The world champion Australians came over the top of their Cup decider opponents New Zealand, though not after a series of scares from the spirited underdogs.
Kiwi prop Jesse Bromwich crossed first from dummy half after six minutes, but that was soon cancelled out by Greg Bird, put through by Johnathan Thurston in a final tackle move.
Then on 18 minutes the hosts took the lead after work from Billy Slater and Thurston sent Brett Morris over for a simple finish.
There was no shortage of spirit from the Kiwis though, whose Tohu Harris crossed to tie things up and then moments later Roosters bulldozer Sam Moa put them back ahead.
The Aussies almost went into halftime on level pegging but for a try-saving tackle by Adam Blair on Boyd Cordner.
The second half started much the same with a veritable arm wrestle for supremacy, but it was all square on 52 minutes when Morris scored his second four-pointer on the end of a Slater cut-out pass.
Greg Inglis then chimed in nine minutes later as the favourites started to grind down their less experienced opposites.
It was all over when Cooper Cronk finished off a sound backline move that was converted by Thurston, his fifth from five goes, for a 30-18 lead that wasn’t shortened.
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