Game Summary
South Sydney Rabbitohs claimed a dominant Good Friday victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, running out 36-10 winners in Round Five of The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at Accor Stadium.
It was the Dogs who drew first blood, with halfback Alex Conti slicing through the line inside the opening five minutes. Conti beat three defenders with a series of sharp sidesteps before dotting down, with Jonathan Sewer converting to make it 6-0 to the Bulldogs.
South Sydney responded with two quickfire tries to take the lead. Jay Kirk finished off a slick backline movement after a lovely pass from Matt Dufty, and moments later Dufty himself pushed through in support of a Dan Keir break to score, with Bayleigh Bentley-Hape converting both to give the Rabbitohs a 12-6 lead.
The Bulldogs struck back when Cade Dykes, returning from a long injury layoff, produced a moment of magic — a perfectly weighted double-pump pass releasing Jethro Rinakama to finish in the corner and narrow the deficit to 12-10 at half-time.
The second half, however, belonged entirely to South Sydney. A knock-on on just the second play from the Bulldogs gifted the Rabbitohs field position and Dufty capitalised again, rounding his opposite number to score his second. Tim Johannssen then pounced on a loose ball in the in-goal to extend the lead to 22-10.
South Sydney continued to pile on the pressure and were rewarded with a third try in quick succession, scored by Oliver Lawry after a composed set from the Rabbitohs. The margin blew out to 30-10 and the contest was effectively over.
Dufty completed his hat-trick late in the game when he identified space out wide, receiving a perfectly timed pass from Latrell Siegwalt before sprinting away from Bulldogs defence to seal a comprehensive 36-10 victory.
The Rabbitohs were worthy winners on the day, outscoring the Bulldogs six tries to one in a performance that will give coach Wayne Bennett plenty to be pleased about heading into the coming weeks.
Talking Points
- Matt Dufty was the standout performer, finishing with a hat trick and making his mark with clever line-running and sharp support play. The former Bulldog, back in Australia after four seasons in Super League, looked right at home in the red and green.
- Matthew Humphreys controlled the match brilliantly at half-back. The 19-year-old consistently found touch with precise kicks on the last tackle and directed the Rabbitohs' attack with maturity beyond his years.
- Cade Dykes showed he has lost none of his class in his first appearance since Round Eight last year, following a second serious knee injury. His try assist for Rina Karma in the first half was a genuine piece of skill.
Key Moment
Finn Latu's offload attempt on the second play of the second half, with the scores at 12-10, handed South Sydney possession and they scored directly off the resulting set — turning a tight contest into a rout within minutes.
What's next?
South Sydney will look to make it three straight wins when they take on the Parramatta Eels next week, while the Bulldogs will need to regroup quickly after suffering their first loss of the season before they take on the Penrith Panthers.
