South Sydney concedes 24 unanswered second-half points but manage to hold on for a 28-24 victory, which consolidates the Rabbitohs’ place in the league’s top eight.
On a day of incredible NRL fightbacks, the Eels almost delivered the biggest of all time after trailing 28-0 at the break.
Earlier the Dolphins came from 24-0 down to beat the Broncos 40-32 in a remarkable Battle of Brisbane, while the Melbourne Storm came back from 14-0 down to hammer Manly Warringah 42-20 in Perth.
In Sydney though, the Eels looked as far from mounting a fight back as any team could be after a dire first half.
Alex Johnston’s hat-trick, coupled with tries to Tevita Tatola, Brandon Smith and Jye Gray had Souths well on top at the Sydney Football Stadium.
Souths lost halfback Ashton Ward to a hamstring injury just before the break, while the Eels had Isaiah Iongi carried off with a knee injury in a brutal match played at an incredible pace.
But after the break, the Eels turned their form around dramatically, Tallyn Da Silva, Ryley Smith and Ronald Volkman scoring three tries in the space of six minutes to open the second stanza.
Jordan Samrani scored too, setting up a remarkable finale.
However, a magical 40:20 from Cody Walker with just over a minute on the clock secured the victory for Souths.
“It’s just one of those ones that came off,” Walker told Fox Sports after the match.
“I’m just happy with the two points, we needed that.
“We had players playing everywhere, we lost our halfback in the first half so we just had to win that and we did it.
“I’m pretty proud of the boys’ effort.”
Sea Eagles ‘not good enough’
Sualauvi Fa’alogo helped ignite the Storm after they trailed 14-0 in the first half in Perth. (Getty Images: Paul Kane)
Earlier, the Sea Eagles lamented a horror performance that all but eliminated them from finals contention, needing to win their last four games to have a legitimate chance of making the top eight.
Manly coach Kieran Foran questioned his team’s hardness and apologised to the club’s fans after shipping 42-straight points in East Perth.
The Storm were horrible early in Saturday’s match, with their completion rate sitting at just five of 12 as the Sea Eagles scored the opening two tries to race out to a 14-0 lead.
But it was all one way traffic from that point on, with Melbourne piling on six unanswered tries either side of half-time to turn the contest on its head.
“We can’t explain it. I just don’t feel that there’s a real hard edge about our approach to our footy at the moment,” Foran said.
“You know, 14-0 up, you should be in control of that game of footy. You should be able to put the foot on the throat and maintain a level of control.
“I feel very, very sorry to our fans.
“We had a lot to play for today. There was a lot on the line.
“There was good reason to turn up and put in a really good performance. And after about the half an hour mark, that just wasn’t good enough.
“I had a bit to say [to the players] just before, but I’ll keep most of it in house.”
The Storm snapped a three-game losing streak, but at 9-12 they need to win their remaining three games and rely on other results to go their way in order to sneak into the post-season.
Dolphins bite back to beat Broncos
BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA – AUGUST 08: Connelly Lemuelu of the Dolphins is congratulated by team mates after scoring a try during the round 23 NRL match between Dolphins and Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium, on August 08, 2026, in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images) (Getty Images: Bradley Kanaris)
The Dolphins produced arguably an even greater fight back in front of over 50m,000 supporters at Lang Park.
The Broncos tore out of the blocks in the derby, racing into a 24-0 lead early on, only to see the Dolphins flip the script with a remarkable second half display.
Tabuai-Fidow won the Battle Medal as man of the match, scored his second try in the 68th minute with stunning leap above Reece Walsh from a Katoa bomb to give the Dolphins a 36-32 lead, the first time they had hit the front.
“It’s obviously a special round for myself, being a proud Torres Strait Islander,” he said.
“So to get the win in this [Indigenous] round and especially against the Broncos, it’s something special.”
The Broncos, already out of finals contention, lamented the familiar defensive errors that have cost them the chance to defend their premiership crown this season.
“We just need to be better around our defence,” coach Michael Maguire said.
“We all need to take ownership. Are we capable of being better than where we are? I believe so, definitely.”
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 10:07pm
Thanks for being with us today
Fair to say I wasn’t expecting that 2nd half – what a game! Thanks Simon, for blogging what turned out to be a weird day of football. See you next time, but for now it’s over to the Aus V Japan Union blog which is getting close as well.
– Mike
What a completely wild day of football.
Three matches.
Three incredible fight backs.
Doesn’t get better than that.
Thanks as ever for being with us today.
There’s one more day of action to come from round 23, with the Raiders hosting the Knights and the Dragons taking on the Sharks tomorrow, with the action starting at 2:00pm AEST.
I’ll be back for those matches, I hope you’ll join me then.
Good night.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:33pm
FT: South Sydney hang on to deny Eels record comeback
On a day of insane come-from-behind victories, Parramatta almost pulled off the best of the lot, coming from 28-0 down at half time to score 24 unanswered points, falling just short of the biggest ever comeback win in NRL history.
The Rabbitohs dominated the first half, scoring six tries to nil, with Alex Johnston scoring a hat-trick and Brian Kelly sent to the sin bin inside the opening two minutes.
Ashton Ward only kicked two of five shots at goal though, the fifth attempt coming at a cost to Ward, who injured his hamstring and had to be carried off the field.
The Eels, down and out and listless in attack, came out firing in the second half, Tallyn Da Silva scoring the first of three tries in 10 minutes to open the half to bring the Eels right back into the game.
Jordan Samrani leaped to score over Jye Gray with 13 minutes remaining to give the Eels a chance of a stunning victory.
But the Eels couldn’t capitalise on a couple of good chances at the end of the game, with Cody Walker kicking a 40:20 to seal the victory and move the Rabbitohs into sixth spot on the ladder.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:33pm
79′ CODY WALKER KICKS A 40:20 TO WIN THE GAME!
GAME OVER!
What a kick from Cody Walker!
He kicks from inside the 40, Josh Addo-Carr, the makeshift fullback chases across, overruns the ball, which then rolls into touch behind him.
Walker is up and about.
With 80 seconds to go, that’s game!
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:32pm
78′ SOUTHS TAKE THE SHORT DROP OUT!
THAT’S INCREDIBLE FROM A BLOODIED TALLIS DUNCAN!
He went up and somehow came down with it.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:31pm
78′ Eels kick long!
Mitch Moses kicks the ball to the corner!
He is furious about something, Mitch Moses.
It was a Souths hand that batted it dead.
And it will be a goal line drop out!
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:30pm
77′ Knock on Gray!
Souths knock on 10 metres out!
It was Mitch Moses’ kick into the heavens and Jye Gray knocks it on trying to make the catch.
This is the moment for the Eels, just 10 metres out from Souths’ line.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:29pm
75′ Souths knock on!
David Fifita is bemused, but the referee has called a knock on.
Souths were on the front foot after a great move from Cody Walker.
Jayden Sullivan was just a little bit rushed.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:28pm
74′ Dufty is down
Is there a hip drop there by Jack de Belin?
Matt Dufty is down and has stayed down.
I don’t know if it’s a hip drop and the Bunker doesn’t think so either.
The Souths fans are blowing up though.
I bet they can’t believe their team is having to battle for this win.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:23pm
71′ Cody Walker is off
He may have done a shoulder. He’s gone straight to the sideline.
Meanwhile the Eels attack!
A break down the left!
The Eels challenge once more but Sean Keppie wins the ball in the in-goal and gets back into the field of play!
There are players down all over the place!
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:21pm
68′ THE EELS SCORE!
The comeback is still on!
Ronnie Volkman puts a brilliant kick up towards the left edge.
Jordan Samrani leaps incredibly up over Jye Gray!
And he manages to dot the ball down after catching.
That’s incredible.
This game is incredible.
Mitch Moses, from the left sideline, nails the kick and it’s 28-24!
NO TEAM HAS EVER COME BACK FROM 28-0 DOWN TO WIN A GAME IN THE NRL!
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:18pm
65′ Forward pass!
Tallin Da Silva might want to avoid Jason Ryles for a while if the Eels do go on to lose this game.
The hooker somehow manages to throw a forward pass when on the attack.
There have been a lot of passes that could be called adjacent in this match so far, but that was too hard even for this officiating team to ignore.
A big error.
And Jason Ryles lets out a very clear expletive in the box.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:16pm
64′ Eels penalty
More field possession for the Eels!
Luca Moretti is taken out off the ball in midfield.
The Eels are going to have more tackles inside the Souths 20.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:15pm
63′ Eels blow chance
Mitch Moses just doesn’t get his kick right that time, too deep the Jye Gray manages to catch in the in-goal.
Cam Murray is down on his haunches.
Tallis Duncan is bleeding and getting patched up in back field.
Ronnie Volkman is cramping.
It’s turned into an arm wrestle, this.
Next points will be massive.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:13pm
61′ Eels earn a goal line drop out
Jye Gray has to come across to make a very telling intervention to snuff out a good Mitch Moses kick.
That’s come after a spell of Souths pressure on the try line of the Eels where the Rabbitohs huffed and puffed but couldn’t get through.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:06pm
55′ Eels bomb a try!
It’s knocked off after a great kick from Mitch Moses causes yet more havoc inn the Souths line.
Jack Wighton couldn’t gather it, Ronnie Volkman had a few grabs at it but just couldn’t get it under his control.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:05pm
55′ Souths challenge, but it’s lost
Junior Paulo passed the ball backwards and then Josh Addo-Carr kicked on the first, just after the referee called six again.
The Addo-Carr kicked the ball and the referee says there was no advantage.
That prompts a challenge from Cody Walker, but there was no knock on from Paulo, who had his back to the Souths line when he had the ball scooped back out his hands, and Walker knocked on.
Challenge lost.
Scrum Eels 10 metres out.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:02pm
53′ Adam Elliott loses the ball!
Right on half way, a regulation carry into contact and he loses the ball.
That’s another really silly error from the Rabbitohs.
The Eels have more field position.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 9:00pm
50′ TRY EELS!
Ronaldo Volkman! That is superb!
He set up the last one, and now he scores one all by himself as well!
This time he takes the ball on the left edge, throws a big dummy, ghosts through two tacklers, spins out of a third and crashes over.
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The kick is good and it’s 28-18!
Surely not. Surely lightning isn’t going to strike thrice on the same day, is it?!
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 8:58pm
49′ Penalty Eels!
That is absolute idiocy from Adam Elliott.
The kick got put up from deep inside the Eels half – it was a bit of a nothing kick, needed a good chase to make it anything.
But Adam Elliott ran miles off his line and took out the Parramatta chasers.
It’s so stupid.
Sat 8 Aug 2026 at 8:57pm
47′ Try Eels!
Ryley Smith scores!
Oh hang on now, surely we’re not going to see another come from behind shocker are we?
Ronald Volkman puts the boot on the ball this time, this time a grubber.
Kitione Kautoga
almost got there, Jye Gray can’t smother it, and Smith, the hooker playing at left centre, scores!
Remarkable.
The kick is good and it’s 28-12!
dan