A hamstring injury that could sideline Latrell Mitchell for up to six weeks took some of the gloss of another supreme South Sydney display, this time a 38-0 win over the Eels.
Mitchell's injury was the talking point to come out of a night in which South Sydney stamped their credentials - and cast huge doubt on those of their opponents.
Mitchell copped some friendly fire with teammate Jaxson Paulo landing on him in a tackle and forcing his left leg back, straining the hamstring. Adding insult to injury, Mitchell's involvement didn't make a difference, with the play eventually being called back due to obstruction. Early reports indicate a grade three strain, one that could keep him out until the finals.
Rabbitohs halves Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker continually exploited a woeful Eels edge defence on either side, sending their outside back over for 4 of the 7 tries scored.
What was perhaps most concerning for the Eels, and has been for a number of weeks, was their inability to score points. Halfback Mitchell Moses was mostly unseen and the Eels never really looked like cracking the South Sydney defence.
Dylan Brown copped an ankle injury and looked to be in some trouble, but he strapped it up and was able to continue playing.
A forced pass from Mitch Moses was dropped by Ryan Matterson to give Souths their first chance and a brilliant Mitchell catch-and-pass sent Corey Allan over untouched in the sixth minute.
Moses again forced an offload which was dropped by Nathan Brown, and the warning signs were in when Souths grasped their next chance with two hands and Jaxson Paulo went over courtesy of a brilliant Marsters flick pass.
Cody Walker burst onto a perfect Reynolds short ball to streak 30 to score in the 30th minute and Souths went the length off the next set as Walker ran over the top of Waqa Blake and into space to start a movement eventually finished by a Reynolds grubber for Jaydn Su'A to score the Rabbitohs 2nd try in 3 minutes.
Mitchell copped a horror bounce from a bomb late in the half that he had to retrieve from near his own dead ball line and produced one of the best kick returns of the season. The Eels were lucky to hold on to only be down by 22 at half time.
Any hope of an Eels comeback was done when Dylan Brown was denied due to obstruction in the 50th minute. Souths went on to expose the Eels edge defence 3 more times, with Campbell Graham scoring two and Adam Reynolds chiming in with a 4-pointer of his own.
The Rabbitohs will look to continue their strong form against the Storm next week, while the Eels will need to improve significantly if they are to be any chance against the Warriors.