NRL Round 20 2024: Rabbitohs win 42-28 over Wests Tigers

Damien Cook starred for the Rabbitohs in his 200th game for the club, as they outlasted an impressive Wests Tigers side in a wild 12-try contest.

Damien Cook would back the clock in his 200th game for the Rabbitohs, kicking seven goals from eight attempts. Picture: Getty Images

South Sydney’s finals hopes are still alive after they outlasted the Wests Tigers in a crazy contest on the Central Coast that saw the teams combine for 12 tries as Damien Cook turned back the clock to star in gusty conditions.

The 42-28 result leaves the Rabbitohs just a couple of wins outside the top eight after they had their five-game winning streak snapped last week, but things will only get tougher with games against the current top four still to come.

This could have easily been a banana peel game against a Tigers team that was happy to throw the ball around, and while they were defensively shaky, they still jagged two points without Latrell Mitchell and the suspended Cam Murray.

Damien Cook would back the clock in his 200th game for the Rabbitohs, kicking seven goals from eight attempts. Picture: Getty Images

Cody Walker was terrific with a try in each half while Alex Johnston bagged a first-half double to take his career tally to 19 against the Tigers, but it was Cook who took centre stage playing out of position.

An early head knock to Richie Kennar forced him to right centre where he missed a few tackles but was involved in plenty in his 200th game for the Bunnies.

Having set up Davvy Moale for the opener, Cook ran for 125 metres, went close to scoring several times and stepped up as a genuine goalkicking option after their woes with the boot last week.

Cook hadn’t kicked since 2016 but nailed 7/8 in testing conditions, including one from the sideline that would have caused problems for the best kickers in the world.

“It has been a while since I’ve goal kicked, but a few of us have been doing some training trying to fill the void left by Trell,” Cook said after the game.

“Benny pointed to me out of me and Taane and I kicked them all right so I’m happy with that.”

Cody Walker was terrific, scoring a try in both halves. Picture: Getty Images

SILVA MEDAL

It’s been another disastrous season for the Wests Tigers who are still waiting for a golden moment, but there were a couple of encouraging signs on Saturday with young gun Tallyn Da Silva having his best game in the top grade.

With skipper Api Koroisau out with a calf injury, the youngster got a rare start at dummy-half and was electric in the first half as he sliced through to set up Lachlan Galvin before he did it all himself to score in the next set.

Some friendly fire forced Da Silva off late, but there was another terrific moment in the second half when Sione Fainu pounced on a deflected grubber from Latu Fainu to score in the first NRL game where all three brothers were on the field together.

“I said to Tallyn that I thought he announced himself to the rest of the NRL,” Tigers coach Benji Marshall said.

“We knew he had that in him, and he showed that in the first half with some glimpses of what he can do. He’s still got a bit to work on, but he’s a good kid who wants to work hard and showed today what he can do.”

Filling in for the injured Api Koroisau, Tallyn Da Silva produced his best game of first grade so far. Picture: NRL Imagery

DEFENCE RESTS

It looked like a Holden Cup game at stages as both teams gave up on defence and started playing touch footy which was appreciated by a heaving crowd of more than 16,000 fans.

Marshall would have loved the ball movement that saw Jahream Bula score on the stroke of halftime, but the rookie coach would have hated the 16 errors, including a costly Luke Laulilii drop which gifted Walker his second and put the Rabbitohs back in front.

Defence has been a huge concern for the Tigers who conceded 138 points in their previous three games, while their ill-discipline must be killing Marshall after Aidan Sezer became the 15th Tiger to be sin binned this season for his ugly tackle on Jye Gray.

“We’re at the stage where we can’t find ways to put games away,” Marshall lamented.

“We were ahead at the end and found a way to throw it away. We’re learning, and that’s on me as a coach because that’s what I need to teach these guys what to do.

“In the long run, there are some green shoots.”

Jahream Bula scored on the stroke of halftime to keep the Tigers in the game. But their defence cost them late. Picture: NRL Imagery

WILD WEATHER

Move over Chicago because there’s a new Windy City.

Strong westerlies have wreaked havoc throughout the state this week, with gusts nudging 50km/h in Gosford on Saturday as advertising signage was blown away and kickers struggled to find their radar.

Jack Wighton’s first kick was caught in goal and he sent another one sailing dead in the first half which led to a Lachlan Galvin try at the other end, while Adam Doueihi sent a kick-off out on the full when the wind momentarily swung the other way.

GLIMMER OF HOPE FOR WESTS

—Michael Carayannis

For much of this year there has always been a glimmer of hope for the Tigers. Whether it has been Jahream Bula, Lachlan Galvin, Fonua Pole or Samuela Fainu. While the results have not come there were signs that individuals were on the improve.

This time it was Tallyn Da Silva with the dummy half filling in for injured skipper Api Koroisau, whose run first mentality caused some havoc for South Sydney. Da Silva’s three minute stint in the first half spring his side to life. At a time when his side were trailing 10-0 and completely on the back foot, he gave the away side a chance.

The two moments were almost a cut and paste job. Initially Da Silva spotted Tallis Duncan unable to get back to his spot at marker and immediately took off. Damien Cook compensated in Duncan’s absence with Da Silva slicing through the middle of the field to set up Galvin’s try in the 15th minute.

Just moments later Da Silva again noticed Duncan unable to get to marker with Cook again needing to try to cover for his teammate.

Da Silva though had too much speed and again cut through the Rabbitohs to score the first try of his NRL career and the Tigers a 12-10 lead.

The match also doubled as the 19-year-olds first starting game and he was on the brink of playing out the whole game before he came from the field to undertake a concussion test. He came on to play out the final three minutes.

With NSW Origin star Jarome Luai joining next year and Koroisau still at the top of his game, the spine situation at the Tigers is settled. Most struggled teams cannot say the same. Gavlin, Bula and Da Silva have shown enough that they have long-term futures at the club too and combined with Luai and Koroisau they are set up nicely next season.

Originally published as NRL Round 20 2024: Rabbitohs win 42-28 over Wests Tigers