Australia 32 New Zealand 12: Kangaroos silence doubters to claim fourth straight World Cup
Perhaps Australia's greatest strength is their ability to lull the wider rugby league public into a false sense of security.
The defending champions rode their luck in an unconvincing victory over New Zealand in the World Cup opener, prompting some to suggest that the Kiwis were the better bet to lift the trophy in Brisbane a month later.
But Australia have once again shown why they remain the team everyone else has to catch, producing a commanding display when it mattered most to secure a fourth consecutive world title.
Remarkably, they have not lost a World Cup game since their shock defeat to New Zealand in the 2008 final.
A repeat was never likely in Brisbane on Sunday as the Kangaroos ruthlessly ended their rivals' hopes of regaining the trophy.
The southern hemisphere powerhouses exchanged early tries before Australia took a firm grip on the contest.
At 24-6, the game was as good as over by half-time.
New Zealand limited the damage after the break but saved their worst for last. A tournament that promised so much ended with a whimper.
It was a similar story for the Kiwis in the women's final earlier in the day as the Jillaroos flexed their muscles to claim a fourth successive world title.
For all the talk about emerging threats, particularly in the men's game following the rise of Tonga and Samoa, the outcome was strikingly familiar.
Any hopes of a changing of the guard were quickly extinguished.
The most inauspicious of starts for New Zealand saw Jamayne Isaako send the kick-off out on the full and Australia score from the penalty.
The Kangaroos marched up field and struck gold immediately, Harry Grant showing good deception to send Liam Martin in from close range.
While one try was enough for Australia in the 2017 final against England at the same venue, the free-scoring Kiwis were always going to have a say.
Isaiah Papali'i was denied by a desperate last-ditch effort but New Zealand eventually found a way through on the back of errors by Reece Walsh and Bradman Best.
Papali'i got an offload away and the ball found its way to Casey McLean who went over for his ninth try of the tournament.
But New Zealand's enterprising game plan eventually played into Australia's hands as errors mounted.
Jack Bostock scored his eighth tournament try on the back of a quick play-the-ball by Jacob Preston before Cameron Munster atoned for his missed conversion with a successful penalty.
There were worrying signs for the Kiwis, not least when McLean lost the ball coming away from his own end and Isaako made a mess of a short drop-out.
Best then compounded New Zealand's woes by turning a promising position into another Australian try.
Jahrome Hughes threatened to punish Best's fumble before the Australia centre chased back to knock the ball from the half-back's grasp. He followed his crucial defensive intervention by going over untouched at the end of the next set.
Preston continued Australia's run of big plays by producing a one-on-one steal from Naufahu Whyte to keep New Zealand on the back foot.
And when Tom Dearden sent Martin over for his second try, the hosts had one hand on the trophy.
The Kiwis lost McLean to a head knock at half-time and the nightmare continued on the other side of the interval.
Ronaldo Mulitalo spilt a high kick and was ruthlessly punished in the next set, Walsh's dancing feet giving Tom Trbojevic the time he needed to finish in the corner and draw back level with McLean at the top of the tournament try-scoring chart.
Mulitalo had a try ruled out and New Zealand's frustrations continued in the face of unrelenting Australian defence.
It ultimately took a kick to break Australia's resistance, Papali'i finishing Kodi Nikorima's neat dab through.
But the final word went to the Kangaroos, as it so often does. Bostock made it a three-way tie for top try-scorer from Best's classy flick pass before Australia celebrated yet another world title.
Australia: Walsh, Bostock, Staggs, Best, Trbojevic, Munster, Dearden, Fa'asuamaleaui, Grant, Koloamatangi, Preston, Martin, Yeo. Substitutes: Carrigan, Strange, Murray, Cotter, Walker, Tedesco.
Tries: Martin (2, 38), Bostock (19, 77), Best (32), Trbojevic (43).
Goals: Munster 4/7.
New Zealand: Ponga, Isaako, Gagai, McLean, Mulitalo, Nikorima, Hughes, Fisher-Harris, Marshall-King, Leota, Papali'i, Nikora, Tapine. Substitutes: Martin, Whyte, Clark, Willison, Crossland, Nicoll-Klokstad.
Tries: McLean (12), Papali'i (66).
Goals: Isaako 2/2.
Referee: Grant Atkins (Australia).