Having been given first crack at Andrew John's halfback jersey, Johnathan Thurston made the most of the opportunity to orchestrate Australia's 30-18 win over New Zealand in a spiteful Tri Nations opener at Mt Smart Stadium in Auckland.

Thurston had a hand in four of the Kangaroos five tries and kicked five goals from six attempts in a man-of-the-match performance against the defending champions.

Fullback Karmichael Hunt scored two tries, but the game will be remembered for the explosive defence in a game which threatened to erupt on several occasions.

The tone for the match was set before kick-off, when Bulldogs enforcer Willie Mason stared down the haka and seemed to mouth an obscenity.

Mason, who came off the bench despite being named in the starting side, was targeted every time he touched the ball, with Kiwis enforcer David Kidwell crunching him in one of the most ferocious shoulder charges of the season.

The game exploded in the 23rd minute, a stoush between three quarters Matt King and Manu Vatuvei sparking an all-in brawl.

King came up swinging after Vatuvei pushed him over the sideline and into an advertising boarding, with a crowd of 17,887 baying for blood.

Makeshift pivot Nigel Vagana scored the opening try of the series, catching the markers napping on a 15-metre scoot from dummy half.

There was some doubt over the grounding of the football, but video referees Ian McIntosh and Steve Nash ruled a benefit of the doubt try for the home side.

The Kangaroos hit back with two tries to fullback Hunt in the space of just four minutes, with playmakers Thurston and Darren Lockyer instrumental in both.

Lockyer set up the first with a sublime long pass, while his halves partner opened up the defence with a short gem.

And then Mark Gasnier extended the halftime advantage to 20-6 when he scored a 90m try against the run of play just a minute before the main break.

Interchange hooker Jerome Ropati raised hopes of a comeback when he crossed midway through the stanza, but Mark O'Meley cancelled out his try with one of his own seven minutes later.

Debutant Greg Inglis sealed the result five minutes from time after latching onto a cut-out ball from Thurston, with Vatuvei scoring a late consolation try.

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