The Pikiao Warriors have been crowned kings of Rotorua, after defeating the Ngongotaha Chiefs 44-22 in their first derby of the season.
There was no love lost between the two teams with one player knocked out, another stretchered off and one more sent to the sin bin during the game.
However, the difference between the two teams proved to be Pikiao's dangerous attack, with the side having posted more than 200 points in their past three games.
After going into the break with an 18-12 lead, Pikiao took full advantage of their opposition's ill-discipline.
Ngongotaha prop Joe Nuku was sent to the bin on the stroke of halftime and for the 10 minutes after the break Pikiao managed to sneak in two tries.
The first came from their halfback Te Kaiaotea "Bully" Tahuriorangi who shaped to throw a long pass before stepping off his right foot to go through a hole close to the line.
Big prop James Ryan then backed up his halfback's effort, scoring another to extend the lead to 28-12.
When Nuku returned to the field he tried hard to stir up his teammates, getting them back into an arm wrestle for field position.
Unfortunately for Ngongotaha, Pikiao's Percy King showed too much class in attack, first slipping through a hole near the halfway line before running 50m to score under the posts.
Perhaps the try of the game followed, when two of Pikiao's youngsters linked up to dash 50m, before the high flying Connor Hohepa finished off unmarked in the corner.
To their credit, Ngongotaha did not drop their heads and scored two good-quality tries through Manu Paulino and Nuku late in the game.
Pikiao coach Doug Unuwai said he was really pleased with his side's performance.
"I'm happy with it, it was one of our big games that we can get off our shoulders."
Unuwai said it was great to see the team coming together so well, with the side scoring plenty of points in recent weeks.
"I think it's a mixture of the old and the new and the older guys are leading the way for the younger guys."
He said they were in much better shape to face top-of-the-table Taupo Phoenix in two weeks with his team showing plenty of heart. "We are not the biggest of sides but they all have big hearts."
In the other premier games, Pacific (Tokoroa) 46 defeated Taupo 32 and Forestland (Tokoroa) 46 beat Turangi 8.
In the reserves, Pacific 30 beat Taupo 20, Reporoa 44 beat Putaruru 40, Pikiao 52 beat Ngongotaha 18 and Mangakino 60 beat Tauhara 8.