A first-half double from winger Tyrone Munro has secured the South Sydney Rabbitohs the 2023 State Championship against the Brisbane Tigers on Sunday afternoon.
Kicking off Grand Final Day, the Rabbitohs reserve grade team have made up for their first-grade side missing the top-eight and the NRL finals with a comfortable 42-22 victory in the 2023 State Championship.
In a game that included several NRL-experienced players, the South Sydney Rabbitohs were too good for the travelling Brisbane Tigers team.
Led by NSW Cup Player of the Year Dean Hawkins - who recently re-signed with the club - Greece international hooker Peter Mamouzelos and young prodigy duo Tallis Duncan and Tyrone Munro, the Rabbitohs ran riot in attack with the football in their hands.
One wouldn't have expected this result considering the first play of the game as Rabbitohs five-eighth Dion Teaupa dropped the ball on the opening kick-off. However, they would quickly make up for the mistake.
Exciting youngster Tyrone Munro would begin the scoring after having played three NRL games this season, with fellow winger Tom Carr joining him on the scoresheet eight minutes later. The latter try came from a brilliant quick pass from Blake Taaffe, who will depart the Rabbitohs having signed with the Bulldogs for next season.
Down 8-0, Cole Geyer would get the Brisbane Tigers into the game with a try of his own. The son of former Storm utility Matt Geyer, Cole signed with the Storm last year, playing the 2022 season with the Victoria Thunderbolts in the NSW Jersey Flegg competition.
Already missing star fullback and skipper Corey Thompson - who is on holidays overseas with his family - things would go from bad to worse for the Tigers in the opening half as George Jennings was ruled out of the clash.
No stranger to the finals arena,ย Jennings failed his HIA, which would rule him out of the remainder of the game. His departure from the field not only saw the Melbourne Storm feeder club lose skill but also valuable experience.
Between the 37th minute and the 75th minute, it was all South Sydney. The club would cross for six unanswered tries, with Munro securing a Grand Final hattrick, Tom Carr adding to his try tally and Ethan O'Neill, Dion Teaupa and Tallis Duncan crossing the line. Dean Hawkins would also register two try assists.
All of them are looking to make cases to play a significant part of the NRL system in 2024 as Jason Demetriou looks to find the right combination of players in his 17-man team.
Solomona Faataape and Kane Bradley would go on to score consolation tries for the Tigers in the 78th and 80th minute, decreasing the scoreline between the two clubs- back-rower Tom Rafter would score too in the 62nd minute.
