The Tuggeranong Vikings produced an outstanding defensive display to make light work of an understrength Canberra Royals in the John I Dent Cup grand final rematch.
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The reigning premiers took another step to a fourth-straight title with an impressive 26-10 bonus-point victory against the Royals at Phillip Oval on Saturday.
Two tries in each half were more than enough for the Vikings to rattle off a third-straight win to the start the season.
After pushing the Vikings to 28-21 in a hard-fought game in last year's decider, the Royals did not have any answers as they missed Australian under-20s representative Tom Staniforth and former MacDougall medallist Soakai Tai.
The Vikings conceded their one and only try in the final minute of a bruising encounter, coach Brad Harris pleased with how his side handled the physical contest.
"Our defensive effort certainly won us the game,'' he said. "We repelled their attack consistently over long periods of time, which showed on the scoreboard.
"We've put a lot of work in the pre-season to getting our defensive structures right, and the boys are buying in and it's showing with how we're defending in games.''
The Vikings made a flying start when fullback Brendon Taueki showed great pace to open the scoring.
Flanker Kerry McInerney extended the Vikings' lead when he finished off a powerful rolling maul before the boot of Royals scrum half Pedro Rolando narrowed the deficit to nine points at the break.
Tries to hooker Michael Henry and outside centre Nigel Ah Wong cemented the result, the Royals scoring a consolation try just before the full-time siren.
The Vikings have been the dominant side in Canberra for the past five years, winning four premierships in that period, including three straight from 2011-2013. This year they have had to deal with the departures of several experienced players, including veteran playmaker Beau Mokotupu.
They were pushed to the brink by Queanbeyan last week before hanging on at 20-17.
Vikings captain Tim Cree backed his team's youngsters to make the step up. "What they lack in experience, they make up for in enthusiasm,'' he said. "They've been in Vikings, in the academy set-up, for two or three years, so they've always been involved in the first-grade set-up through training.
"After last Thursday night [against Queanbeyan], the boys were really itching to get out and play well, and it really showed.''
In other games, Queanbeyan edged out a gallant Uni-Norths Owls 19-17 and Wests easily accounted for Easts 30-7.
