South Sydney have held Manly scoreless for the first time since 1949 to claim their fourth-straight victory and continue a mid-season resurgence.
The clash was the 151st match between the two sides and marked just the second time the Rabbitohs have kept the Sea Eagles scoreless. Remarkably, the only prior time was 75 years ago in 1949.
South Sydney have now won four games on the trot and are daring to dream of a second-half charge towards the finals. With the bye next week, they will secure another two points and narrow the gap with the top eight.
The teams were without their Origin stars, with Manly missing the direction and kicking game of captain Daly Cherry-Evans. The Sea Eagles have also been hit by a heavy injury toll, with 12 top line players unavailable.
Cook sends Gray through a gap
The first half was a gritty affair, with both sides playing within themselves in order to minimise errors in the driving rain.
The Rabbitohs executed the gameplan superbly, completing 21 of 23 sets to win the territorial battle and put their opponents under pressure.
The smart use of the football quickly led to points, Richard Kennar latching on to a Damien Cook short ball to charge over from short range.
Richard Kennar Try
Fullback Jye Gray made it 8-0 after 20 minutes after slicing through the Manly defensive line to cross for the first try of his young career.
The Sea Eagles had opportunities to hit back, however South Sydney's defensive effort ensured they repelled multiple waves of Sea Eagles attack to maintain a clean sheet throughout the opening 40 minutes.
Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston had a chance to put a punctuation mark on the first half, however he lost the ball as he dove for the line in the final play of the half.
The second half was a grind, with both sides struggling to find their rhythm in attack.
With the clock counting down, Manly were determined to close the margin and they thought they had done so when Tommy Talau crossed with 15 minutes remaining.
The try, however, was disallowed for obstruction and the quest for their first points of the match continued.
A handful of other opportunities emerged, however, the South Sydney defensive line held firm. Eventually the hosts closed the game out when Keaon Koloamatangi won the race to the ball in the in goal to make it 14-0 with a minute to play.
This article contains content that is only available on NRL.com
Match Snapshot
- Rabbitohs livewire Jye Gray crossed for his first NRL try in his fourth game and first match since round nine.
- Manly youngster Caleb Navale made his NRL debut when he was injected into the contest in the 31st minute. The 21-year-old finished the match with 98 run metres and 21 tackles in 30 minutes.
- South Sydney's Liam Le Blanc was required to wait slightly longer for his debut, however it eventually came midway through the second half.
- Jack Wighton was placed on report for two separate high tackles in the 35th and 64th minutes
- Manly's Aaron Schoupp was placed on report in the 63rd minute.
- Sea Eagles winger Tommy Talau was also placed on report for a high tackle with three minutes remaining.
- The Rabbitohs have now won eight of their past nine games against the Sea Eagles.
Play of the Game
Jye Gray showcased why he's been dubbed one of the most exciting youngsters in the NRL when he sliced through the Manly defensive line midway through the first half. The Sea Eagles only provided a slither of space but it was enough for Gray to kick to the outside of his opposite man and slide straight through.
Jye Gray Try
What They Said
"I'm real proud of the group. I thought we were really brave, obviously undermanned with guys playing out of position and so on. We were really brave and there was a tonne of effort. I'm disappointed they got that try at the end because I thought the scoreboard was a little bit closer than that. It was a really brave effort, they were just a bit too classy tonight." - Manly coach Anthony Seibold.
Sea Eagles: Round 16
"They came with nothing to lose. We're probably running a bit empty at the moment, the last couple of weeks has taken its toll and just to see us tough it out right until the end and then get a reward at the end to top off a great night." Rabbitohs interim coach Ben Hornby.
Rabbitohs: Round 16
What's Next
Both the Rabbitohs and the Sea Eagles will enjoy the bye in Round 17. South Sydney will face the Eels when they return to the field in two weeks, while Manly will travel north to take on the Cowboys in Townsville.