After being inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame earlier this week, Wests Tigers coach Benji Marshall saw his side score its fifth win of the season, making 2024 their most successful season of the last 3 years.
The Tigers got the scoreboard attendant to work first, via some panicked play in the 10th minute, which saw Aidan Sezer got a hurried chip away just as he was being tackled, that Charlie Staines caught on the full in the Souths in-goal to score a good try. Sezer converted from the sideline.
Four minutes later, South Sydney replied when Taane Milne ran to the line, got his arm free and offloaded a sweet ball for Jye Gray who strolled between two goal-line defenders to score a good try. Fletcher Myers failed to convert from the sideline.
The Tigers extended their lead in the 20th minute when Lachlan Galvin sent an absolute peach of a long ball out to Luke Laulilii, who dived over to score in the left corner. Sezer narrowly missed the sideline conversion.
The Tigers tried the exact same play again in the 30th minute, this time with Sezer producing the pass. The Rabbitohs defence came across in numbers, however Richie Kennar hit Laulilii high forcing the Tigers winger off for an HIA. Kennar was then sent to the sin bin.
The Tigers wasted no time to take advantage of the extra man. A minute later, Galvin produced another brilliant long pass on the left side, this time sending Adam Doueihi over to score in the corner. Sezer converted and at halftime, the Tigers had a 16-4 lead.
A Cameron Murray high shot 9 minutes into the second half allowed Sezer to kick a penalty goal. The next 25 minutes saw Cody Walker step to the fore and get the Bunnies back into the contest. In the 56th minute he made a break and got his side into the Tigers half and on the front foot. A few plays after, Keaon Koloamatangi shrugged off a poor tackle attempt and scored a soft try. Myers added the extras.
Walker made another break before being brought down, however his side couldn't capitalize on the momentum. In the 75th minute, Walker cleaned up a loose ball close to the Tigers line, but got squished between two defenders which knocked him out. He was helped off the field.
Damien Cook walked out of tackle that saw no less than 5 defenders trying to get him to ground, to score under the posts. Myers converted to reduce the deficit to just 2 points.
Then with 30 seconds left on the clock, Davy Moale ran onto a crash ball close to the Tigers line and barged over to score, however the referee ruled rightly that the last pass was forward and the Rabbitohs snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.