Rabbitohs Finish Season in Style With 44-16 Win
Game Summary
The Knock-On Effect NSW Cup home-and-away season drew to a close at Leichhardt Oval, where the South Sydney Rabbitohs put on a second-half masterclass to defeat the Western Suburbs Magpies 44-16 in Round 26.
All eyes were on Joshua Schuster, who finally made his long-awaited Magpies debut in the six jersey after two false starts, including a freak throat injury that delayed his return by a fortnight. He looked sharp in patches, setting up a try for Stafford To'a either side of half-time, but it wasn't enough to trouble a rampant Rabbitohs outfit.
South Sydney raced out to an early lead through an intercept try to Jordy Mazzoni, before Bronson Garlick crossed to make it 12-0. The Magpies hit back through Stafford To'a and then Logan Brooks to close the gap to 12-6, only for South Sydney to pull away again before the break, eventually leading 24-12 at half-time after Josh Schuster's slick double-pump assisted a second To'a try.
The second half belonged entirely to the Rabbitohs. Mazzoni completed a hat-trick inside the opening two minutes, Edward Kosi crossed twice, and Moala Graham-Taufa capped a superb team try after Mazzoni selflessly gave up a certain four-pointer. Logan Dixon then produced a length-of-the-field special to push the margin out to 44-16, with William Craig's double the only reply of note for the home side.
Latrell Sigwald was influential with ball in hand and the boot, finishing with four converted tries from seven attempts, while Peter Mamouzellos and Sigwald combined repeatedly to unlock the Magpies' line-speed.
For Western Suburbs, the concession of soft tries and an inability to stem the tide in the ruck proved costly, with the Magpies conceding six-again penalties at crucial moments throughout the contest.
South Sydney finish the regular season with a marked improvement on their 2025 campaign, while the Magpies' season ends on a disappointing note despite Schuster's promising, if brief, return to the field.
Talking Points
- Josh Schuster's return after two aborted comeback attempts was the standout storyline, and while his impact was limited, his try-assist either side of half-time hinted at what he can offer the Magpies moving forward.
- Jordy Mazzoni continued his prolific finishing, claiming his 35th try in just his 30th NSW Cup appearance with a first-half intercept and a hat-trick completed inside two minutes of the second half.
- Edward Kosi's two tries and strong all-round performance underlined the depth South Sydney have been able to call upon this season.
Key Moment
The floodgates opened early in the second half when Mazzoni completed his hat-trick within two minutes of the restart, immediately followed by a length-of-field try to Edward Kosi. The double blow turned a manageable 24-12 half-time deficit into a 36-16 avalanche, extinguishing any hope of a Magpies comeback.
What's next?
The regular season is complete for both clubs, with neither Western Suburbs nor South Sydney featuring in the NSW Cup finals series. Attention now turns to the finals, which begin next week, with every game to be broadcast live on BAR TV Sports.
