Latrell Mitchell and Dane Gagai were lucky to escape a sin bin as tensions heated up in a fiery exchange early in South Sydney\u2019s elimination final against Newcastle. <\/p>\n
When Newcastle repelled a Souths attacking surge, Mitchell saw red when Gagai grabbed his jersey and appeared to clip his chin with a light punch, which Kayo Sports commentator Dan Ginnane described as a \u201clittle rabbit punch\u201d. <\/p>\n
The Rabbitohs star didn\u2019t appreciate the treatment and responded by making contact with Gagai\u2019s face as a scuffle broke out.<\/p>\n
\u201cMitchell and Gagai, they\u2019re starting to go at it,\u201d Ginnane said.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, Mitchell. He has thrown one! At least it\u2019s a slap at the minimum. Gagai has gone to Latrell Mitchell. That is going to be a problem. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe veteran has got one over the Latrell Mitchell, although he\u2019s giving as good as he\u2019s getting. <\/p>\n
\u201cHigh drama. Latrell is red-lining now and he\u2019s only got eyes for Dane Gagai.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Bunker reviewed the play and ruled there was no striking action and both players avoided being sent to the sin bin with only a penalty given. <\/p>\n
\u201cSomething was said from Dane Gagai, maybe Gagai instigated,\u201d Cooper Cronk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis game has just gone up another notch.\u201d<\/p>\n
Captains Cam Murray and Kalyn Ponga were called over and referee Ashley Klein told them: \u201cWhatever happened over there, there’s no need for it. We\u2019re gonna cut that out, OK. We\u2019re not going to have that type of incident occur throughout the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Cody Walker injured in devastating blow<\/p>\n
The Rabbitohs were dealt a brutal blow when playmaker Cody Walker suffered a calf injury and immediately hobbled off the field and would take no further part in the game.<\/p>\n
\u201cOh no, Cody Walker has gone down,\u201d Ginnane said in commentary. <\/p>\n
\u201cCody Walker has gone straight to his leg, Cody Walker is in big trouble. This looks dramatic and it looks terrible. This is terrible.\u201d<\/p>\n
Walker, 36, is out of contract at the end of the 2026 season and was in tears on the sidelines after suffering the injury, with ice on his calf.<\/p>\n
\u201cCody Walker slammed his crutch into the ground, frustration\u00a0brewing on the sideline,\u201dKayo Sports reporter Eloise Sohier said.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cTerrible scenes,\u201d Adam Reynolds said on Kayo Sports. <\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s the key to South Sydney and their success. He\u2019s been a big hand in the resurrection in South Sydney getting to the finals.<\/p>\n
\u201cScenes like this are devastating. I know how much this moment would have meant to him. Never easy to see someone of that calibre go down.\u201d<\/p>\n
In commentary on Kayo Sports, Cronk said Walker would likely play on for one more season for the chance to play alongside star recruit Payne Haas who is joining Souths from the Broncos.<\/p>\n
![\"Cody](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/13f1270b5edd680991e80cae5681cef3.jpeg\")
<\/p>\n
Gagai scored Newcastle\u2019s second try when he got on the end of a Sandon Smith grubber as the Knights took the upper hand in the first half playing a fast-paced brand of football.<\/p>\n
The Rabbitohs made the most of an offside penalty when Campbell Graham scored in the corner and Mitchell nailed the conversion kick from the sideline to head into halftime trailing 10-6.<\/p>\n
Bunker denies Bunnies try in huge call<\/p>\n
Mitchell helped set up a spectacular try to Jayden Sullivan that would have levelled the score 10-10, but the Rabbitohs were denied the try.<\/p>\n
In a crucial decision, the Bunker ruled Alex Johnston had dropped the ball in a loose carry and Newcastle\u2019s Jermaine McEwen had made incidental contact it was not an attempt at a strip.<\/p>\n
Knights winger Young clinched the victory with a try of his own when he danced along the sideline to put the result beyond doubt.<\/p>\n
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett slammed the Bunker in savage remarks in his post-game press conference, frustrated at calls that went against his side. <\/p>\n
\u201cThe quicker they get rid of the Bunker, the happier I\u2019ll be,\u201d Bennett said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI saw the same thing happen last year with Canberra late in the game and it happened again here tonight.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think anyone that plays rugby league or knows rugby league knows that was a knock-on.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe ball was knocked out of his hands. Then, to award no try, the referee awards a try, then the bunker flies in and says it\u2019s a no try.<\/p>\n
Watch Wayne Bennett\u2019s press conference in the video at the top of this article<\/p>\n
\u201cTen minutes later, Newcastle winger Dom Young goes down the sideline there. I\u2019m not sure if they put his foot on the line or not, but the bottom line is the bunker then comes back and says we go at the referee\u2019s call.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to know who\u2019s refereeing the game. That\u2019s the first thing I want to know. Is it the Bunker, or is it the referee?\u201d he elaborated.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou can look at that fifty times. Everyone can come up with a different opinion on that. It\u2019s just too technical. It\u2019s not what the game needs.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not where I want the game to be personally. I\u2019ve been in a long time and said a lot of things and I don\u2019t think the Bunker enhances our game to the amount of what we believe it does.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m happy to live with the referee\u2019s call. Always have been. Always will be. None of us are getting it right. The Bunker don\u2019t get it right either every time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI have been (critical of the Bunker) for a couple of years because I\u2019m over the decisions they make and the impact it has on teams.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019d rather have a referee doing his job properly, best he can. He\u2019ll make a mistake. I can live with that. My players make mistakes. I live with that.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat I can\u2019t live with is this thing called a Bunker that\u2019s supposed to be 100% perfect. It\u2019s not perfect because we\u2019ve got other officials running it.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs I said, one\u2019s a try because the referee says it\u2019s a try. The other one\u2019s a no-try because the bunker says it\u2019s a no-try.<\/p>\n
\u201cI want to know who\u2019s running the game?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mitchell struggled to impose himself on the contest and Gagai played a massive role in limiting his influence on the game. <\/p>\n
\u201cDane Gagai really went after Latrell Mitchell and he\u2019s won that battle hands down,\u201d Cronk said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNewcastle have come to Sydney and absolutely ambushed them,\u201d Michael Ennis said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey bashed them, they went after them physically.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a knockout win to the Newcastle side,\u201d Greg Alexander added.<\/p>\n