Live stream: Harold Matts’ Cup, South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights

The Rabbitohs returned to Redfern in style with a 24 to 6 win over the Knights in round 3 of the Harold Matthews Cup. Watch the replay.

The Rabbitohs returned to Redfern in style with a 24 to 6 win over the Knights in round 3 of the Harold Matthews Cup.

Both sides were winless heading into the clash at the Ironmark High Performance Centre, but Souths didn’t show any lack of confidence in the opening half with Luke Deller’s side opening up an 12-0 lead.

Souths skipper Daniel Wright ran over for his third try in as many matches two minutes in, before back rower Mateus Heslin scored five minutes before half time.

WATCH THE REPLAY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE

Hooker Bailey Smith came off the Bunnies bench in the second half to nab his side’s third try of the afternoon with a determined scoot out of dummy half in the 39th minute.

Navren Willett kept the contest alive by going over for the Knights with just under 10 minutes to play, but home side were able to ride out the match with Zane Rugless going over for a four-pointer late on.

Wright had a perfect day with the boot, kicking four from four, with Souths running out 24-6 victors.

“One of the biggest things today was being back at Redfern,” Deller told The Daily Telegraph after the full-time hooter.

“There were a lot of supporters here who love the club.

“The boys kept hanging in and trying to do things we’ve been trying to do over the last couple of weeks. We created a bit of our own luck and kept turning up defensively – we worked too hard to not get something out of today.

The Souths coach signaled out couple of key performers, but it was the exploits of one of his big boys that impressed him most.

“Lennox Risati had a big stint as always,” he said.

“You could see when we took him off and before he came back on we lacked a little of cohesion.”

The Rabbitohs will go up against North Sydney in round 4, while the Knights will be aiming for their first win of the season when they travel to Leichardt Oval to take on Balmain.

MATCH PREVIEW - SLATE WIPED CLEAN FOR KNIGHTS

Premiership-winning enforcer Mark O’Meley knows just how hard the pressure can be in the top end of the game.

It is why the 201-game NRL veteran has wiped the slate clean for his Knights’ Harold Matts’ side as they hunt for a first win of the season against South Sydney.

The winless Knights have shown plenty of fight over the opening rounds but are yet to convert it into glory for the proud club.

WATCH THE REPLAY IN THE PLAYER ABOVE.

They will have a chance to arrest their form slide against the Rabbitohs with the game exclusively live streamed on The Daily Telegraph website as part of a season-long deal to bring you the match of the round in each junior grade.

O’Meley played more than 200 games in the NRL before wrapping up his professional career in the English Super League with Hull FC.

Mark O'Meley is in his second season coaching the Knights burgeoning Harold Matt’s side. Picture: Liam Driver.

Since, the man affectionately known as the Ogre, has helped established the Central Coast Roosters, with his passion for players development seeing him take on junior coaching roles with the NSW Blues and, in 2020, the Knights.

“I get great satisfaction from seeing kids live their dream,” O’Meley told The Daily Telegraph.

“With the generation now, you can’t just demand respect. You’ve got to give them respect in order to get respect.

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“Everyone is an individual, everyone has had their hard times. Sometimes I give examples of players who have been through hard times and how they were able to get where they did.”

O’Meley, who also coaches the club’s NSW State Cup side, said he won’t be piling on the pressure ahead of the Bunnies clash.

“It’s a blank canvas,” the 2004 premiership winner said.

The Knights have reshaped their junior development program with the support of NRL legends including Danny Buderus, Andrew Johns and Kurt Gidley. Picture by Liam Driver.

“At this level it’s not all about winning and losing, it’s about seeing the guys improving. If I can seem them improve week in and week out that’s what I am after.”

The young Novocastians are captained by five-eighth Jye Linnane, the nephew of 1985 Dally M Rookie of the Year, Steve Linnane.

The Linnane family is synonymous with Newcastle rugby league with Steve player-coaching the Kurri Kurri Bulldogs to a premiership three peat in the mid-1990s - a side which featured Jye’s father Daniel and uncle Jason.

“I am not going to put a name or expectations on anyone, but he’s a really good kid,” O’Meley said of his skipper.

“I had Jye last year in Harold Matts where he played a year young.

“He’s a really mature kid. He’s always willing to learn and he asks questions which is outstanding.”

Originally published as Live stream: Harold Matts’ Cup, South Sydney Rabbitohs v Newcastle Knights