As it happened: Graham inspires gritty Souths win; Knights come from behind

Next week: The Rabbitohs face the Dragons at WIN Stadium on Saturday, while the Dolphins travel to Newcastle to take on the Knights on Thursday night. Tyrone Munro is expected to be missing for Souths, while Dolphins second-rower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki will be sidelined under the NRL's HIA protocols. However, five-eighth Kodi Nikorima, prop Mark Nichols and second-rower Kenny Bromwich should be available after deciding against travelling to Sydney while their families prepared for Cyclone Alfred.

Fulltime: Campbell Graham made a stunning return after 550 days on the sidelines to help South Sydney secure a gutsy 16-14 win against the Dolphins.

Graham had been sidelined for 18 months with a painful sternum injury and made an earlier than expected comeback after suffering a broken wrist to star for the injury hit Rabbitohs.

Forced to the wing after speedster Tyrone Munro was forced off at halftime with a collarbone injury, Graham produced a try saving tackle on Junior Tupou late in the match and ran 170 metres in 20 carries of the ball.

A slimmed down Keaon Koloamatagi led the Rabbitohs forward pack, while fullback Jye Gray ran for 216 metres - as did Dolphins No.1 Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.

Rookie lock Lachlan Hubner forced a number of turnovers in his NRL debut against his former club, with his parents travelling from Rockhampton for the match.

Halfback Jamie Humphreys, who had played one NRL match for Manly last season, was another rookie to impress. 

74th minute: Keaon Koloamatagi appeared to have scored the match winning try after picking up a loose ball from Isaako and racing over the tryline but the bunker ruled that Wighton had stripped the ball. 

70th minute: Dolphins strike secondrower Kulikefu Finefeuiaki failed a HIA and was ruled out of the match.

68th min: The Rabbitohs withstood a long period of domination by the Dolphins with and without the ball as they struggled for field position and posession, to regain the lead through Isaiah Tass. Rabbitohs 16-14.

55th min: After an almost perfect opening half for ball control, the Rabbitohs completed two of their first five sets after the interval and the Dolphins made them pay. A Max Plath try near the posts gave Isaako an easier conversion attempt and added the extras to put the Dolphins ahead for the first time in the match. Dolphins 14-12.

48th min: Isaako scored his second try after a short pass from Tonga halfback Isaiya Katoa to fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow, who cut out Jake Averillo to send his winger over. Isaako, the third highest pointscorer of 2024, again missed the conversion. Rabbitohs 12-8

41st min: Tyrone Munro has been forced out of the game in a major blow for the Rabbitohs. Initial reports suggest that Munro has suffered yet another collarbone injury. Munro fractured his collarbone during the 2024 pre-season and missed the first five rounds of the season. He returned in Round six, but fractured his collarbone again. Former Dragons and Tigers playmaker Jayden Sullivan came on at centre, with Campbell Graham shifting to wing in place of Munro.

Halftime: The Rabbitohs first half performance has all the hall marks of a Wayne Bennett coached team - hold the ball, run hard, work hard in defence, play with energy and take your chances. At half time, Souths have completed 21 of their 22 sets of possession, and while they trail in line breaks (1-2) and tackle breaks (10-17) they have scored two tries to one and lead 12-4. Rookie fullback Jye Gray has run 149m with the ball - the only Souths player to top 100m - while winger Tyrone Munro has scored both of his side's tries. The Dolphins have completed 16 of 19 sets with the ball but have had just 46 per cent of possession.

25th min: Munro got his second try in similar circumstances to the one the Rabbitohs conceded at the opposite end after the Dolphins chose not to contest a Jamie Humphreys kick and the ball bounce into the in-goal. Munro showed his speed by beating Dolphins fullback Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to the loose ball. Humphreys converted. Rabbitohs 12-4.

21st min: Jamayne Isaako scored the Dolphins first try of 2025 after a bizarre lead up that included two kicks and the ball shifting through eight sets of hands before the Kiwis winger crossed in the corner. Sean O'Sullivan put up a high kick that wasn't contested and after receiving the ball in the same movement he kicked again - only for the ball to rebound off a Souths player. Herbie Farnworth through the final pass for Isaako to score out wide. Rabbitohs 6-4

18th min: Queensland Origin forward Jai Arrow showed he has overcome a shoulder injury that plagued him for the 2024 season by driving Junior Tupou over the sideline in a try saving tackle.

12th min: Rookie sensation Tyrone Munro scored the opening try of the match for South Sydney after five-eighth Cody Walker combined with fullback Jye Gray to create space for the speedster on the Rabbitohs left edge.

Late Mail

Rabbitohs: A massive boost for the Bunnies with Campbell Graham overcoming a hand injury to return ahead of schedule while prop Junior Tatola (foot) is also good to go. Jye Gray will wear the No.1 jersey in Latrell Mitchell's absence while Jamie Humphreys teams with skipper Cody Walker in the halves. Walker needs one try to reach a century of NRL tries. Former Dolphin Lachlan Hubner has been named to start at lock. Liam Le Blanc is 18th man.

Dolphins: Five-eighth Kodi Nikorima, prop Mark Nicholls and 18th man Kenny Bromwich have chosen to stay in Queensland with their families during Cyclone Alfred. Sean O'Sullivan and Josh Kerr have come into the 17 on Wednesday. Tom Gilbert plays his first NRL game since Round 12, 2023 and will skipper the side. Veteran Felise Kaufusi completes his move into the middle, partnering another new signing in Daniel Saifiti at prop. Junior Tupuo will also make his first club appearance on the wing, with Jack Bostock (knee) sidelined. The Dolphins have flown to Sydney after the game was relocated to CommBank Stadium. Oryn Keeley is 18th man.

Wests Tigers v Knights at Campbelltown Sports Stadium

Next week: The Knights host the Dolphins in Newcastle on Thursday night, while Wests Tigers will be chasing their first win of the season against Parramatta at CommBank Stadium.

Fulltime: Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga inspired a second half comeback as Newcastle came from behind to snatch a 10-8 win against Wests Tigers at Campbelltown Stadium.

The Tigers led 8-0 at halftime but the Knights scored all the points in the second half after reducing the handling errors that had marred the opening 40 minutes.

The Tigers missed 50 tackles to 29 by the Knights, and made two line-breaks to seven.

Fletcher Sharpe scored in the 54th minute and Greg Marzhew put the Knights ahead for the first time just 12 minutes before fulltime.

68th min: Newcastle hit the front for the first time in the match after Ponga and Best combined to create an overlap for Marzhew to score - although they made it hard for themselves with a number of loose passes. Knights 10-8

60th min: The Knights had a chance to level the scores after a high tackle by Samuela Fainu on Kalyn Ponga in front of the posts but declined to take the shot at goal from the penalty.

59th min: Newcastle prop Jacob Saifiti was ordered from the field for a HIA after appearing to run into Seyfarth's shoulder in a tackle.

54th min: A 45m bust by Knights second-rower Dylan Lucas after a Luai kick gifted Newcastle a seven-tackle set got the visitors into the game after five-eighth Fletcher Sharpe scored from dummy half. Tigers 8-6. 

41st min: Jack Bird has been placed on report after match officials studied footage at halftime of him pulling the hair of Knights hooker Phoenix Crossland in a scrum melee just before the break.

Half time: New recruit Terrell May is leading from the front for Wests Tigers, running 113m from 12 carries with the ball in the first half and producing two of his side's nine offloads. Winger Jeral Skelton scored a try and carried the ball for 148m. For Newcastle, possession is the key after completing just 10 of their 19 sets in the first half. The Knights have made nine errors to five by Wests Tigers and conceded five penalties to four.  

40th min: Tigers enforcer Royce Hunt has the last laugh over Knights opposite Matt Croker after being penalised for some argy bargy in a scrum. The penalty gave the Knights an attacking opportunity before halftime but Croker lost the ball in a tackle by Hunt.

38th: Newcastle's best scoring chance went begging after a Best pass to an unmarked Marzhew went behind the winger and rolled over the sideline. 

34th min: Bradman Best has been Newcastle's best in attack but he was twice denied after a try saving tackle from Turuva and a double-movement as he reached out to plant the ball on the Tigers' line. 

30th min: A Doueihi penalty goal extends the Tigers lead to 8-0.

17th min: Another recruit, Sunia Turuva, prevented a Bradman Best outside flick and forced a knock-on in the process. A failed Captain's Challenge by the Knights mean the visitors can no longer contest any rulings by referee Liam Kennedy. 

8th min: Samoan international Jeral Skelton - one of the six star recruits signed by Wests Tigers - scored the first try for Benji Marshall's new look team after May offloaded to Luai, who appeared set to kick before passing to Adam Doueihi to create an overlap on the left for Skelton to cross in the corner. Doueihi converted from the sideline. 

1st min: The new ere for Wests Tigers began with second rower Alex Seyfarth being penalised for a high shot on Knights winger Greg Marzhew as he ran the ball of his line in just the second tackle of the match. 

Star recruit Jarome Luai told Fox League before kick-off that Samoa prop Terrell May would bring a lot of confidence to the Wests Tigers forward pack. "He is a confident guy and he wants to attack this game head on," Luai said. "He wants to be an enforcer and step into the role of being a leader as well. Tonight is the first time he gets that opportunity so I look forward to being behind the big dog."

Late Mail

Tigers: After 70 games in Queensland Cup across seven seasons, hooker Tristan Hope makes his NRL debut for Wests Tigers and has been promoted to start in a late switch with Tallyn Da Silva, who moves to the bench. Hope was recently upgraded from a train-and-trial deal to a development contract.

Knights: After finishing last season at halfback, Phoenix Crossland goes to hooker and Jayden Brailey moves to the bench. Tyson Gamble has undergone back surgery this week and faces an extended period on the sideline while Jackson Hastings has been hospitalised with a leg infection.