The Newcastle Knights have ambushed the Bunnies in a high-scoring thriller, sealing a thrilling 42-38 win in front of a roaring McDonald Jones Stadium.
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In a game that went right down to the wire, Mitchell almost single-handedly carried the Rabbitohs to victory only to be bundled into touch before teammate Cody Walker shoved celebrating Knights players.
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That “escalated everything” as the Bunker official for Sunday’s game put it, with former Rabbitoh Luke Keary saying that Walker “lost his head” on Fox League’s coverage.
Cody Walker pushes the Knights players.Source: FOX SPORTS
It had been a few very different weeks for the opposition sides, Newcastle losing big to the Tigers, Roosters and Penrith, while South Sydney are coming off arguably the best win in half a decade, a dominant 48-6 win over Melbourne at AAMI Park.
However, there was a quiet confidence in the Hunter with the likes of Kalyn Ponga, Greg Marzhew, Bradman Best, Dylan Lucas and Tyson Frizell all parachuted back into the line-up.
It took just six minutes for that quiet confidence to become a stadium-wide roar.
A simple settler from Trey Mooney turning into points, with the barnstorming Newcastle recruit carrying the likes of Bronson Garlick, Sean Keppie and Cam Murray across the line for his fourth try of the season.
Poor discipline from South Sydney repeatedly handed the home side key field position, and the rejuvenated Knights’ outfit wouldn’t waste their chances.
A routine shift left allowed Fletcher Sharpe to send Lucas through a yawning gap in the Bunnies’ defence to double their advantage.
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Despite Matt Dufty landing an exquisite try-saver on Sharpe, it was a matter of when not if Newcastle scored next – and it would be the returning Marzhew that would join the score sheet.
Having lost Jack Wighton to what appeared to be a serious shoulder injury early on, Newcastle sent all their traffic down their leftside, with a Best flick pass to Greg extending the lead to 18.
The hulking winger netted a quickfire double, this time trampling Tallis Duncan on his way to the white line.
South Sydney would strike back through an unlikely hero, Keppie crashing over for his first of the season, though it wouldn’t keep Newcastle down for long.
A linebreak from Ponga on halfway sent Lucas under the sticks for a double of his own, snaring the fifth Newcastle four-pointer of the opening stanza.
Red Bull High Flyer Player Rankings.Source: FOX SPORTS
Alex Johsnton would get his name on the score sheet on the back of a big swing left, sending South Sydney to the sheds trailing 28-10 at the break.
It took the half-time spell for South Sydney to snare some acednecy, scoring arguably the try of the afternoon minutes into the second stanza.
A shimmy from Latrell sent Johnston down the touchline, the winger kicking in-field for Walker to snatch it out of mid-air and cross next to the sticks, slicing it back to a 12-point game.
There was some controversy around the try, Dufty looking to have gotten a hand to the ball, but nothing concrete enough to disallow the try.
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A penalty goal from the Knights would calm the game down for a split second, only for Tallis Duncan’s try to leave home fans sweating heading into the final quarter of the game.
Alarm bells were sounding when Johnston bagged his own double, leaving the pendulum well and truly swinging, and the Knights’ once-22-point lead slashed to just four.
The pendulum swings again.
This time it was Newcastle that would snatch momentum back from the opposition, Marzhew carrying four defenders across the line for his hat-trick.
It was a dominant return to form for the monstrous winger, who had struggled in defence over the last month. It would be Marzhew’s second hat-trick against South Sydney at McDonald Jones in as many meetings, the former Titan snagging three back in 2023.
Yet, the pendulum would swing again.
Firstly through Cody Walker bagging his double, the five-eighth’s grubber deflecting back into his own hands, and handing him a clean run to the try line, before the Bunnies finally snatched a lead.
Another shift left, another linebreak for Johnston, however this time the flyer found an offload, flinging to Latrell to bump off ponga, tiptoe down the sideline and plant it down to square it up at 36-36.
Cometh the big moment, cometh Mitchell, the centre slotting it from the sideline to hand the Bunnies their first lead of the game.
Here comes that pendulum.
Just two plays into their next set, a dropped ball from Euan Aitken landed the Knights straight back into prime field position, and they wouldn’t waste their chance.
The afternoon started with a Trey Mooney try, it was only fitting it ended with one, the former Raider running wide to carry defenders over the line, and snatch back a 42-38 lead.
The pendulum couldn’t swing any more, Mitchell denied a try after the siren, bobbling the put down to hand Newcastle a heart-stopping win.
CASUALTY CAVALRY SAVE THE DAY
It took five players returning from injury, however Newcastle are well and truly back in business.
The home side welcomed back the likes of Ponga, Best, Frizell, Marzhew and Lucas, and it was those five that shone on Sunday afternoon to snag the Knights a famous win, coming off three heavy losses.
They’re not out of the woods yet, but it’s a big step in returning to top eight hopefuls.
JEKYLL AND HYDE BUNNIES BURY THEMSELVES
Eight days ago, we were celebrating one of the Rabbitohs’ all-time best victories, and on Sunday, they scored 38 points and lost.
It’s becoming a realm worry for South Sydney fans, their lack of grit on defence. It’s the second time in a month they’ve scored 34+ and didn’t win the game of footy.
While, yes, their attack is humming, the Bunnies won’t go close to challenging in September if they defend like that, or show that kind of discipline in a match.
TREY SAVES THE DAY
What an astute buy Trey Mooney is turning out to be for the Newcastle Knights.
After a stellar game in Las Vegas, Mooney came crashing back to Earth at times, overshadowed by veterans Jacob Saifiti and Tyson Frizell.
However a two-try effort in a dominant performance against South Sydney’s world class forward pack has the middle firmly back in ‘buy of the year’ conversations, what a hit out.
FOX LAB STATS
– Second highest losing score all time, Dragons lost 44-40 to the Eels in 2024.
– 80 points is the equal highest scoring match this season (Cowboys 46-34 v Sharks)
– Newcastle led 22-0 after 26 minutes and 28-6 after 32 minutes. Souths fought back to lead 38-36 but the Knights scored late to secure the victory.
– Newcastle snap a three game losing streak – scoring their most points since 2023.
– Second time since round six Souths have scored more than 30 points and lost.
– Four straight wins for Newcastle over South Sydney – first time since 2004.
– Jack Wighton left the field in the first half with a suspected arm injury.
– Dylan Brown was placed on report for a hip drop tackle in the first half – he has only an unrelated contrary conduct charge in the past 12 months.
– Greg Marzhew grabbed his third career hattrick of tries – all three at Newcastle and second against the Rabbitohs.
– Dylan Lucas scored two tries, his third career game scoring multiple tries.
– Alex Johnston scored his 60th career try double – he has scored in every game this season.
– Trey Mooney scored his first career double including the match winner. He has five tries in eight games this season – had just two from his 25 games prior.
– Cody Walker grabbed his 17th career try double – second against the Knights.
Fox Lab POTM – Dylan Brown assisted two tries, had a hand in two others and made 16 tackles without missing one.
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TEAMS
Newcastle Knights: 1. Kalyn Ponga 2. Dominic Young 3. Dane Gagai 4. Bradman Best 5. Greg Marzhew 6. Fletcher Sharpe 7. Dylan Brown 8. Jacob Saifiti 9. Phoenix Crossland 10. Trey Mooney 11. Dylan Lucas 12. Jermaine McEwen 13. Mathew Croker 14. Sandon Smith 15. Tyson Frizell 16. Pasami Saulo 17. Fletcher Hunt 19. Francis Manuleleua 19. Cody Hopwood
South Sydney Rabbitohs: 1. Matthew Dufty 2. Alex Johnston 3. Latrell Mitchell 4. Jack Wighton 5. Campbell Graham 6. Cody Walker 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Sean Keppie 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Cameron Murray 14. Peter Mamouzelos 15. Lachlan Hubner 16. Euan Aitken 18. Jayden Sullivan 19. Moala Graham-Taufa 20. Adam Elliott