The South Sydney Rabbitohs secured a narrow 20-16 victory against the Parramatta Eels at Allianz Stadium on Saturday night. Jye Gray starred for the Rabbitohs, delivering an impressive performance that included four crucial try-saving tackles, amassing 183 running metres, a line break, and an assist for a try. Teammate Tallis Duncan contributed significantly as well, scoring two tries in the second half. For the Eels, Zac Lomax also excelled with a pair of tries.
The match started with the Eels taking an early lead after South Sydney’s Sean Keppie was penalised for being offside, allowing Lomax to kick a penalty goal. Eels forward Luca Moretti faced multiple setbacks, needing medical attention soon after the game began. His night worsened following a heavy collision, while Rabbitohs’ Jacob Host was cited for a shoulder charge and later for a hip drop tackle.
The first try of the match came from Rabbitohs winger Tyrone Munro, who capitalised on a deft pass from Gray to score in the 14th minute. However, the Eels quickly responded with a try from Isaiah Iongi, who took advantage of a flick pass from Kelma Tuilagi. Phil Gould, commentating for Nine, praised the aggressive play from the Eels. Lomax soon followed with another try, extending Parramatta’s lead.
As the first half unfolded, controversy erupted with Tuilagi receiving a penalty for a dangerous tackle. Rabbitohs hooker Peter Mamouzelos broke through to score, leaving the teams locked in a tight contest. By half-time, Parramatta held a slender two-point lead.
In the second half, a tremendous defensive effort from Gray thwarted the Eels’ scoring attempts before Duncan pushed through to score for South Sydney. The back-and-forth nature of the match continued, highlighted by a crucial Rabbitohs captain’s challenge confirming a knock-on ruling that set Duncan up for another try.
As the game neared its conclusion, Lomax found the try line again, closing the gap to four points. The Eels had one last chance to equalise when Rabbitohs’ Brandon Smith was penalised for offside, but a subsequent knock-on by Dylan Brown ended their hopes.
Despite not scoring during the match, Rabbitohs star Alex Johnston remains three tries shy of equalling Ken Irvine’s record for the most tries in NRL history. Overall, the thrilling clash showcased both teams’ resilience and skill, culminating in a hard-fought win for South Sydney.