The St. George Illawarra Dragons defeated the South Sydney Rabbitohs 46-26 in the Charity Shield match. This loss leaves South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett facing numerous questions, and he needs to work hard to salvage the team's decline before the season begins. The team will need to regroup and address key areas of concern.
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02-23, 2025The South Sydney Rabbitohs suffered a severe injury blow before the game. Cameron Murray was diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon, while Latrell Mitchell will also miss the first six weeks of the season due to a hamstring injury. In such an unfavorable situation, the team urgently needs new strength to step up and fill the void left by these key players.
Despite the team's overall poor performance, Jye Gray performed well in Saturday's game, bringing a glimmer of hope to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The 23-year-old halfback is expected to put huge pressure on the team's key signing for this season, Lewis Dodd. Dodd struggled in the first half at Mudgee's Glen Willow Oval and did not reappear in the second half. He was also retrospectively penalized by the match review committee with a ten-minute sin bin for a high tackle on St. George Illawarra Dragons winger Sione Finau in the first half. Gray seized the opportunity, not only scoring himself but also contributing two assists, powerfully proving his ability to partner with Cody Walker.
Led by Gray, the South Sydney Rabbitohs narrowed the score gap to 8 points after trailing 10-34 at halftime. However, the St. George Illawarra Dragons then regained their form and ultimately won their second Charity Shield victory in the past decade. Sione Finau became the focus of the game with four tries, but before leaving due to a concussion, the main players introduced by coach Shane Flanagan this season all made valuable contributions. Kyle Flanagan and Christian Tuipulotu both contributed two assists in the first-half onslaught, while Kyle Flanagan also performed well against his old club. Flanagan, who was released last year by the South Sydney Rabbitohs after they signed Dodd, was reactivated by coach Flanagan, and he not only scored himself in the second half but also assisted Moses Suli in scoring.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs will face the Dolphins in their season opener, while the St. George Illawarra Dragons will host the Canterbury Bulldogs. Both teams will face new challenges, striving to achieve good results in their respective matches. Each team will be aiming to start the season strong and build momentum for the rest of the year.
