The Whalers shook off any rust to roll to a 62-12 win over the out-gunned Eels.
Their midfield partnership was a real highlight of the performance at Forsyth Barr Stadium.
Mateariki bolted in for four tries — three in the final seven minutes — while Temaka scored two early tries and added seven goals for a match haul of 22 points.
Captain and lock Benji Latu was another to star with his relentless work rate on both sides of the ball, hooker Jak Morton was full of energy, and second-rower Tofatuimoana Solia added plenty of oomph in attack and defence.
The Whalers’ 62 points was a record for them against the Eels, surpassing the 58 they scored three years ago.
While the Eels battled for much of the game to handle the pace of the Whalers, hooker George Powell never stopped trying and prop Jahlisha Lofipo charged up with aggression.
Temaka gave the Whalers the perfect start after just three minutes when he ran on to a delicately weighted Tama Apineru pass to score and convert the opening try.
Latu then showed his immense power to stand in the tackle and offload to Mateariki for the second try.
The third was arguably the try of the game. From 65m out, Temaka scythed through the Eels defence and handed a try to Daniel Muasika on a plate.
Another big Whalers break down the right side was followed a couple of tackles later by a cut-out ball to big prop Tafa Tafa for a try.
When Temaka sliced in for his second, it was 30-0 to the Whalers after just 27 minutes, and a rout appeared certain.
The Eels picked themselves up nicely in the last 10 minutes of the half, however, and got rewarded when charging second-rower Etienne van Zyl ran a nice line to score the first points for the visitors.
Aoraki behemoth Jayden Kellas-Taylor was held up on the line early in the second half before the visitors got their second from a neat Caleb McNoe grubber that Benjamine Ryall regathered.
It had been a shaky-ish period from the Whalers but they regained some momentum when Solia proved unstoppable from 15m out.
As the Eels tired, Mavae Manuika showed his strength and speed on the wing to grab a deserved try, Nathanael Kelly scored on the other flank, Mateariki completed his double to raise the 50, and Mateariki added two more tries to complete the scoring.
Whalers captain Benji Latu was happy enough as he reflected on a win that followed hard on the heels of a short domestic club season.
"To get a bunch of boys together and play this kind of footy is definitely a turnaround. It was good.
"We learned a lot of things in attack and defence, so we’ll see how we go next week."
The Whalers now head to Wellington to play the Orcas this weekend.
NZ Premiership
The scores
Otago Whalers 62
Ngatokotoru Mateariki 4, Sailusi Temaka 2, Daniel Muasika, Tafa Tafa, Tofatuimoana Solia, Mavae Manuika, Nathanael Kelly tries; Temaka 7 con, Mason Lome-Hindle 2 con
Aoraki Eels 12
Etienne van Zyl, Benjamine Ryall tries; Ryall 2 con
Halftime: Whalers 30-6.
