The Bunnies are back.
Alex Johnston edged closer to rewriting NRL history as Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs announced they could be a title contender this year with a 40-30 dismantling of the Dolphins on Sunday.
South Sydney looked nothing like the injury-ravaged team that limped to a bottom four finish last season as Cam Murray, Latrell Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Keaon Koloamatangi and Jye Gray ripped the Dolphins to shreds before 20,114 at a sodden Suncorp Stadium.
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MATCH CENTRE: Dolphins v Rabbitohs, scores, stats, live blog
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SOUTHS ON SONG
It’s safe to stay the Pride of the League won’t be languishing near the bottom of the NRL ladder in 2026.
Veteran Souths five-eighth Cody Walker had the ball on a string as Mitchell and Graham bagged doubles in a comprehensive performance from the Rabbitohs.
Gray (145m, five tackle busts, one try) was electric at the back to prove he is South Sydney’s long-term No. 1.
Koloamatangi was huge with 226m from 24 runs, outpointing Dolphins rival Tom Flegler in his return to the NRL after a two-year absence.
Halfback Ashton Ward (ankle) compounded Souths’ playmaking worries with Jamie Humphreys (suspended) still on the sidelines.
For a team missing Brandon Smith (calf) and Jai Arrow (shoulder), this was an impressive first outing ahead of Friday’s grudge match with the Roosters.
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‘Can’t put a price on leadership’ | 02:20
PHINS FALL FLAT
The Dolphins were the NRL’s most potent attacking unit last year, scoring a competition-high 721 points, but their leaky defence cost them a finals debut.
That became the focal point of coach Kristian Woolf’s pre-season – but at what cost?
At their best, the Dolphins were the best team in the NRL to watch last year. But we saw little of that fluency on Sunday.
At halftime, Dolphins halves Isaiya Katoa and Kodi Nikorima had zero runs between them and Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow had barely been spotted.
Katoa put a rampaging Kulikefu Finefeuiaki through for a nice try but that was about the only piece of attacking brilliance from the Dolphins.
The worrying thing for Woolf is that the Dolphins scored 30 points and still lost comfortably.
Expectations at Redcliffe are high in 2026 and this was a poor start.
FIFITA’S MIXED RETURN
High-profile Souths recruit David Fifita had a mixed bag in his return to the NRL.
Playing his first game for the Rabbitohs following a turbulent five seasons at the Titans, Fifita had some forgettable moments early when he missed Finefeuiaki and fumbled a play-the-ball.
But the Fifita of old appeared when he burst through the line and put Johnston over for his 211th NRL try, bringing the flying winger within one of Ken Irvine’s all-time record.
The good news for Fifita is he doesn’t have to dominate every game. Moments of brilliance and consistent contributions will be enough in this star-studded Souths team.
His 72nd minute argy-bargy with Dolphins co-captain Tom Gilbert saw both watch the final minutes from the sin bin, but it mattered little by then.
‘Can’t put a price on leadership’ | 02:20
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