In an action-packed Friday night match at AAMI Park, the Storm continued their climb back up the competition ladder with the win following last round's victory over the Sydney Roosters.
Jahrome Hughes piloted the team's attack, with the Kiwi Test No.7 adding a try and a try-assist to lead competition in the statistic despite the Melbourne's lean season.
Melbourne players found out before the match that Coates had ruptured his Achilles while running at training on Friday with Bellamy saying they all felt for the 25-year-old.
Coates had been hopeful of returning from a pre-season Achilles injury, which had also required surgery, in the coming weeks.
"The players knew before the game, and I think a little bit of our effort tonight for X (Xavier)," Bellamy said.
"He's a great player but he's a great fella too and great guy to have around the club.
"If there's someone that will fight his way back it'll be Xavier."
The Storm haven't lost to the Knights in Melbourne since 2015 but with the visitors arriving on the back of a four-game winning streak they had to fight hard to maintain that dominance
Queensland backrower Trent Loiero planted the ball across the line after running on to a Harry Grant pass out of dummy half, with the 70th minute conversion giving the Storm an eight-point buffer.
That was the biggest margin of the night but it only lasted two minutes when the Knights regathered the ball off a short restart and Jacob Saifiti ran on to a Kalyn Ponga grubber to peg it back to two points with seven minutes to play.
The Storm showed their desperation in defence and held on to win a classic that featured 11 tries, with six scored by the home side.
Melbourne playmaker Cameron Munster was also heavily involved while he also had a running battle with his Queensland teammate Ponga as well as a scuffle on the ground with former Maroon Dane Gagai.
There was early drama with Phoenix Crossland taken from the field on a medicab five minutes in after colliding with Storm centre Joe Chan.
The Newcastle hooker had feeling in his limbs but was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure.
Melbourne then opened the scoring through Stefano Utoikamanu, bagging his first try of the season in another barn-storming performance.
The Storm looked to have added a second but a flying Ponga dislodged the ball from Will Warbrick's arms with the winger claiming a shoulder charge.
It was dismissed by Ashley Klein, who sent Ponga from the field in Origin I for the same offence.
Warbrick did manage to score in the 38th minute which put Melbourne up 14-12 at halftime.
A Gagai break in the first minute of the second half allowed Dylan Brown to touch down to take the lead for Newcastle and then Dylan Lucas was denied another soon after, ruled a double movement.
Hughes took advantage of a loose Ponga pass with the halfback scooting through traffic to score in the 45th minute.
The Maroons No.1 injured his neck trying to stop Hughes but played out the match as the teams went toe-to-toe until the final whistle.
Knights coach Justin Holbrook said his captain Ponga, who didn't attend the post-match press conference, was in a lot of pain.
"He's real sore, so he's getting some work on it now," Holbrook said.
"I think it might just be one of those burners, but then they sort of tighten up and it's pretty stiff at the moment so hopefully that's all it is."
