It’s hard to read too much into a Saturday night slugfest with one side missing their two best players and the other club having an entire team on the sidelines. But an ugly 14-0 win is a thing of beauty for a team like South Sydney after their hideous 2024 campaign sent them spiralling to the bottom of the ladder. Now after knocking over a borderline NSW Cup Manly line-up that had been hammered by Origin, injuries and suspension, the Bunnies have won four on the trot.
And they are just two wins adrift of eighth spot although they are still well down the ladder in 14th. With a roster that has NSW stars Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray, Dally M Medal winner Jack Wighton back in form after returning to his favoured five-eighth jersey and the likes of Campbell Graham and Tevita Tatola not far away from returning after long-term injuries, Souths cannot be counted out of the playoff equation after a month ago looking like they could finish with the wooden spoon. More League Bunnies give Sea Eagles the slip Even without Mitchell and Murray, they were overwhelming favourites at Accor Stadium.
And that was mainly due to the fact Manly not only also had a star duo in Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic on Origin duty but they were also missing a dozen other squad members including Tom Trbojevic (hamstring), Taniela Paseka (thumb), Lachlan Croker (neck), Reuben Garrick (concussion), Matt Lodge (bicep) and suspended forward Josh Aloiai. With Mitchell vacating the red and green No..