SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 26 NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS 45
CALLUM WALKER, Accor Stadium, Saturday

NEW ZEALAND WARRIORS went top of the NRL ladder – if only overnight – after withstanding a strong fightback from South Sydney.

With Sydney Roosters playing Sunday, the Warriors had the opportunity to hit first place and, buoyed by a rampaging effort from the likes of Eddie Ieremia-Toeava and Mitchell Barnett, Andrew Webster’s men did just that.

On the field, Luke Hanson replaced namesake Metcalf for the Warriors, whilst Liam Le Blanc came in for Adam Elliott for Souths.

The Rabbitohs would have sealed a finals spot with victory but a gulf in class was evident from the first-half whistle as the Warriors raced into a 12-0 lead after just eight minutes.

James Fisher-Harris was a surprising first try-scorer, taking a short Wayde Egan pass close to the line, before Leka Halasima rose highest to a Chanel Harris-Tavita bomb to dot down.

Taine Tuaupiki converted both but Souths hit back moments later, Jack Wighton claiming a Cody Walker punt in front of two Warriors defenders.

Souths missed a number of opportunities before Egan turned provider around the midway point in the first half yet again, grubbering through for Barnett to pounce just before the dead-ball line.

Back came the hosts once more, though, with a lovely left-to-right move ending with Alex Johnston crossing in the corner.

With Jayden Sullivan off target yet again, the Rabbitohs trailed 18-8.

That ten-point lead soon became 16 when Harris-Tavita took an offload from the charging Ieremia-Toeava to canter over from 30 metres, and Tuaupiki still had time to slot over a penalty three minutes before the break.

Webster’s men continued the onslaught following half-time, too, Adam Pompey feeding Dallin Watene-Zelezniak for a trademark flying finish after Halasima had brilliantly caught another Harris-Tavita bomb.

At 32-8 that should really have been that, but credit to Wayne Bennett’s side, who grew in size and stature as the second half wore on, registering three tries in twelve minutes – all converted by Sullivan – to close the Warriors’ lead to just six.

First, Tallis Duncan powered over following a Matt Dufty offload, before Johnston grabbed his second in almost identical fashion to his first.

And the cat was really put amongst the pigeons on the hour, Johnston this time turning provider with a delicious inside kick for the sprinting Walker to claim and slide under the posts.

But it was Harris-Tavita and his devastating kicking game that took the game out of reach for the Rabbitohs.

The halfback’s bomb wasn’t dealt with by Dufty and he reclaimed and offloaded to the onrushing Jacob Laban to settle proceedings with eleven minutes to go.

Just to rub salt into Souths’ wounds, Alofiana Khan-Pereira took an Ieremia-Toeava pass for a deserved four-pointer as Tuaupiki kept up his 100 percent record with his eighth goal of the day.

And there was still enough time for Hanson to slot over a field-goal on the hooter to further underline the Warriors’ credentials as title contenders – even if they did have to survive a massive scare.

GAMESTAR: Eddie Ieremia-Toeava proved a handful for Souths all night.

GAMEBREAKER: Jacob Laban’s 69th-minute effort stemmed the Rabbitohs’ fightback.

MATCHFACTS

RABBITOHS
1 Matt Dufty
2 Alex Johnston
3 Tallis Duncan
4 Jack Wighton
5 Campbell Graham
6 Cody Walker
7 Jayden Sullivan
8 Tevita Tatola
9 Brandon Smith
10 Keaon Koloamatangi
11 David Fifita
12 Euan Aitken
13 Cameron Murray
Subs
14 Jye Gray (not used)
15 Lachlan Hubner
16 Sean Keppie
17 Liam Le Blanc (not used)
18 Peter Mamouzelos
19 Edward Kosi (not used)

Tries: Wighton (14), Johnston (27, 54), Duncan (49), Walker (61)
Goals: Sullivan 3/5

WARRIORS
1 Taine Tuaupiki
2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
4 Leka Halasima
18 Adam Pompey
5 Alofiana Khan-Pereira
6 Luke Hanson
7 Chanel Harris-Tavita
8 James Fisher-Harris
9 Wayde Egan
10 Mitchell Barnett
11 Kurt Capewell
12 Jacob Laban
13 Erin Clark
Subs
3 Ali Leiataua (not used)
14 Sam Healey
15 Tanner Stowers-Smith
16 Demitric Vaimauga
17 Eddie Ieremia-Toeava
21 Jett Cleary (not used)

Tries: Fisher-Harris (6), Halasima (8), Barnett (21), Harris-Tavita (33), Watene-Zelezniak (45), Laban (69), Khan-Pereira (75)
Goals: Tuaupiki 8/8
Field-goals: Hanson (80)

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 4-12, 4-18, 8-18, 8-24, 8-26; 8-32, 14-32, 20-32, 26-32, 26-38, 26-44, 26-45

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rabbitohs: Alex Johnston; Warriors: Eddie Ieremia-Toeava

Penalty count: 1-4
Half-time: 8-26
Referee: Todd Smith
Attendance: 19,531