Round 14: Thursday, 4 June
Manly-Warringah v South Sydney
Brookvale Oval, 8:00pm
Wayne Bennett post-match: “we are going backwards”
On the day speculation around a new $1.4 million a season contract for the unavailable (injured) Latrell swirled around the NRL, South Sydney slumped to their fourth loss in their last five games, defeated five tries to two at Brookvale Oval in Thursday Night Football.
South Sydney now sits eighth on the ladder, and a loss to the struggling Brisbane Broncos this week could be disastrous.
South Sydney are now clinging to their place in top eight by a thread, defence being an ongoing issue as well as a lack of attacking options.
Following this Thursday’s fixture at Sydney Olympic Stadium, South Sydney have their third and final bye for the season before the long run for home starts: eleven rounds with no break.
At Brookvale Oval, South Sydney got the early jump over Manly-Warringah to lead 8-0.
The Sea Eagles also had a player in the bin early, however, as has been the pattern of South Sydney’s play over the past five weeks, errors, and the inability to defend these errors, meant Manly-Warringah jogged back to the sheds at half-time with the lead.
There was much debate about South Sydney’s decision to take the two points on offer for a penalty goal while Faulalo was in the bin for the home side, however that conservative call did not cost the visitors the game.
There were a couple of howlers in quick succession in the second half, with South Sydney replacement winger Edward Kosi denied a try by the bunker. Referee Adam Gee then inexplicably missed a Ben Trbojevic knock-on at the play the ball in the lead up to a Manly-Warringah try.
Of greater concern for this rusted on South Sydney member:
Lack of ‘go forward’ from South Sydney forwards:
I am not usually one to study the ‘stats’ after a game. However, this statistic leapt off the screen at me. The hulking, dynamic Manly-Warringah forward Haumole Olakauatu had more post contact metres (131m) than any South Sydney forward had ‘normal’ run metres!
And some ‘experts’ have the audacity to criticise rookie South Sydney halfback Ashton Ward? What can Ward create when the forwards, apart from Cameron Murray, give him … not much?
The continued U/13Bs schoolboy errors:
Example David Fifita: scored his first try in South Sydney colours, hopefully the first of many, however this was big Dave’s first game since Round 6 due to a hamstring injury. Not long after his first try for the Bunnies, Fifita was offside (in front of the kicker) for a goal line drop out! Penalty in front of the posts to the home team!
GIVE ME STRENGTH!
Defence: leaked 28 points in this game, we leaked 30 against the Cowboys, the Dolphins put 32 points past us, the Knights 42 …
Injuries: two more out of this game, prop Sean Keppie (broken thumb) and Campbell Graham, who played as many games as Latrell in 2025 (11) after missing the entire 2024 season, re-injured his calf. Only Parramatta has a longer injury list than South Sydney in 2026.
Questionable selections: what on earth has Peter Mamouzelos done wrong? Bronson Garlick, son of Sean (former South Sydney captain, of Garlos pies fame) is preferred. Why, Wayne, why?
Full time: Manly-Warringah 28 d South Sydney 14
South Sydney team list: Gray, Johnston, Siegwalt, Graham, Kosi, Cody, Ward, Tatola, Garlic, Koloamatangi, Fifita, Duncan, Murray (capt.), bench: Hubner, Aitken, Keppie, Smith, Humphreys, Dufty.
South Sydney points: tries: (2) Koloamatangi 11’, Fifita 59’
Goals: Siegwalt 3/3
Half time: Manly-Warringah 10-8
Crowd: 15,451
Referee: Adam Gee
Penalties: Manly-Warringah 10-8
Highlights:
NRL 2026 | Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs | Match Highlights | Round 14
Press conference:
“All this money for the bunker!” Bennett fumes at decisions in Manly loss | Souths Press Conference
Rabbit in the Vineyard Player of the Year points
3 Cameron Murray, 2 Jye Gray ,1 Tallis Duncan
Progressive: 14: Cameron Murray, 12: Tallis Duncan, 11: Latrell, 10: Jye Gray, 3: Talanoa Penitani, Latrell Siegwalt, Matt Dufty, Peter Mamouzelos, 2: Lachlan Hubner, Alex Johnston, Cody & Jack Wighton, 1: David Fifita, Keon Koloamatangi
Honour roll: 2023-2024 Cameron Murray, 2025 Jye Gray
South Sydney full weekend results:
NSW Cup Round 14: South Sydney 34 d Manly 24
Jersey Flegg Cup: South Sydney 46 d Manly 12
Barossa Valley (Eden Valley) Red Wine of the Week
Enjoyed at the historic Eden Valley Hotel with a beef & kangaroo pie
2021Brockenchack Zip Line Shiraz
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, your ‘concerns’ re the Rabbitohs are pretty spot on. I wonder if the same could be said for many teams in the bottom half of the ladder. Your Bunnies might be ‘enigmatic’ but my Broncos are ‘busted’. Mind you, I said that at the beginning of August last year, then they went on to win the comp! So what would I know?
Enjoy Melbourne next week!
It seems to me as if BLM is just so important to the team. Souths need him more than Penrith need Cleary or Parra need Moses. Yes, they have plenty of good players but, it is “chalk and cheese” when he is there and when he is not. Players would feel insulted if they had to sit through a rules session, but so many of them need it. Touching the dropout before it has gone 10m is the one that gets me. The drag over the sideline or the push back into the in goal are two you NEVER get away with but you see it all the time.