A Cody Walker master class led the Rabbitohs to a 40-28 victory over the Knights at McDonald Jones Stadium on Friday night, while David Klemmer was sent off in a final fire for fluid competition.
With Damien Cook and Cameron Murray in the Origin service, Walker took charge of two attempts, two assists and a 95-yard run as the Bunnies secured their ninth win of the season to climb to fifth place on the ladder.
Already missing their Blues brothers, the Rabbitohs lost Mark Nicholls and Alex Johnston to injury during the pre-match period, and then sent off Lachlan Ilias after a clash with teammate Tevita Tatola in the first minute of the match.
Despite the early setback, the Rabbitohs opened the scoring in the 10th minute when Cody Walker got a loose pass, crashed into teammate Thomas Burgess and crashed. The rehearsal was sent to the bunker to check for obstructions by Burgess, but the green lights were shown and the Souths led 6-0.
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Klemmer expelled to death
The home side’s Tyson Frizell came close to extending the lead 15 minutes into the game. His shot came in from the right hand side but Dom Young managed to save it with an unbelievable reaction stop.
A rare attempt to score by David Klemmer in the 19th minute helped the Knights extend the lead before Bradman Best celebrated his return from an elbow injury with a four-point courtesy of a sensational test assist. Edrick Lee, who flew high to drop a bomb. and then threw a striking pass to his center.
The Bunnies left-hander came on in the 31st minute when Walker and Latrell Mitchell combined to put Richie Kennar down to reduce Newcastle’s lead to 16-12.
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Milford on money
Just three minutes later, Kennar had a double courtesy of a skillful left-footed shot from Walker and Mitchell’s side conversion gave the visitors the lead.
As the half approached and the Knights attacked, Walker made a massive play when he intercepted a pass from Mat Croker and sprinted 85 yards to score the second of the night.
An error early in the second half by the Knights gave the Rabbitohs field position and they went capital when Walker put the ball on a plate for Kennar to complete the first hat-trick of his career.
In the 53rd minute, Tatola joined the scoring action with the sixth try of his 108-game career after Tex Hoy failed to land a Walker shredder and the prop was fired.
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Kennar makes three
A magnificent long ball from Adam Clune put Lee ahead in the 59th minute when the Knights went back to 34-22, but when the Rabbitohs put their hand in the fifth inning and put Jaxson Paulo in the right corner, the margin he came out again. 16.
Mitch Barnett pulled back for the Knights with 11 minutes left to play to make it 38-28 and a short Souths descent in the 75th minute gave Newcastle a shot, but Davvy Moale’s desperate defense denied Best close.
In a fiery end to the match, Klemmer and Keaon Koloamatangi faced off before the Knights ’prop left in the next set to contact Daniel Suluka-Fifita’s head on the ground. Mitchell scored from the penalty spot 40-28.
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Paulo tip to the rehearsal line
Snapshot of the match
- Southern migback Lachlan Ilias was sent off by an HIA in the first minute and did not return.
- Latrell Mitchell was charged in the 18th minute for a high entry at the end of Knights Dom Young, who was sent by an HIA after the incident.
- David Klemmer’s try in the 19th minute was only the fifth of his NRL career and the first since round 25 of 2017 for Canterbury against Gold Coast.
- Thomas Burgess was informed in the 28th minute by a high shot on Daniel Saifiti.
- The Rabbitohs have won 12 of their last 14 games against the Knights.
- Thomas Burgess was named on the bench, but he got into the fight in the first minute after Lachlan Ilias’ header. The Englishman responded with a 119-meter running mammoth in the first 40 minutes and finished the night with 201 meters.
- Knights midfielder Adam Clune left the field for an HIA in the 42nd minute. He passed and returned to the game.
- Knights hooker Jayden Brailey left the field early in the second half in his first game of the season after overcoming an Achilles injury.
- Newcastle have not beaten a rival in the top eight all season.
- Edrick Lee has scored 20 tries in 19 games at McDonald Jones Stadium
- Daniel Saifiti and David Klemmer led the way ahead of the Knights with 331 running yards and 70 tackles between them.
- Pasami Saulo left the field with nine minutes to play for an HIA.
Game games
Dom Young made two crack plays in the space of two minutes, denying Kodi Nikorima at one end with a last ditch entry and then finishing a wide move to score in the corner in the next set of six. Young’s speed came to the fore in Nikorima’s chase and after Tyson Frizell had shattered the Bunnies through the center, Young finished with a great pass from Adam Clune and Anthony Milford to grab Newcastle’s first try. After his hat-trick last week against the Titans, he continued with a rich form vein for the 20-year-old.
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Go ahead Sun.
Cody Walker has the talent to get a major play when his team needs it and culminated a brilliant first half with an out-of-danger interception just as the Knights threatened to score. Mercurial No. 6 read the play very well and ran 85 yards to take out Souths with an eight-point lead at the break.
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Walker covers the distance
What they said
“I told the guys in there, we …