South Sydney's on-field package proved just as impressive as the one off it with the new look Rabbitohs beating arch-rivals Sydney Roosters 18-6 as Monday night football made a return to the NRL at a wet Aussie Stadium.

Dubbed the new silvertails of the competition following several big-money off-season signings, the Rabbitohs were never headed, racing in three tries to one to totally outclass a Roosters side still on 999 top grade wins.

The new recruits all justified their hefty price-tags by playing key roles in the win, but just as vital was the effect they had on Joe Williams, Shannon Hegarty and Peter Cusack all showing the benefits of playing with some high class teammates.

Playing behind a dominant pack led by Roy Asotasi and David Kidwell, Williams finally showed signs of living up to the hype that greeted his introduction to the NRL three years ago.

His untested halves combination with Jeremy Smith was impressive as they played a leading role in all three of the Rabbitohs tries.

The Roosters played into the hands of the opposition with their controversial one-marker policy proving a dud, hooker Daniel Irvine and Hegarty making easy metres straight up the middle throughout the match.

It didn't take long for the Roosters to be stranded on their own line and Williams made them pay in the 15th minute, the diminutive halfback ducking between Anthony Minichiello and Danny Nutley to score the opening try.

Not content with that he backed it up with a 40-20 two minutes later from where Smith went to work, his grubber allowing Nigel Vagana to score his first of the night with an acrobatic put down.

Even the simple task of bringing the ball out from their own line posed the Roosters problems, a second half penalty against Danny Nutley for an obstruction handing the Rabbitohs a gift two points and a 14-0 lead.A The Rabbitohs were unlucky to be denied what would have been a match-winning try on the hour mark when Dean Widders was ruled to have obstructed a Roosters defender in the lead-up.

It proved a crucial call, the Roosters going 100 meters from the resulting penalty to score under the posts, halfback Josh Lewis cleaning up following a fumble by Nathan Merritt.

It spurred the Roosters and the 24,127 strong crowd to life but Vagana sealed the deal with his second 12 minutes from time, the Rabbitohs winning their first season opener since being re-admitted to the competition in 2002.

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