The biggest takeaway for Pirates from their 73-12 win over Quirindi on Saturday wasn't the scoreline, which was incidentally their biggest of the season, but how they achieved it.
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"We stuck to our structure pretty well in the first half," skipper Conrad Starr said.
"We were getting some good go-forward through the backs and the forwards, and just consolidating."
They were prepared to just knuckle down and set it up, instead of trying to score off every phase as they have been guilty of at times during the season.
It was the kind of patience that will be important over what shapes as a season-defining next three weeks for the premiers. They tackle Moree, Walcha and Gunnedah, all of whom they went down to in the first round.
Starr said they did get a little bit scrappy in the second half, although coach Mat Kelly was accepting some of the blame for that.
With Pirates well in control at half-time, and looking to "future proof" as he put it, he changed things up a bit in the second half, testing out a few different combinations that they might need to use later in the season.
Bart Leach, Jack Shelton, Sam Collett and Jackson Sharpe all crossed for doubles in the 11 tries to two rout, Shelton's performance another positive.
"It was good to see Jack Shelton hit a bit of form that he has been missing," Kelly said.
Prop Nick McCrohan was also "great" in his first run-on game back and got his three points.
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Starr also made mention of McCrohan, along with Sam Collins at 10 and Mitch Dening in the centres.
Their fifth straight win, he said there is "still plenty of little things we've got to work on".
"We're not satisfied where we are just yet," he added.
Lachie Barton and Roy Lardner Burke crossed for the home side's two tries.
As they did in the corresponding clash in the first round the two clubs rallied together to support former Lion and Pirate Harrison Frear, with the Lions sporting special one-off jerseys which were auctioned off later in the night.
Elsewhere Josh Walker and Matt Wannan crossed for doubles as Moree accounted for Inverell 35-12, and with Walcha's loss to Narrabri, assumed top spot on wins.
Scone meanwhile beat Barraba 39-12 to pick up their second win of the season.
