Jersey Flegg: Dragons edge Rabbitohs at Redfern

Eden Hodges went awfully close to opening the score for the Red V after a knocked down pass made its way out to Zachariah Nachar who turned it inside to his centre only for the Rabbitohs cover to come up trumps.

It was instead the hosts who took advantage of a yardage penalty with Yehya Ayache darting his way over out of dummy-half on the last to burrow over next to the sticks and make it 6-0.

Jarrah Treweek was denied a try 15 minutes in after the second rower climbed above South Sydney fullback Charlie Poynton to get his hands to a Kade Reed bomb only for the officials to rule a mid-air knock-on.

The visitors were able to answer moments later courtesy of a superb effort from inside their own half with Hodges off the back of a shift finding space down the left and moving the ball onto Nachar who zipped into the backfield and crafted a deft kick back on the inside which bounced perfectly into the arms of a chasing Lucas Borg.

Reed knocked over the extras from next to the posts tie lock things up at six-apiece.

Treweek earnt his side a penalty the following set and Nachar looked set to find the Dragons’ second off the back of it only for a strong cover effort courtesy of Souths winger Bailey Trew.

Leeroy Weatherall was placed on report for the Dragons 25 minutes in for a dangerous tackle, but the Western Suburbs Red Devils junior was able to force an error off the corresponding tap to earn his side possession back.

The Red V found a try off it with Borg and Nachar again linking – this time with the fullback sending his winger over untouched in the left-hand corner off a well-ran sweep play to make it 10-6.

Borg left the field with an injury concern in the aftermath of the try forcing a back-line re-shuffle with Hodges shifting to the back and Toby Miller pushing out into the centres.

Ayache muscled his way over for a second time for South Sydney moments shy of half-time to propel the hosts back into the lead.

In frustrating fashion for the Red V, Poynton nabbed a miracle try for the Rabbitohs as the siren sounded off a fortuitously bouncing chip to make it 18-10.

The Dragons needed to score first in the second forty and they managed to do so through Isaiah Fagalilo who shrugged and stepped his way to the stripe off the back of a nice Treweek break.

Viliami Amone was placed on report for a high shot soon after and the Rabbitohs made the Dragons pay with Trew strolling over off a right-side shift off the back of it to make it 22-16 the hosts’ way.

Reed crafted a 40/20 an hour in to put his side on the front foot with Campbell Rubie powering his way over off it to lock things up at 22-apiece.

Saifiti Junior Saifiti came up with a big cover effort shortly after to bundle his opposite Lancelot Tovio into touch.

Miller found some space down the right-hand corridor the Dragons’ next set and found Hodges on the inside who was reeled in but held down too long prompting the official to send Riley Frame to the sin bin.

Shadi Hammoud showed some classy ball-playing to send Rubie over for his second off it as the visiting side wrestled the lead back for the first time since the 37-minute mark.

The Rabbitohs earnt possession back courtesy of a short kick-off with Trew finding another in the right-hand corner with Poynton adding the extras from the touchline to make it 28-all.

Sione Lolohea was placed on report for a dangerous tackle as timed ticked away handing Reed an opportunity to knock over a penalty goal from and give the Red V a two-point advantage.

With a matter of seconds on the clock, Saifiti pulled off another try-saver to barrel Tovio into touch and seal a heart-stopping victory for the Dragons in enemy territory.