The Wests Tigers have upset the Rabbitohs 18-16 and are now on a collission course with the Eels who they’ll meet in a final-round clash that will likely decide the wooden spoon.
The Tigers are desperately trying to avoid a third straight spoon and took a big step in the right direction as they clinched their fifth win of the season thanks to a gritty performance on Saturday night.
Souths thought they’d won it at the death when Cam Murray put Davvy Moale over with just second left and the coaches’ box exploded in celebration, but it was called forward.
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There are three rounds left in the regular season and the victory puts the Tigers on equal wins with Parramatta who they host in Campbelltown in Round 27.
MATCH CENTRE: Wests Tigers v Rabbitohs, video, teams, stats
The Tigers burst out of the blocks on Saturday night and Charlie Staines scored the opener before Tigers teenagers Lachlan Galvin and Luke Laulilii combined for the second.
The smallest man in the NRL, Souths fullback Jye Gray, scored in the 15th minute when he pounced on an offload from Taane Milne in the 15th minute.
Rabbitohs centre Richie Kennar was binned after collecting youngster Luke Laulilii with a high swinging arm in the 30th minute
On the ensuing set another perfectly-timed pass from Galvin put Adam Doueihi over in the corner in Campbelltown.
The hosts opened the scoring in the second half with a two-pointer to make it 18-4 in the 50th minute.
Souths big man Keaon Koloamatangi crashed over in the 58th minute to keep his side within touching distance, but it proved the final points of the game.
The visitors set up a grandstand finish when Damien Cook scored in the 78th minute but it was too little, too late as the Tigers held on for a gutsy win.
Here are the biggest talking points out of the match from NCA Newswire.
CLASSY GALVIN
He had a fairly quiet second half but Tigers five-eighth Lachlan Galvin did enough damage in the first period to get his side over the line.
The Tigers opened the scoring in the ninth minute through a lovely Aiden Sezer kick to winger Charlie Staines who pounced on the ball in behind the Souths line.
Souths hit back five minutes later when Taane Milne slipped a beautiful ball to Jye Gray to go over.
Glavin’s cut out ball to send winger Luke Laulilii over in the 18th minute was a beautiful example of ball playing by a half playing well above his age.
Souths centre Richard Kennar was sin binned in the 31st minute for a high tackle on Laulilii.
And the young gun Galvin wasn’t going to let Souths off the hook for that.
He put in yet another lovely pass to send Adam Doueihi over in the corner and Sezer’s sideline conversion put the Tigers up 16-4 at halftime.
“If I’m being honest I would’ve loved to have given him a rest (this season). When you bring in kids that age to do it week in, week out, it’s tough,” Marshall said.
“We’ve needed him to play to get the wins.”
Galvin is going to take huge benefit from playing alongside Blues half Jarome Luai next season.
He’s already playing with a huge weight on his young shoulders as the man expected to create the points for Wests, but that will change in 2025.
CODY’S CONCERNS
Next season can’t come quick enough for Souths but one player who will be looking forward to it most will be Cody Walker.
The Souths playmaker has copped criticism this season but he’s hardly to blame for his side’s lowly place on the ladder.
Walker has had no help.
He’s a genuine five-eighth who has had no halfback inside him and hardly any of Latrell Mitchell outside him in 2024.
And the forward pack he’s playing in front of has been fairly poor.
Coach Ben Hornby said Walker was playing well under difficult circumstances.
“What he’s done for the team has been great,” Hornby said.
“He’s gone to the other side of the field. We haven’t got a recognised halfback at the moment and he’s been doing a great job trying to do that for us.”
He tried all night to spark Souths and will miss next week after a category one concussion suffered late which rules him out next week.
LATRELL COPING WELL
Souths captain Cameron Murray revealed he spoke with the under fire Latrell Mitchell this week after he was photographed with a white substance.
“I had a quick chat to him and he seems all right,” Murray said.
“I think the boys handle it pretty well. There wasn’t much talk about it during the week and we just focused on the game.
“I was pretty proud about how we were able to block out some external noise. We’ve had some practice with that this year.”
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