Round 27
Eastern Suburbs v South Sydney
Friday 5 September, 8pm
Sydney Football Stadium
Rabbit in the Vineyard 2025 player of the year: Jye Gray
Jye Gray, the energetic South Sydney fullback, is the 2025 Rabbit in the Vineyard Player of the Year. Jye played 19 NRL games during 2025 and was sent back to NSW Cup for one game to work on match fitness prior to Latrell’s time in the Blues’ State of Origin camp.
The 21-year-old had a stint on the sidelines due to injury: a broken thumb in South Sydney’s Round 15 loss to Canterbury-Bankstown.
The old boy of the famous Gold Coast rugby nursery, The Southport School, had many season highlights, including his significant involvement in the lead up to Ashton Ward’s first NRL try against Eastern Suburbs last Friday night.
A highlight to absolutely typify Jye Gray’s ‘never say die’ approach occurred in South Sydney’s narrow win over Parramatta in Indigenous Round. Gray made two consecutive try-saving tackles, then cleaned up the grubber kick!
A large amount of Gray’s appeal centres around his stature: 170cm tall and weighing in at 78kg.
NRL Round 27: Roosters win the Ron Coote Cup
Mercifully, South Sydney’s 2025 season is over. A six tries to one romp ensured the Sombrero would play finals football for the ninth consecutive year.
Cameron Murray played his first game of the season off South Sydney’s star-studded bench, returning from an achilles tendon injury.
Coach Bennett’s comments regarding Brandon Smith’s off field issues being “trivial” sparked much pre-game comment, particularly as Wayne also referred to Russell Packer’s time in jail in the same sentence.
The Ken Irvine Medal winner for leading try scorer in the 2025 season, Eastern Suburbs winger Mark Nawaqanitawase, added three tries to his season tally.
Highlights were few and far between for South Sydney. Latrell was once again unavailable due to injury. Cody played 28 minutes off the bench.
South Sydney’s team still contained six players with State of Origin experience: Wighton, Koloamatangi, Arrow, Murray and Cody. Add to that list Alex Johnston who has represented both Australia and Papua New Guinea.
South Sydney finished the season in 14th place (9 wins, 15 losses). Add to this, the 2024 return of: 16th (7 wins, 17 losses), as well as the 2023 slide from first place after Round 11 to miss the finals and the Rabbitohs have much to review during the off season.
Coach Bennett is staring at his greatest coaching challenge.
Rumours abound to do with David Fifita who, at this point of his career, is another unfulfilled talent. Can Fifita play to his potential under Bennett at South Sydney? Only time will tell.
South Sydney will commence 2026 without half-back Jamie Humphreys who will be serving a two game suspension for a controversial hip drop tackle.
South Sydney team list: Gray, Johnston, Tass, Wighton (capt), Munro, Ward, Humphries, Keppie, Havili, Koloamatangi, Arrow, Duncan, Hubner. Bench: Smith, Host, Cody, Murray.
South Sydney point scorers: try: Ashton Ward 24’, goal: Ward (1)
Sin bin: Humphreys 41’ (hip drop)
Penalties: Eastern Suburbs 7-3
Half-time: Easts 10-6
Full time: Eastern Suburbs 36 defeated South Sydney 6
2025 Ron Coote Cup: aggregate: Eastern Suburbs 50 – South Sydney 26
Note: Round 5: South Sydney 20 defeated Eastern Suburbs 14
Referee: Adam Gee, bunker: Liam Kenndey
Attendance: 41,604
Highlights:
NRL Highlights: Roosters v Rabbitohs – Round 27 | NRL on Nine
Press conference:
Bennett excited for the future of the Rabbitohs: NRL Presser | NRL on Nine
Round 27 Player of the Year points:
3 – Jye Gray, 2 – Keon Koloamatangi, 1 – Tallis Duncan
Rabbit in the Vineyard player of the year points (FINAL):
30 – Jye Gray, 22 – Keon Koloamatangi, 18 – Tallis Duncan, 12 – Alex Johnston, 11 – Jamie Humphreys, 10 – Lachlan Hubner, 8 – Jai Arrow, 7 – Campbell Graham, 6 – Jack Weighton & Latrell, 4 – Brandon Smith 3 – Ashton Ward, 2 – Liam Le Blanc, Davvy Moale, Sean Keppie, 1 – Trent Dodd, Euan Aitken, Peter Mamouzelos, Cody.
NB: 2023 and 2024 winner: Cameron Murray
South Sydney full weekend results:
NSW women’s premiership: Tigers 20 defeated South Sydney 14, at Redfern Oval (6th place)
BAROSSA VALLEY RED WINE OF THE WEEK
Grant Burge 2023 Fifth Generation Barossa 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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