Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow narrowly missed out on scoring an “all-time great Magic Round try” in the Dolphins’ impressive victory over the Rabbitohs.
Krisian Woolf’s side stormed into a 20-0 lead at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Friday night.
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And things could have gotten even worse for South Sydney seconds before halftime had the ball stuck to Tabuai-Fidow’s hands at the crucial moment.
A lightning fast passing sequence enabled the Dolphins an overload on the left flank which Selwyn Cobbo stormed into.
As he was about to be tackled, Cobbo creatively kicked the ball through to Tabuai-Fidow.
The weight of the kick seemed perfect as Hammer looked set to come through and score.
But as he bent down to pick the ball over and touch down, it slipped out of his grasp.
Gutted commentator Dan Ginnane said: “Oh, the Hammer! It would have been one of the great Magic Round tries we’ve seen. But in the wet the greasy fingers just couldn’t.
“Selwyn Cobbo, what about that for a play? And so close to an all-time great try.”
Despite the chance going begging, the Dolphins continued their dominance after the break as they extended their advantage to 24-0 over a disappointing Rabbitohs side.
And they went on to see it out, claiming a 32-10 victory.
The win moves the Dolphins up to sixth, just two points behind the fourth-placed Rabbitohs.
It also extends the Dolphins’ winning run to three games ahead of their clash with an inconsistent Raiders side next weekend.
Earlier on Friday, the Sharks piled more pressure on the Bulldogs with a dominant 38-16 win to kick off the Magic Round weekend.
It means the Bulldogs have now lost each of their last five games and are in danger of missing this year’s finals — having qualified comfortably in 2025.
Meanwhile, the Sharks move up to seventh and immediately hit back from their defeat to the Rabbitohs.