David Klemmer has admitted Newcastle's form has left the side embarrassed with the NRL club on the brink of the worst attacking run in their history.
Unbeaten after the opening two rounds, the pressure is mounting on the Knights after six straight losses and two consecutive games at home without a try.
The Knights are insistent there is improvement ahead as players return, and hopeful a week-long camp in Queensland can help turn around their form.
But the figures from their past five matches in particular make for ugly reading after Sunday's 50-2 loss to Melbourne.
Adam O'Brien's men have scored just 26 points, having crossed for just four tries since the start of round four.
Unless they are to score 14 points or better against North Queensland on Saturday night, it will make for the worst six-week record in attack since the club's inception 35 years ago.
Questions have also been asked of Kalyn Ponga's leadership, admitting after fulltime he did not know what he could say to Knights players after the loss.
It comes with Newcastle last on the ladder for the first time since the end of their rebuild in 2017 under former coach Nathan Brown.
"It's embarrassing. Very disappointing on our behalf," Klemmer told AAP.
"We're just not setting the standard. It's hard. We're the only ones who can get us out of this rut at the moment."
Klemmer said a lack of confidence was the biggest factor, as evidenced by the fact they never recovered from putting the opening kick off out on the full on Sunday.
Five-eighth Jake Clifford was hooked 53 minutes later after a poor afternoon, before returning through a Phoenix Crossland HIA.
Halves partner Adam Clune was also clearly battling a knee injury, with his output limited in attack.
But O'Brien will have to stick with at least one of the pair given the club's mounting injury toll, unless he brings either Tex Hoy or Crossland into the halves.
"It's confidence through the joint (that is down)," Klemmer said.
"We gave (the Storm) 25 more sets of six than them. Giving that side that much more ball, it's massive.
"You can be as fit as you want, but it will tire you out. When you get the ball you can't do anything with it.
"We've just got to stick in together.
"I know people are coming for us left, right and centre at the moment. We just need to make sure we're staying tight and not listening to the outside noise."
