The Rabbitohs five-game winning streak came to an end at the hands of their future coach, as Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins outlasted South Sydney to win 36-28 at Redcliffe on Thursday night.
In a game that was dubbed the ‘Wayne Bennett Cup’, it was a win-win for the Rabbitohs 2025 coach with a victory for his current team and an opportunity to see South Sydney’s weaknesses up close.
Tevita Pangai Junior scores for the Dolphins.Credit: Getty Images
There were a couple of chinks in the Rabbitohs’ armour at Redcliffe, namely their end of set plays and goal kicking.
With star fullback and goal-kicker Latrell Mitchell out injured for a month, conversion duties were left to Cody Walker. And when Walker had the ball spraying outside the posts, the task was passed to Taane Milne, who couldn’t do much better.
The conversions ended up being the difference, with each team scoring six tries, after Jacob Gagai completed his hat-trick in the 79th minute to keep the Rabbitohs in the game.
Walker knew how costly the missed conversions were, telling Nine post-game that they let themselves down.
“In that first half, we took a step back with our discipline ... you just can’t give the Dolphins that opportunity,” Walker said.
“We fought to the very death and we let ourselves down with our goal kicking. I haven’t kicked since 2014 in reserve grade and you underestimate how hard it is, especially with pressure on. I have a new-found respect for our goalkickers.
“It was a disappointing result ... but I love that we kept turning up.”
The Rabbitohs play the Tigers in Gosford next week, while the Dolphins have the tough task of facing the Panthers in Penrith.
