A thrilling match, result in a thumping 36-12 win for South Sydney Rabbitohs over Cronulla Sharks, featuring a hat-trick by Alex Johnston and exceptional individual performances.
Alex Johnston’s hat-trick was the headline act in a thumping 36-12 South Sydney win over Cronulla on Saturday night, but the understated star of the evening was another Rabbitohs centre named Latrell stepping up The Rabbitohs rocketed into outright fourth spot on the NRL ladder – behind the Roosters and ahead of the Wests Tigers – courtesy of a resounding victory in Campbell Graham’s 150th match.
Three Souths tries between the 25th and 34th minutes blunted the Sharks’ attempts to generate momentum as the visitors faltered badly a week after Johnston crossed for three tries in an outstanding performance, two of which were set up by debutant Latrell Siegwalt, who replaced the injured Latrell Mitchell in Souths’ starting side and booted the first points of the night with a penalty. Siegwalt reportedly asked Souths for 120 tickets for friends and family, many of whom travelled hundreds of kilometres across NSW to Accor Stadium to watch the young Indigenous star make his NRL bow.
The Wagga Wagga product only found out on Thursday, his 25th birthday, that he would be playing after Mitchell pulled out of the match with a back injury. After a tryless opening 25 minutes, Souths found their rhythm with three in 10 minutes to open up an 18-0 lead. Siegwalt set up Johnston’s second try down the left edge.
As much as teams study and prepare for South Sydney’s attacking raids on that side of the field, stopping it is another matter entirely. In full flow, it is a beautiful thing to watch. Siegwalt again provided the final pass for Johnston for Souths’ fourth try, beautifully drawing in the last defender and showing he belongs at this level.
Graham’s milestone match unfolded perfectly as he crossed untouched for a try in the final minute, while Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes endured an underwhelming night in his 100th game for the club. It is a decade since Cronulla won a premiership and their defensive frailties against a side that shapes as a genuine September threat suggested they are not grand final contenders.
For a team with such impressive consistency – having finished between second and fourth on the NRL ladder from 2022 to 2025 – they are not doing a great job in challenging the narrative that they can’t go to another level when required. The Sharks’ lack of bite down South Sydney’s end was epitomised when pint-sized Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray dislodged the ball from Sharks reserve Jesse Colquhoun’s grasp despite a 28-kilogram weight disparity.
Gray contributed with a try assist and 237 run metres as Wayne Bennett’s men prepare to travel to Magic Round full of confidence for a clash with the Dolphins on Friday. Cam Murray shook off a high shot on his jaw before crashing over 13 minutes from full-time for the Rabbitohs’ fifth try of the evening to make it 30-0 after Siegwalt’s fourth conversion of the evening.
Consolation tries from Kayal Iro and Mawene Hiroti in the last eight minutes saved the Sharks from complete embarrassment. Meanwhile, Sharks enforcer Cam McInnes could miss his side’s next match against the Bulldogs after being put on report for a high shot on Edward Kosi in the first half
Please follow us on Google to support usSouth Sydney Rabbitohs Cronulla Sharks Alex Johnston Latrell Siegwalt Campbell Graham Wayne Bennett Dolphins Magic Round Robinal Murray Sharks Cam Mcinnes Magic Round Full Of Confidence A Clash With The Dolphins On Friday
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