Round 17: Thursday 25 June
Parramatta v South Sydney
Parramatta Stadium, 7:50pm
Coming off the bye (South Sydney’s third and final bye for 2026), many of the South Sydney faithful considered this fixture to be a reasonably safe bet for the Bunnies. A win over the 14th placed Parramatta seemed reasonably logical.
For a team struggling to find consistency, I was not filled to the brim with confidence. Mitchell Moses, coming off a disappointing loss for the Blues at the MCG, was playing his 250th NRL match. Surely, he would lift? Surely, Mitchell’s team mates would also lift?
Thursday night football is an inconvenient time slot for this athletics coach to watch live. The South Australian/Central Time thirty-minute time difference to Eastern Australia also does not help either … Thursday night football kicks off at 7:20pm South Australian time!
Having heard the first half via the ABC listen app as I drove back from the athletics track, Parramatta had just levelled the scores at 12-all two minutes into the second half as I arrived home in the chilly Barossa Valley.
Moses was having a forgettable game, Cody the opposite for South Sydney!
The magnificently named Tallis Duncan, usually a backrower, was having a strong game in the centres for South Sydney. During the week, coach Bennett bristled when questioned about the surface at the South Sydney Centre of Excellence and the high injury rate at the club.
Duncan is playing in the centres due to the unavailability of Jack Wighton, Campbell Graham, and Latrell. That’s a huge chunk of the salary cap sitting in the grandstand there!
Post-match, Bennett praised South Sydney’s defence, and rightly so.
South Sydney did run away with the game in the second half.
Now the standard of opposition goes up several notches in the coming weeks: Penrith (A), Newcastle (H), Canberra (A), Melbourne (H), Cronulla-Sutherland (A).
Interesting times ahead.
The Clive Churchill-George Piggins-Jai Arrow inspirational moment:
See defensive plays, below.
In particular, the young halfback Ashton Ward, at 74kg, is a courageous player in both attack and defence.
The Rampling brothers-Les Davidon-Ian Roberts defensive plays:
Two brilliant try saving efforts: Tallis Duncan and Ashton Ward, take a bow, men. Outstanding!
The Bob McCarthy intercept best attacking moment:
Brandon ‘the cheese’ Smith is back as starting hooker. His lead-up work for Aitken’s try was classy. If South Sydney are to play consistently against the higher placed teams, Smith needs to stay fit and ask the same questions of stronger defences.
Full time: South Sydney 32 d Parramatta 12
South Sydney team list: Gray, Johnston, Siegwalt, Duncan, Kosi, Cody, Ward, Tatola, Smith, Koloamatangi, Fifita, Aitken, Murray (Captain), bench: Hubner, Humphreys, Sullivan, Dayne Jennings (debut #1222)
South Sydney points: tries: (6) Walker 4’, Aikten 14’, Kosi 47’, Duncan 51’, Walker 62’, Duncan 75’.
Goals: Siegwalt 4/7
Half-time: South Sydney 12-6
Highlights:
NRL 2026 | Eels v Rabbitohs | Match Highlights | Round 17
Press conference:
“Won us the game!” ? Bennett hails huge Bunnies’ defensive effort! ??| Rabbitohs Press Conference
Crowd: 14, 365
Referee: Gerard Sutton
Penalties: Parramatta 5-4
Six agains: Parramatta 3-1
Rabbit in the Vineyard Player of the Year points:
3 Tallis Duncan, 2 Cody, 1 Brandon Smith.
Progressive: 15: Tallis Duncan 14: Cameron Murray, 11: Latrell, 10: Jye Gray, 6: Cody, 3: Talanoa Penitani, Latrell Siegwalt, Matt Dufty, Peter Mamouzelos, David Fifita, 2: Lachlan Hubner, Alex Johnston, Jack Wighton, 1: Brandon Smith, Keon Koloamatangi, John Radel
Honour roll: 2023-2024 Cameron Murray, 2025 Jye Gray
South Sydney full weekend results:
NSW Women’s premiership: South Sydney 32 d Wests Tigers 14
NSW Cup Round 17: Roosters 20 d South Sydney 14
Jersey Flegg Cup: South Sydney 24 d Roosters 12
Barossa Valley Red Wine of the Week
Langmeil Barossa Massimo 2023 Montepulciano Primitivo
Russel Hansen, South Sydney football club diamond member 6199, lives in Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia. His golden retriever, Murray, is named after the South Sydney captain. Twitter/X: @Rabbit in the Vineyard @Russel_Hansen
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Russel Hansen
Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country.
He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder.
He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters.
Twitter: @Russel_Hansen
RITV, young Ward looks a prospect, when ‘The Cheese’ is good he’s very good (and the reverse as well), Tallis Duncan has class written all over him. Even Cody has strung a few good games together – but the real test of his skill and temperament comes this week.