SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 50 SYDNEY ROOSTERS 20
EMMA KENNEDY, Allianz Stadium, Friday

THERE WAS hardly a dry eye as Jai Arrow made his 100th South Sydney Rabbitohs appearance.

The 31-year-old choked back tears as he received a hero’s welcome from the sold-out crowd, and was given a guard of honour by more than 100 former Rabbitohs players, including those with whom he played in the 2021 Grand Final, as he walked out to Gerry and the Pacemakers’ You’ll Never Walk Alone.

On an emotional evening, his side ensured it was also a fitting occasion on the pitch, securing a home finals spot by running in ten tries against their arch rivals, who, with a top-four finish secured, had rested ten of their star players.

A successful captain’s challenge set up an early opportunity for the youthful Roosters, but it was the Rabbitohs who struck first when David Fifita squeezed the ball down through a handful of defenders with six minutes played.

Latrell Mitchell’s conversion drifted wide, the first of five missed attempts from the tee.

Sydney looked to hit back after an error, but Rex Bassingthwaighte was tackled into touch by Jye Gray as he looked to dive over out wide.

Instead, the Rabbitohs stretched their advantage.

Toby Rodwell miscued a short drop-out that did not go the required distance, with Jayden Sullivan breaking a tackle and stretching out to score, before neat hands sent Alex Johnston into the right corner for his 30th try of the season, opening up a 14-0 lead.

Sydney got themselves back into the contest as the half reached its midpoint, with Rodwell’s controversial 40/20 laying the position for Daniel Tupou to mark his return with a try out wide.

But penalties and errors continued to pile pressure onto their defence as tempers began to flare, with Keaon Koloamatangi and Spencer Leniu at the centre.

The latter gave away a penalty for his actions, quickly punished by the Rabbitohs as Campbell Graham sold Fetalaiga Pauga a dummy before crashing over just after the half-hour.

Sydney’s defence ended the half under more pressure after back-to-back repeat sets resulted in a goalline drop-out, but held firm to keep the score to 20-4 at the break.

It was again a lively start to the second half, with both Reece Foley and Adam Elliott leaving the field for head-injury assessments, the former playing no further part in the match.

Euan Aitken twisted over to restart the Rabbitohs’ scoring in the 48th minute, but out of nowhere, the Roosters firmly dragged themselves back into the contest with two tries in as many minutes.

First, the ball was sent right to Bassingthwaighte, who raced clear down the wing, before Benaiah Ioelu and Taylor Losalu combined in a long-range break to send the supporting Egan Butcher over to score.

Rodwell converted the former but not the latter, closing the gap to 24-14.

However, a Rodwell error was quickly pounced upon by the Rabbitohs, with Cody Walker weaving his way through to score from close range.

Elliott, having returned to the field after passing his HIA, was awarded a penalty try after being impeded, with Graham then scoring his second after managing to get fingertips to a grubber out wide, opening up a sizeable 40-14 lead.

Mitchell added his name to the scoresheet from a neat short-side play before both sides were reduced to twelve, with Lachlan Hubner and De La Salle Va’a sin-binned with seven minutes remaining after a confrontation.

Mitchell missed the resultant penalty, but the Rabbitohs brought up the half-century with three minutes left when Brandon Smith forced his way over from close range at the second attempt.

A youthful Roosters were well beaten, but did cross for a consolation in the final minute, with Bassingthwaighte collecting Cody Ramsey’s cross-field chip and crossing the whitewash unopposed.

Ramsey’s conversion proved to be the game’s final points, with Mitchell missing a field-goal attempt in the dying seconds.

GAMESTAR: Cameron Murray put in the hard yards for the Rabbitohs, registering the most tackles and run metres.

GAMEBREAKER: Cody Walker’s try put a stop to a resurgence that had seen the Roosters score twice in as many minutes to get themselves back into the contest.

MATCHFACTS

RABBITOHS
1 Jye Gray
2 Alex Johnston
3 Latrell Mitchell
4 Jack Wighton
5 Campbell Graham
23 Jai Arrow
7 Jayden Sullivan
8 Tevita Tatola
9 Brandon Smith
10 Keaon Koloamatangi
11 David Fifita
12 Adam Elliott
13 Cameron Murray
Subs
6 Cody Walker
14 Matt Dufty (not used)
15 Lachlan Hubner
16 Sean Keppie
17 Jamie Humphreys
18 Euan Aitken
19 Latrell Siegwalt (not used)

Tries: Fifita (6), Sullivan (14), Johnston (17), Graham (33, 66), Aitken (48), Walker (57), Elliott (62), Mitchell (72), Smith (77)
Goals: Mitchell 5/11
Sin bin: Hubner (73) – fighting

ROOSTERS
1 Cody Ramsey
2 Daniel Tupou
3 Fetalaiga Pauga
4 Tommy Talau
5 Rex Bassingthwaighte
6 Reece Foley
7 Toby Rodwell
8 Spencer Leniu
9 Benaiah Ioelu
15 Taylor Losalu
11 Salesi Foketi
12 Egan Butcher
13 Connor Watson
Subs
14 Tom Rodwell
16 De La Salle Va’a
17 Aston Warwick
18 Jake Elliott (not used)
19 Hayden Barton
20 Lui Lee (not used)

Tries: Tupou (22), Bassingthwaighte (51, 79), Butcher (53)
Goals: Rodwell 1/3, Ramsey 1/1
Sin bin: Va’a (73) – fighting

SCORING SEQUENCE: 4-0, 10-0, 14-0, 14-4, 20-4; 24-4, 24-10, 24-14, 30-14, 36-14, 40-14, 44-14, 50-14, 50-20

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rabbitohs: Cameron Murray; Roosters: Cody Ramsey

Penalty count: 7-2
Half-time: 20-4
Referee: Adam Gee
Attendance: 41,513