Reigning NRL champions Sydney Roosters are one win away from returning to the Grand Final after humiliating rivals South Sydney Rabbitohs with an emphatic 30-6 victory.

The Roosters suffered a 16-10 defeat against the Bunnies at ANZ Stadium in the last week of the regular season, but it was a very different story at the SCG on Friday.

Trent Robinson's men ran riot and will now enjoy a week off ahead of their preliminary final, while the Rabbitohs must regroup ahead of a semi-final against Manly Sea Eagles or Cronulla Sharks.

Joseph Manu's third-minute score set the tone for a dominant first-half showing from the Roosters, who soon pulled further ahead with four-pointers from Mitchell Aubusson, Boyd Cordner and Sio Siua Taukeiaho.

The pick of the first-half tries was still to come as a slick move culminated in Brett Morris producing a magnificent offload to put James Tedesco over.

Latrell Mitchell kicked three goals before the interval and the centre crossed the whitewash in the second period following excellent work from Luke Keary, who provided an assist after his 40-20 kick had set up a great attacking platform.

The Bunnies, who welcomed back George Burgess from his nine-week suspension for eye gouging, at least avoided the indignity of being kept scoreless when Adam Reynolds danced over for a 64th-minute try he also converted.

However, the Roosters had easily wrapped up victory by that stage and look as though they will take some stopping as they aim to defend their crown.