The Canberra Raiders have put a tumultuous week of off-field drama behind them to climb into the top-eight on the back of a 46-4 annihilation of the injury-ravaged Gold Coast Titans at Canberra Stadium on Saturday night.
It was a week the Raiders would rather forget with players Todd Carney and Bronx Goodwin stood down from first-grade for well-publicised off-field incidents that threaten to derail their respective NRL careers.
But despite a slow start, the Raiders clicked into gear from the 17th minute onwards, building on a commanding 22-4 half-time lead to score four unanswered second-half tries on their way to a stunning 40-point victory in front of a paltry 8,700 fans.
Talented five-eighth Terry Campese slotted into Carney's playmaking duties with ease, having a hand five of the Raiders' eight tries and landing seven goals from eight attempts to complete a stunning man-of-match performance.
The magnitude of the Raiders' third successive victory sees them leap-frog the Titans on the NRL ladder into the top-eight.
The depleted Titans started enthusiastically enough in both attack and defence and were deserved first try-scorers courtesy of a 12th minute barging dummy-half effort from second-rower Anthony Laffranchi - his 10th try of the season.
But it took a break from the gifted Campese to spark the Green Machine into action, setting up a try for impressive young full-back David Milne beside the posts in the 16th minute.
Campese added the extras to put the Raiders in front 6-4.
The Raiders were in again on the very next set courtesy of some fine lead-up work from wingers' Justin Carney and Adrian Purtell to send Souths-bound centre Colin Best on a dazzling 60m left-edge dash to the line.
Campese's sideline conversion attempt didn't deviate an inch from its intended target to put the home side in front 12-4.
The Raiders received a penalty in the 33rd minute when Titans' interchange forward Matt Cross was pinged for 'grappling' the head of Milne.
This put Canberra in prime position for their third try which resulted from a superb leap above the pack by centre Joel Monaghan to tap a Campese cross-field kick in the direction of debutant half-back Marc Herbert for his first try in the top-grade.
Some more Monaghan magic a minute before the break when he grubbered ahead for Justin Carney to collect a right-edge try, giving the Raiders a comfortable 22-4 half-time lead.
The Raiders picked up where they left off just after the break when second-rower Joe Picker claimed the spoils from a dropped Jordan Rapana ball to score in the 43rd minute.
Further tries to interchange forward Ben Jones in the 51st minute, Purtell in the 57th and Best in the 68th completed the rout for the Raiders.
More bad news for the Titans near full-time with prop Michael Henderson being placed on report for a dangerous throw on Monaghan.
Canberra Raiders 46
Tries: Best 2, Milne, Herbert, J. Carney, Picker, Jones, Purtell
Conversions: Campese 7
Gold Coast Titans 4
Tries: Laffranchi
Sportal's NRL Player of the Year:
3 - Terry Campese (Raiders)
2 - Colin Best (Raiders)
1 - Joe Picker (Raiders)