Despite some blow out results, few could argue that the first round of World Cup fixtures weren't jam-packed with emotion and some brilliant rugby league.
Lebanon's win over France in the game of the tournament will rival some ridiculous play from the likes of Fiji, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Ireland.
As I mentioned previously, the pre-match emotion has been a real highlight, with the scenes of tears running down players faces leaving a lasting mark on even the biggest detractors of the competition.
There have been plenty of talking points produced across the round, here are the top five.
5. We (I) may have underestimated the Kiwis
I should have known better. Never underestimate the Kiwis.
Despite naming a side that lacked the names Foran, Bromich, and Proctor, as well as a genuine superstar centre, the New Zealanders were still able to absolutely blow the Samoans off the park on Saturday evening.
No one could really have expected Samoa to beat the Johnson inspired Kiwis, but I did expect a far closer contest, and perhaps even a period of dominance from the Samoans.
It was not to be as Johnson, RTS and Tapine lead the charge for the side most expect to battle England for a spot across from the Kangaroos in the finals.
They'll do a huge job over Scotland next weekend before taking part in the most anticipated game of the tournament when they play Tonga the week after.
Earlier in the week, I would have been putting money on Tonga, but after seeing what they did to a very capable Samoan outfit, I think the safe money is back on the New Zealanders.
4. This means so much to so many
Talk of this tournament not meaning anything to the second tier nations has been proven complete garbage after the on-field emotion shown by those playing across each and every nation.
Fans across the world have taken to social media to praise the performances of their sides, despite some heavily one-sided results.
This isn't about instant results. We all know the USA is not going to be competitive with the big nations. We know results are going to be one-sided until the business end of the campaign, but that doesn't mean this is a waste of time as some have stated.
We've seen the improvement in the Tongan and PNG sides, and Ireland shocked pundits by doing away with a fancied Italian outfit.
Look no further than the sights in the stands during the national anthems. It means the world to these players to be able to represent their nations.
3. Tonga are the real deal
If there was any doubt as to whether Tonga could justify the hype, it has been destroyed via a 50-4 thumping of Scotland.
To be honest it could have been far worse after a 48-0 half-time scoreline. Scotland played far better in the second half, but Tonga obviously took their foot off the gas pedal knowing the challenges that await them.
Taumalolo was an absolute beast, while the Roosters outside backs in Tupou and Jennings were a class above.
Games against Samoa and New Zealand await the Tongans, but they could not have done anymore in their first up fixture to send the message that they are a very real threat to the big three nations.
2. Splitting the games across Aus/NZ/PNG has been amazing
I've been on record previously as saying I'm a big fan of allowing as many nations home games as possible, and the scenes across Melbourne, Auckland and Port Moresby just confirmed that line of thinking.
The fact that PNG can play their three home games in front of their fans is a huge boost for the tournament as well as the development of the game across the country.
Few will forget the scenes on Saturday afternoon as the David Mead inspired Kumuls ran riot in front of a sell out crowd. Wales had no idea what hit them, but the fans in the stands were in a state of delirium from the kickoff.
Across the Tasman, a very loud and passionate crowd saw the Kiwis host the Samoans. The number of Samoan supporters in the crowd would have provided a real boost to their side despite the lopsided scoreline.
If the tournament had been confined to Australian shores, there is no chance those amazing scenes would have been matched. Brilliant stuff!
1. Aussies in a class of their own
Despite some signs, the general feeling coming out of Australia's 18-4 victory over England on Friday night was that the performance was pretty flat. There were some uncharacteristic errors made, some try opportunities bombed, and ultimately the Aussies never really lifted out of first gear.
Yet they managed to pretty easily beat the side most consider to be the biggest threat to a Kangaroos tournament victory.
By no means was this a walkover, with a late Josh Dugan try flattering the scoreline, but despite their best efforts, England never really looked like causing an upset.
I'm hesitant to jump on the 'call the tournament off and hand the trophy to Cam Smith now' brigade, but if they play to their best, there's no stopping the Kangaroos.
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