Dolphins snap Rabbitohs’ NRL winning streak

The Dolphins have brought an end to the South Sydney Rabbitohs’ five-match winning streak in the NRL, prevailing 36-28 in Redcliffe on Thursday night.

It was a high-scoring affair with six tries apiece and plenty of fine footy on display.

The sides went back and forth across the first half. Jack Bostock, Tevita Pangai Junior and Herbie Farnworth crossed for the home side, while Jye Gray and Jacob Gagai touched down for the Rabbitohs to make it 18-10 at half-time.

The Dolphins came out of the sheds sharpest, dotting down soon after the break to grab a decisive 24-10 lead.

However, even without star fullback Latrell Mitchell, South Sydney were not out of the match. They fired again through Gagai, making it 24-18 with a little over 10 minutes to go.

What unfolded next was a flurry of tries in the dying minutes of the game. First, the Dolphins scored two in two minutes, seemingly taking the match out of reach.

The Bunnies then hit back with a pair of their own, with Gagai bagging his hat-trick. The clock was against them, though, as the visitors slumped to their first defeat since mid-May.

Loss damages South Sydney’s top eight hopes

Prior to Thursday night’s match, the Rabbitohs had been tearing back into the season after a horror start.

Their run was beginning to look like Newcastle in 2023, where the Knights won nine on the bounce to scrape into the top eight.

Now, South Sydney’s chances are hanging on a knife’s edge. They sit 14th on the NRL ladder, three points adrift of eighth place but with a worse points difference.

NRL bookies put them at $101 to win the premiership this year, while they are paying $8 just to make the top eight.

The Dolphins, however, are in a much better spot. Their victory moves them to 24 points, level with the fourth-placed Sharks.

Rugby league bookmakers are still reluctant to assign them strong odds of taking out the trophy in 2024.

They hold the ninth line of betting at $31, behind the likes of North Queensland, Canterbury and Manly.

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