Josh Addo-Carr scored four tries — and potentially the try of the tournament — as Australia smashed Scotland to the tune of 84-0.
Addo-Carr was irrepressible in a complete performance from the Australians, leaving Scotland to lick its wounds after their worst Rugby League World Cup performance in history.
With the game well and truly done and dusted at half-time with the score 40-0, Addo-Carr combined with Matt Burton in the final minute of play to put on a magic show.
As the ball tumbled towards the sidelines, Burton scooped it between his legs with one hand back to the waiting winger, who then sprinted down the sidelines, put in a kick, and collected his own ball to score the final insult of the match.
"It happened so quick. I don't know. It was good!" Addo-Carr said of the try after the match.
"There have been some great Kangaroos sides in the past. We're a young team, it's the first time we're all together and we want to create our own destiny. We've set the platform for the Australian team.
"When everyone does their job, it makes your job a lot easier. All I have to do is catch the ball and run fast."
Meanwhile, Nathan Cleary emphasised his credentials to become Mal Meninga's first-choice Australian halfback by scoring 28 points on debut.
Cleary was one of six debutants named by Australia and he wasted little time making an impact as the Kangaroos put Scotland to the sword.
Watched by his father Ivan, the Penrith playmaker kicked 12 goals from 15 attempts, had three try assists and scored a try of his own.
He fell just short of Andrew Johns's record of points for a debutant (30 v South Africa, 1995) as Scotland was torn to pieces from the first minute to the last in front of a rain soaked crowd of 10, 276 at Coventry.
Still, his performance was not enough to be named man of the match with Addo-Carr receiving the award in a victory which was Australia's second biggest ever at a World Cup.
Cleary's dominant display — admittedly against a Scotland side with just a handful of full-time professionals — will give Meninga something to consider ahead of next week's final group stage game with Italy.
Group standings
Cherry-Evans and Cleary are likely to line up in the halves together in a dead rubber against the Italians after Australia inflicted a record defeat on the Scots.
"He's a special player," coach Meninga said of Cleary after the game.
"He controlled the play really well. His kicking was excellent and controlled the tempo for us.
"We've got some big challenges in front of us so we'll keep our feet on the ground and make those tough decisions when they come."
Scotland are a long way from the side that clinched a draw with New Zealand in the 2016 Four Nations and the Bravehearts needed to be perfect to have any chance of troubling the Kangaroos.
But they struggled so badly they had just one play-the-ball in Australia's 20-metre zone across the 80 minutes.
They made an error off the opening kick-off and Australia hit their straps immediately with Cleary sending Addo-Carr and Jack Wighton over inside the opening 10 minutes.
Campbell Graham, who scored a hat-trick against a Bravehearts side he nearly played for at this World Cup, chimed in on the other flank with Angus Crichton and Cleary crossing to give the Kangaroos a 40-0 lead at the break.
Captain James Tedesco jinked his way over just 50 seconds into the second half and when Ben Hunt crossed in the 45th minute, Meninga gave his skipper an early mark for Valentine Holmes.
Ben Hunt, Isaah Yeo and Burton also contributed to Scotland's misery after Kane Linnett was sin-binned for a professional foul.
In the final minute a Holmes error gave Scotland a gilt-edged chance to have a crack at the Australian line but they failed to even threaten.
ABC/AAP
Check out all the scores and stats below.
