South Sydney became the first team in premiership history to score 30 points in eight consecutive matches as they pummelled the Gold Coast Titans 36-6 at Cbus Super Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
It wasn't the only new chapter written in the record books with the rampant Rabbitohs recording 10 straight wins for the first time since the 1989 team coached by George Piggins.
Wayne Bennett’s current crop can now also lay claim to having scored the most points in a season (689 and counting) for the proud foundation club.
And while the typically understated Bennett isn't fussed by statistical achievements, he can sense something special building.
"I don't know what they go back looking for - they must go back and decide 30 [points] is the number," Bennett quipped when asked about his side's unprecedented scoring streak.
"Maybe next year it'll be 40 is the number, I don't know."
Match: Rabbitohs v Titans
Round 22 -
home Team
Rabbitohs
3rd Position
away Team
Titans
8th Position
Venue: Cbus Super Stadium, Gold Coast
Saturday's result keeps South Sydney level on 38 competition points with upcoming opponents Penrith, with outright second spot on the line in that blockbuster showdown.
The Titans, meanwhile, remain in seventh place for the time being.
The Rabbitohs skipped out to a 24-0 half-time lead as five-eighth Cody Walker's golden patch continued, but Bennett found the second term "hard to watch" and thought complacency crept in.
"They felt that the job was done and I've got no doubt that's what subconsciously happened to them," he said.
"But they still held together pretty well defensively, so that was the best part. We didn't give up 12, 15, 18 points, we gave up six."
Walker added another three try assists to take his 2021 tally to 31 – the most since Cowboys legend Johnathan Thurston's 33 in 2015 per NRL Stats.
"He's vital to [the team] … You just talk about one guy, there's a whole series of people out there that are making his job a lot easier and he's just putting the cream on it," Bennett said of his pivot.
Halfback Adam Reynolds, fresh off breaking Eric Simms's club point-scoring record last week, surpassed his previous best of 221 points in a season and booted his 100th goal of the year.
Meanwhile, centre Braidon Burns bagged his first two tries of the campaign to cap off a memorable week in which he got engaged to partner Tiannan.
With the finals on the horizon, Bennett reflected on the renovations he's overseen at South Sydney in reshaping their playing style after the retirements of several club legends.
Mitchell makes it look easy off the scrum
"Well, two players I'd like back over the last three years would be Sam Burgess and John Sutton," the coach said.
"But we've had to change a little bit of the way we played and what we did. We've done all that, we've made the adjustments. It's been a three-year project and we're seeing the benefits of it."
Bennett anticipated he'll have a fully healthy squad at his disposal next week with the likes of Dane Gagai, Alex Johnston, Campbell Graham and Liam Knight expected to return from injuries.
As clinical as South Sydney were at times, the Titans did themselves no favours.
An early error allowed hooker Damien Cook to drop Latrell Mitchell back on an angle from a scrum and the fullback powerfully carried Jarrod Wallace and AJ Brimson over the line.
A second try came through Josh Mansour in the 22nd minute after Reynolds and Walker linked up in trademark style on their lethal left side.
Thompson sprints down the sideline to get the Titans on the board
Reynolds then scooped up the scraps from his own bomb to touch down in fortuitous fashion after Keon Koloamatangi knocked the ball back into his own head.
A 33rd-minute penalty goal extended the margin before Walker stormed into a gap and cleverly summed up the situation to put Burns over the stripe.
Walker was again at his scheming best early in the second half, opting to run on the last tackle and delivering a sterling flat ball that gave Burns his second.
Another Reynolds penalty pushed South Sydney further in front while Titans winger Corey Thompson crossed in the 65th minute to give his team confidence leading into Thursday's daunting clash with the first-placed Storm.
But more Mitchell magic ensured the Rabbitohs had the last say as the brilliant No.1 flicked a pass to provide Mansour with his double in the 75th minute.
