Rabbitohs hold off spirited Dragons to claim fourth straight win

Game Summary

The South Sydney Rabbitohs claimed a hard-fought 28-22 victory over the St. George Illawarra Dragons in Round Seven of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Accor Stadium, securing their fourth consecutive win and cementing their place among the competition's contenders. It was a breathless contest that ebbed and flowed throughout, with neither side able to pull clear until the final 10 minutes.

The Rabbitohs drew first blood inside the opening two minutes when a slick set move down the left edge saw Jordi Mazzone finish in the corner. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape was unable to convert from the sideline, leaving the score at 4-0.

The Dragons levelled matters in the 18th minute when five-eighth Lyhkan King-Togia conjured a superb dummy before putting second-rower Jarrah Treweek into space, and the back-rower duly finished. Tom Kirk converted to give the Dragons a 6-4 lead. The Rabbitohs responded almost immediately, with Bentley-Hape sniffing around close to the try-line before collecting an offload and burrowing over to restore the lead at 8-6. Bentley-Hape converted his own try.

Mazzone then doubled his tally with an acrobatic finish in the corner after Jonah Glover delivered an early cut-out ball wide, extending the Rabbitohs' lead to 16-6. However, the Dragons refused to fold. Treweek struck again just before half-time, this time latching onto King-Togia grubber to score his second, with Kirk converting to narrow the gap to 16-12 at the break.

The Dragons came out strongly after the interval, with fullback Tyler Peckham-Harris slicing through a narrow gap from a scrum to level the contest at 16-all. Kirk was unable to convert, and the match remained evenly poised as both sides exchanged leads. The Rabbitohs edged back in front through Latrell Siegwalt, before Glover and Matthew Humphries combined with quick hands to put Jay Kirk over for a crucial try. Bentley-Hape’s conversion pushed the lead out to 28-16 with 11 minutes remaining.

The Dragons refused to give up. Toby Rumble intercepted a loose Rabbitohs pass and ran away to score, with Kirk converting, cutting the deficit to six. The final minutes were tense, with the Dragons launching wave after wave of attack – losing both King-Togia and halfback Nick Quinn to injury during the second half – but the Rabbitohs defence held firm.

A late forward pass call against the Dragons with three minutes remaining proved decisive, and the Rabbitohs ran out 28-22 winners when the full-time siren sounded. With the victory, South Sydney join the Dragons on 10 competition points and establish themselves as serious challengers in the NSW Cup this season.

Talking Points

Jordi Mazzone was outstanding, finishing with a double and causing problems all afternoon down the Rabbitohs' left edge. His try-scoring record in the NSW Cup continues to grow as one of the competition's most dangerous outside backs.

The Dragons were severely hampered by the loss of both starting halves – Lyhkan King-Togia and Nick Quinn – during the second half. The pair had been central to the Dragons' attack, and their absence left Peckham-Harris and Declan Purcell scrambling to direct play.

Bayleigh Bentley-Hape was excellent in his dual role, deputising at fullback for the resting Matt Dufty and landing four from six kicks with the tee – including his own try. His positional work and last-ditch defence were a feature of the win.

Jarrah Treweek was the Dragons' standout performer, scoring a double and running with consistent urgency throughout. His combination with King-Togia produced the game's most creative football in the first half.

Key Moment

With the Rabbitohs leading 28-16 and the game appearing to be wrapped up, a wayward Humphries pass was plucked out of the air by Rumble, who sprinted away to score. The conversion reduced the margin to six with 10 minutes left and set up a nervous finish. However, a Peckham-Harris forward pass in the dying minutes when the Dragons were threatening to score from a penalty play proved the turning point, leaving the Rabbitohs to run down the clock and secure the victory.

What's next?

The Rabbitohs will face the Storm next Friday, who were beaten 48-12 by the Raiders in Round Seven. The Dragons return to Wollongong to host the Roosters on Sunday, looking to get back to winning ways.

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