storm grapple with ruck rule

Craig Bellamy will seek out NRL referees boss Bernard Sutton to explain Melbourne's six-again infringements after the master coach conceded he was still unsure of exactly what the Storm are being pinged for.

Melbourne produced their most dominant 40 minutes under the new NRL rules as they built an 18-0 lead over Newcastle, eventually closing out a 26-12 win in Gosford.

Captain Cameron Smith said that first half was the most comfortable the Storm had felt with the new ruck interpretations.

Both he and Bellamy said Melbourne have eased back on the highly structured football that has made the club an NRL powerhouse, but Bellamy is still grappling with the six-again interpretations.

The Storm's wrestling tactics have long been a bone of contention for rival clubs despite every team in the NRL adopting a similar approach, with Melbourne touted as one side that would struggle with the new rulings.

The Storm conceded five six-again calls against Newcastle while only being awarded one, taking their season tally to 6-11 in their opposition's favour across three games.

"We're probably a little bit too structured for the way you need to play footy under these new interpretations," Bellamy said after Melbourne's win.

"We're not going to throw that right out the window, but we need to find that balance. We're still working on it.

"Tonight I think we were penalised for six-again six times and we only got the one [in our favour]. And I just don't know what the difference is there.

"So that's one thing that we're struggling with at the moment, knowing what we're actually doing wrong and why we're getting those six-agains against us.

"Because we have had a few without a doubt, but I didn't see a whole lot of difference tonight. But I'll talk to Bernard during the week, but that's one thing that is causing a little bit of angst.

"And sometimes the referee is doing it tough too, he'll call six-again but he doesn't say what it's for, I think we need that in our game so we can improve in those areas."

Knights coach Adam O'Brien meanwhile bit his tongue on a controversial 73rd-minute penalty against David Klemmer that killed off Newcastle's comeback.

Klemmer was pinged after Dale Finucane dropped to the floor, having collided with the Knights front-rower when he stood his ground as Finucane ran a decoy.

Smith's resulting penalty goal put the match beyond reach, and O'Brien was miffed by the influential decision afterwards.

"Look, I'm not going to blame referees, I'm not that sort of coach," he said.

"But Klem (David Klemmer) can't disappear, I don't know.

"I don't know what the ruling is there... taking a bloke out on suspicion? But it's a bit hard for big Klem to disappear."