The New Zealand Warriors climbed provisionally to the top of the NRL ladder after defeating the South Sydney Rabbitohs 45-26, according to match reports from Fox Sports. The victory marks the Warriors’ fourth-straight win in the NRL and pushes them into outright first place temporarily, requiring a 19-point margin which they successfully achieved in front of a crowd of 19,531.
Stand-in Halves Deliver Under Pressure
According to Fox Sports, the Warriors were forced to deploy their sixth different halves combination of the season due to injuries sidelining halfbacks Luke Metcalf, Tanah Boyd, and Te Maire Martin. Stand-in number seven Chanel Harris-Tavita stepped up to orchestrate the attack, finishing the match with two try assists and sealing the result by chasing down his own bomb after the Rabbitohs let the ball bounce, feeding second-rower Jacob Laban for a crucial try.
Second-gamer Luke Hanson added a final-minute field goal to cement the 19-point margin required to claim the top spot on the ladder. Taine Tuaupiki contributed a flawless kicking performance, converting all eight of his attempts.
Wayde Egan Inspires Attack Before Injury Concerns
Hooker Wayde Egan orchestrated the Warriors’ early dominance from dummy half, recording two try assists to bring him to a career best of 14, as reported by Fox Sports. Egan’s deception set up captain James Fisher-Harris for the opening try in the sixth minute before threading a grubber kick in the 21st minute for Mitch Barnett to score millimetres from the dead-ball line.
Fox Sports noted that Dallin Watene-Zelezniak left the field during the second half with an AC joint injury in his right arm after landing awkwardly following an acrobatic try. The score tied him with Shaun Johnson on 79 tries for second most tries for Warriors.
Rabbitohs Fightback and Johnston’s Milestone
South Sydney staged a significant second-half resurgence, erasing a 26-8 half-time deficit down to a six-point margin following three consecutive tries, according to Fox Sports match data. Winger Alex Johnston crossed for two tries during the fixture—including one in the 27th minute and another in the second half—bringing his career tally to 238 meat pies and closing in on season leader Tom Jenkins.
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