New Zealand Warriors won 34-4 against South Sydney Rabbitohs in front of 13,184 fans at Stadium Australia on Saturday afternoon.
The Warriors won their third game in a row with a comfortable win against a downbeat Rabbitohs side which was masterminded by Shaun Johnson who scored 18 points in the one-sided win.
Souths were looking to win back-to-back games and got off to a flyer. They spread the ball down the left for a flying Izaac Thompson who stepped past the Warriors fullback to make it 4-0.
Stung by conceding, the Warriors clicked into gear quickly. Shaun Johnson took the ball to the line, fed a short pass to Rocco Berry who steamed onto the ball and gave the Warriors a 6-4 lead.
Both sides engaged in an arm wrestle through the middle of the first half. Warriors had several chances due to Rabbitohs errors to punish them on the scoreboard but couldn't break through.
They did eventually break through and led 18-4 going into half-time. It was another superb pass from Johnson which sent Jackson Ford over then Wayde Egan pushed through and fed the ball to Johnson to get his own four-pointer.
Coming out of the break, the Warriors felt just fine. It felt like deja vu when Egan sliced through again, linked up with Te Marie Martin who found a supporting Johnson who strolled over for his second try.
There was a cause for celebration just after the hour mark for the Warriors. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, who was playing his 200th game, was on the end of another slick backline movement to make it 28-4.
Martin put the icing on the cake for the Warriors late on. He weaved past some tired Rabbitohs defence and went over to make it 34-4 and a rare win for the New Zealand side at Stadium Australia.
For the Rabbitohs, they are back to soul searching after another tough loss. Latrell Mitchell was put on report twice in the first half and they looked like a side which doesn't know how to win a game.