2026 NRL – RITV: The Jai Arrow Birthday party

 

 

 

Round 19: Sunday 12 July (Jai Arrow’s 31st birthday)
South Sydney v Newcastle       
Sydney Olympic Stadium, 2:00pm  

 

Happy Birthday Rabbitoh 1166

 

NRL supremo Peter V’landys promoted this South Sydney home game as the world’s biggest birthday party. Lifelong supporter, South Sydney life member, and key figure in the club’s reinstatement battle, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese was in the house, alongside SSFC Chairman Nick Pappas, the lawyer who led the legal side of the club’s fight for reinstatement.

On field, the bunker Gods were certainly smiling on South Sydney early in the contest. The Knights had two tries disallowed, as well as the dynamic English-born winger Dom Young placing a toenail on the sideline on yet another raid on the try line.

South Sydney somehow weathered this pressure with Campbell Graham, back in the side on the wing after three weeks out with a calf injury, crossing in the opposite corner of the stadium to open the scoring. Prop Tevita Tetola dived over for a rare four pointer off a great inside pass from Ashton Ward, before big man David Fifita showed footwork near the tryline for South Sydney’s third try.

A personal highlight of the first half was winger Campbell Graham’s athletic catch of a short drop-out from Jamie Humphries. So often, this low percentage play ends badly.

Not so on this occasion!

In a moment that Prop by the Sea could possibly relate to, seeing Graham leap high took me back to the Craig Coleman-Neil Baker halves era for the Bunnies back in the late 1980s, hoisting high balls for the great Ian Roberts to latch on to out wide. How good were those days?

South Sydney lead 26-6 before some nervous moments as the Knights stormed back into the contest on the back of Kalyn Ponga’s brilliance.

In the last minutes of the contest, with the game in the balance at 26-24, once again the much-maligned bunker Gods smiled on South Sydney. A successful captain’s challenge from Cam Murray meant the Bunnies avoided a Newcastle scrum feed twenty metres out from the tryline.

Jack Wighton was then penalised, giving the Knights one last opportunity to snatch victory. Ponga again ran towards Jye Gray’s wing, however his pass to Young sailed over the sideline.

A great win on a great day for Jai Arrow. The tally has already surged over one million dollars for Jai’s family and MND research.

 

The Clive Churchill-George Piggins-Mario Fenech inspirational moment:

Take your pick from: the High Priest of Redfern Bob McCarthy ringing the foundation bell; any aspect of Jai Arrow’s 31st birthday party from start to finish: the pre-game, the half-time Wiggles concert, the jersey presentation to Jai, the post-match scenes.

 

The Rampling brothers-Ian Roberts-Les Davidson best defensive work:

A photo finish between ‘The Cheese’ Brandon Smith and Liam Le Blanc, with an honourable mention to Keon Koloamatangi. The contest went up several notches in the second half, with rookie Knights forward Trey Mooney showing no regard for his safety as he charged at the South Sydney pack.

 

The Phil Blake chip-n-chase best attacking moment:

South Sydney’s 18th man Jye Gray came off the bench to play on the wing, on an opponent twice his height in Dom Young and scored a great try – South Sydney’s only try of the second half – a genuine team try that started 60m out.

I will give a second mention to the 1.97m tall Campbell Graham, who leapt high on his own 20m line to keep a Newcastle kick for touch in play, and regain possession. Graham’s effort summed up South Sydney’s commitment in this game.

 

Full time: South Sydney 26 d Newcastle 24

South Sydney team list: Dufty, Jennings, Duncan, Wighton, Graham, Sullivan, Ward, Tatola, Smith, Koloamatangi, Fifita, Aitken, Murray (Capt), bench: Hubner, Humphries, Le Blanc, Gray, Radel, Siegwalt

South Sydney points: tries: (5) Graham 10’, Tatola 18’, Fifita 29’, Duncan 40’, Gray 64’. Goals: Ward 1, Humphries 2

Half-time: South Sydney 20-6

 

Crowd: 30, 113

 

Referee:  Grant Atkins

 

Penalties:  Newcastle 9-4

 

Six agains: South Sydney 4 – Newcastle 0

 

Highlights:

NRL 2026 | Rabbitohs v Knights | Match Highlights | Round 19

 

Press conference:

“It was an emotional day” Bennett pleased despite comeback scare | Press Conference

 

Rabbit in the Vineyard player of the year points:

3 Tallis Duncan, 2 Keon Koloamatangi ,1 Matt Dufty.

Progressive: 18: Tallis Duncan14: Cameron Murray, 11: Latrell & Jye Gray, 6: Keon Koloamatangi, Cody, 4: Matt Dufty, 3: Talanoa Penitani, Latrell Siegwalt, Matt Dufty, Peter Mamouzelos, David Fifita, 2: Dayne Jennings, Lachlan Hubner, Alex Johnston, Jack Wighton, 1: Brandon Smith, John Radel

Honour roll: 2023-2024 Cameron Murray, 2025 Jye Gray

 

South Sydney full weekend results:

NSW Women’s premiership round 5: South Sydney 24 d Newcastle 16 (4th 4-1)

NSW Cup round 19: Newcastle 24 d South Sydney 16 (6th 8-7)

Jersey Flegg Cup round 19: South Sydney 28 d Newcastle 16 (5th 8-1-5)

 

Barossa Valley Red Wine of the Week:

 

David Franz 2018 Plane Turning Right
Merlot-Petit Verdot-Malbec-Cabernet Sauvignon

 

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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Our writers are independent contributors. The opinions expressed in their articles are their own. They are not the views, nor do they reflect the views, of Malarkey Publications.

 

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