Game Summary
The South Sydney Rabbitohs bounced back from last week's loss to the Newtown Jets, defeating the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 26-18 in The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup at North Sydney Oval, in the opening game of a Sunday triple-header for the Beer, Food & Footy Festival.
It took a moment of quality from the Rabbitohs' halves to finally break the deadlock, with Jayden Sullivan delivering a cut-out ball to left winger Jordy Mazzone, who crossed for his 16th try in 17 NSW Cup appearances to give South Sydney a 6-0 lead after 23 minutes.
Manly came to life when winger Samuel Loizou touched down off a Joey Walsh cross-field kick early in the second stanza. Tex Hoy added the conversion and suddenly the scores were level at 6-6.
The Rabbitohs restored their advantage almost immediately, with Thomas Fletcher crashing over off a smart Sullivan pass just moments after Manly levelled. With the scoreboard reading 12-6, the game appeared to be heading toward a tight finish.
However, the pivotal sequence came when a Manly error from their own kick-off set the Rabbitohs in motion. Jay Kirk collected a loose ball and sprinted 80 metres to score, turning a 12-6 lead into an 18-6 advantage. From there the Rabbitohs did not look back, with prop John Radel crashing over shortly after to extend the margin to 26-6.
To Manly's credit, they refused to capitulate. Walsh scored a dazzling solo try with dummy, before setting up Hugo Hart for two late tries that added some respectability to the scoreline. Three tries in the final minutes made it a 26-18 final, though by that point the result was never in doubt.
Talking Points
Matt Dufty, returning to the side after missing last week's defeat, was lively throughout at fullback, while Jonah Glover was near-perfect with the boot, converting all four tries and adding a penalty goal. For the Rabbitohs, it was a statement win — six victories from their last seven games — and enough to push them into the top four on the ladder.
Joey Walsh continues to develop into one of the competition's most dangerous halves, producing two tries and an assist in the second half.
Jordy Mazzone's try-scoring record at NSW Cup level is extraordinary. With 16 tries in 17 games this season, that consistency will keep him firmly in contention for higher honours.
Key Moment
With the scores tied at 6-6, a Sea Eagles fumble off their own kick-off gave the Rabbitohs possession in excellent field position. When a Walsh kick was redirected and Kirk gathered the ball, he exploited a tired Manly defence to score from 80 metres, extending the lead to 12 points. It was a turning-point in the contest which Manly could not recover from.
What's Next?
The Rabbitohs face the North Sydney Bears next week, with both sides looking to make it seven wins from eight games. The Sea Eagles head to Canberra to face the Raiders, desperate to record their second win of the season.
