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No halves, 14 fit players: Souths miracle win one of Bennett’s greatest in 48 years

Dan Walsh and Dominic Brock
Updated ,first published
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Key Posts

Report: Latrell’s red and green hand of god seals famous Rabbitohs win
Latrell the star in return game as Souths defy Roosters
Sensational Latrell Mitchell pass gives Souths the lead
Gray comes up with a try out of nowhere
Wong flick sends Young over
Walker, Ravalawa join Humphreys on the sideline
Tedesco and Smith put Roosters in front
Mitchell goal puts Souths in front

Report: Latrell’s red and green hand of god seals famous Rabbitohs win

By Dan Walsh

Wayne Bennett has described South Sydney’s stunning triumph over the Roosters, sealed with a red and green Latrell Mitchell miracle pass, and just 14 fit players as one of the best wins of his 48-year coaching career.

Mitchell threw what already looms as an iconic pass in Rabbitohs history to seal a 20-14 comeback win on Friday night, which came with both starting halves sidelined and just one fit player on Bennett’s bench.

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Playmakers Jamie Humphreys, Cody Walker and winger Mikaeka Ravalawa will all be sent for scans on hamstring injuries on Saturday morning, with big-money English recruit Lewis Dodd a likely starter against the Cowboys next week.

Already the Rabbitohs were without captain Cameron Murray, Campbell Graham, Tyrone Munro and Alex Johnston.

Stats snapshot: Roosters rue errors, poor discipline

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Latrell the star in return game as Souths defy Roosters

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And that’s it. A gutsy, wild, weird win for South Sydney, who lost both their starting halves but did enough to stay in the contest before Latrell Mitchell produced a moment of magic.

It was a gutsy effort too from the Roosters, who defended their hearts out in the first half.

Rabbitohs 20, Roosters 14 at full-time

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Gray excellent again at the back for Bunnies

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While Latrell Mitchell may have grabbed the headlines, Jye Gray is having another terrific game at fullback and produces another spectacular effort at the back to outjump James Tedesco to a tricky bomb.

It’s a nail-biter of a finish here after a topsy-turvy game. After a first half in which both teams struggled with the ball in hand, suddenly either team looks capable of scoring at any moment.

Now Chad Townsend puts up a booming bomb, and this time it’s Mitchell’s turn to outleap the opposition and bring it down safely. Now Souths earn a penalty for a strip in a two-man tackle by Siua Wong (the Roosters use, and lose, their captain’s challenge). The Bunnies should be able to hang onto this one.

Rabbitohs 20, Roosters 14 after 78 minutes

Sensational Latrell Mitchell pass gives Souths the lead

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They’ve got no starting halves left but South Sydney do have Latrell Mitchell, and the returning star puts his team back in front with an absolute bullet of a pass – going past two Rabbitohs teammates, three Roosters and the outstretched hand of Dom Young and into the hands of Isaiah Tass, who scores in the left corner.

Mitchell has the conversion attempt now and he’s taken it back to the 30-metre line in a bid to improve his chances of slotting it from the toughest angle for a left-foot kicker. And he nails it.

Rabbitohs 20, Roosters 14 after 72 minutes

Rabbitohs haunted by hamstring injuries

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Gray comes up with a try out of nowhere

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Bang! One penalty later, the Rabbitohs are on the attack and Jayden Sullivan splits what has been a mostly impenetrable Roosters defence. He turns a pass on the inside to Jye Gray in support, and the Rabbitohs have levelled this one up.

Rabbitohs 14, Roosters 14 after 65 minutes

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Collins hurt, Watson on report

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Some worrying signs for the Roosters now, with Lindsay Collins leaving the field with a knee injury and Connor Watson placed on report for a dangerous tackle. But they still have all the momentum in the contest, with James Tedesco forcing a dropout with a sharp grubber kick.

The dropout itself is a bizarre one – Latrell Mitchell hits a left-footed kick that goes to his right but comes down about two metres away from the tryline, but then bounces towards the 10-metre line and is regained by South Sydney.

Roosters 14, Rabbitohs 8 after 63 minutes

Wong flick sends Young over

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The Roosters are in again and suddenly it’s hard to see them losing this one. James Tedesco has been excellent and he’s involved again, drifting right and linking up with Siua Wong who flicks a great offload to Dom Young who scores in the corner.

It’s a tough sideline conversion for Sandon Smith, and it shaves the right upright but goes wide.

Roosters 14, Rabbitohs 8 after 54 minutes

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Walker, Ravalawa join Humphreys on the sideline

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The injury news keeps going from bad to worse for South Sydney – Cody Walker is now out of the game with a hamstring injury, joining halves partner Jamie Humphreys who had the same issue in the opening minutes. Now winger Mikaele Ravalawa also appears to have a hammy problem.

Not only are they down on troops, but they’re dearly missing direction without their halves. And Latrell Mitchell is the only last-tackle kicking option, effectively taking the star centre out of action as a running option late in the set.

Roosters 10, Rabbitohs 8 after 49 minutes

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