2026 NRL – RITV: Round 8 – Melbourne v South Sydney: Drought Broken on Anzac Day: for both the team and the coach
Round 8: Saturday 25 April
Melbourne v South Sydney
Melbourne Rectangular Stadium, 8:00pm
What an emphatic victory for South Sydney! Finally, the drought in Melbourne, stretching back to 1998, is over.
For coach Bennett, his lop-sided win-loss sheet against Craig Bellamy gained a rare tick in the “W” column. Prior to Saturday night, Bellamy, who was once Bennett’s assistant coach at the Broncos, had fifteen consecutive wins over his former mentor.
As is usually the case during the game, the text messages flow freely between my long time South Sydney comrade Rob Bush, the driving force behind the “Queenslanders for South Sydney” supporters’ group in 2002, and one or two others.
As Alex Johnston crossed for his second try, the text from Rob, now a resident of western Sydney, read “great start!” At 24-0, the messages were a mixture of “I’m nervous!” and “I don’t want this half to end!”
As it turned out, we had no reason to be nervous, as South Sydney continued to dominate after half time.
Melbourne’s only try was a freakish effort from a very freakish player, the fullback Suala Faalogo, who regathered the ball from a Storm kick off, then dodged and weaved his way to the try line.
The Clive Churchill-John Sattler-Sam Burgess inspirational moment:
From quite a long list of contenders, including Tallis Duncan’s hat trick, a double to the now PNG Chiefs bound Alex Johnston, Latrell’s audacious long-range two-point field goal was … quite simply, the ‘good’ side of the enigma that is Latrell.
The magnificently named Bradman Best, possibly a Blues teammate for Latrell later in the season, is back for Newcastle this Sunday.
Quite simply, South Sydney need more of this from Latrell, on a weekly basis.
The Rampling Brothers-Les Davidson-Ian Roberts best defence:
It what typified South Sydney’s team performance, a player who rarely rates a mention in these reports, Sean Keppie, is this week’s defensive man! Keppie has been at South Sydney since 2024, and it’s fair to say I am not in a group on my own of members and fans who initially questioned his recruitment from the Sea Eagles, and subsequently questioned his contribution to the team cause over the past several seasons.
Credit where credit is due, though. Recently, the handling errors, the penalties, the slow play with the balls, looking for a six again seem to have gone, and has been replaced with repeated bone jarring defence.
More of this in Newcastle this Sunday afternoon please, Sean!
The Phil Blake chip n chase best attacking moment
Again, from a long list of contenders, Tallis Duncan, three tries, three points in the Rabbit in the Vineyard player of the year, a cheeky verbal battle with Cameron Munster all game (who would have thought?!) .
Well played Tallis Duncan, three great attacking moments!
Full time:
South Sydney 48 d Melbourne 6
South Sydney team list: Dufty, Johnston, Latrell, Wighton, Graham, Cody, Humphreys, Tetola, Garlick, Keppie, Smith, Duncan, Murray (captain), bench: Hubner, Sullivan, Koloamatangi, Aitken, Mamouzelos, Kosi.
South Sydney points: tries: (9) Johnston 8’, Graham 22’, Dufty 25’, Duncan 29’, Aitken, 55’, Duncan 62’, Graham 66’, Duncan 78’.
Goals: Latrell 5/9
2 point field goal: Latrell
Half time: South Sydney 24-0
Six again: South Sydney 5 – Melbourne 4
Penalties: 3-3
Crowd: 25, 694
Referee: Adam Gee
Highlights:
NRL Highlights: Storm v Rabbitohs – Round 8 | NRL on Nine
Press Conference:
Wayne’s hilarious antics after breaking 28-year drought ? | Rabbitohs Press Conference
Rabbit in the Vineyard player of the year points
3 Tallis Duncan, 2 Latrell, 1 Matt Dufty
Progressive: 9 Tallis Duncan, 8: Latrell, 6: Cameron Murray, 5: Jye Gray, 2: Alex Johnston, Peter Mamouzelos, Cody & Jack Wighton, 1: David Fifita, Matt Dufty & Keon Koloamatangi
Honour roll: 2023-2024 Cameron Murray, 2025 Jye Gray
South Sydney full weekend results
NSW Cup round 8: South Sydney 28 d Melbourne 16
U/21 Jersey Flegg Cup round 8: Melbourne 54 d South Sydney 24
U/19 SG Ball Cup Preliminary Final: Roosters 24 d South Sydney 14
U/17 Harold Matthews Cup Preliminary Final: Newcastle 18 d South Sydney 10
Round 9 program:
Barossa Valley red wine of the week
Rockford Sparkling Black 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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About Russel Hansen
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
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RITV, how long can BLM maintain his recent form? Wasn’t that long range field goal seemingly effortless? And what a pick up with Matt Dufty! He’s got a bit of speed, hasn’t he? Cody and Wighton need to emulate Latrell and then the Bunnies might be for real. Tallis Duncan – almost my new pin-up player.
a very perceptive list Ian!
BLM: I will be nervous around Origin time: on current form, how can the Blues not select him? However, in NRL land, this has been where the wheels have then fallen off … injuries, form
Imagine being on over a million a season & only playing 11 games the past 2 seasons
Dufty: absolute surprise packet!
Cody: seriously, if he was in the U/13 B’s you would tell him to not throw the ball at an opponent (or, just to GROW UP!!)
Jackie boy: I think he tries to hard – he can defend – but in attack, he at times tries to do it all himself. Give the ball to Campbell Graham, Jack!!
Tallis Duncan: yes, he’s started the season on fire – no better role model than the Golden Retriever (Murray) Cam Murray
RITV