Live: Souths hoping to honour Jai Arrow after shock MND news

What a strike from Jake Clifford and that is as good as you can hit a drop kick.

He adds two more points from 45 metres out as the half-time siren sounds.

These are two elite attacking outfits and they’re turning it on now.

Tom Mikaele takes a run through the middle and gets a quick play the ball. The Cows waste no time spinning it right and Scott Drinkwater makes the call to pin the ears back, burning Cody Walker for pace before offloading to Tom Chester to dive in.

Souths think they have a case as Lachie Hubner and Euan Aitken go down while chasing a grubber that eventually rolls dead, but Grant Atkins thinks the contact with Liam Sutton is all above board.

I agree and, perhaps more importantly, so too does the bunker. The Rabbitohs can just consider themselves lucky that the chasers weren’t called off side.

Jake Clifford pinches an Ashton Ward pass and goes 60 metres up the field, only brought down at the last second by Talanoa Penitani.

But the Cowboys reload straight away and it’s Reed Mahoney who’s in position to crash over through the ragged defence.

He’s grabbed by Lachie Hubner while celebrating (Mahoney’s acting like he’s playing an away game the way he’s shouting into the crowd) and takes exception, and then of course ends up in the face of Cody Walker as expected.

We’ve seen some good spiral bombs over the years, but this one from Jake Clifford might be the longest I’ve ever seen.

Clifford launches it 55 metres and Matt Dufty has no hope of making a clean catch, but manages to knock it backwards.

Jake Clifford’s kick chase is superb and he bundles Matt Dufty back into the in-goal, but Dufty protests. He’s adamant he was hit in the air and convinces Cody Walker to challenge.

Dufty turns out to be right, by about 4 centimetres I reckon.

There’s nothing on as the Rabbitohs go to the left and Cody Walker just james his left foot into the turf, sending Heilum Luki the wrong way and breaking into the backfield.

He’s eventually stopped just short of the tryline by Scott Drinkwater, but the Cowboys fullback went too high and Latrell Siegwalt pots the penalty goal for a 6-4 lead.

The Rabbitohs break down the left through Alex Johnston and Cody Walker, so they spread it the full width of the field and Matt Dufty’s Harbour Bridge pass over the top (not unlike Drinkwater’s for the opener) is perfect for Talanoa Penitani. Robert Derby turns and gives chase, but the 21-year-old Souths winger is just too quick and wins the race for the line.

Heilum Luki powers through the attempted tackle of Matt Dufty and carries Peter Mamouzelos over the tryline.

Grant Atkins says no try on the field, and the bunker agrees that it’s a double movement as the ball comes down just a few centimetres short and Luki promotes it the rest of the way.

Jake Clifford has done all the kicking thus far today, so no-one’s watching Reed Mahoney as he skips out of dummy half on the 30m line and drills a 40/20 that crosses just over the 20m line.

You don’t see miscommunication on the left often for South Sydney, but the combo of Ashton Ward, Cody Walker and Matt Dufty is pretty brand new. Ward’s pass goes to ground and it’s knocked on.

Scott Drinkwater settles under a bomb and debutant Talanoa Penitani is bearing down on him. Drinkwater leaps OK and makes a proper contest of it, but Penitani gets the ball with a mighty jump. He just can’t quite hang on though. So close to the dream start for the 21-year-old.

The Cowboys go right after a couple of set restarts and Scott Drinkwater loops a glorious pass over Heilum Luki and Tom Chester, hitting Zac Laybutt on the chest to dive over on the right wing.

Cody Walker arrives late and dives on Laybutt’s legs, which Reed Mahoney doesn’t appreciate, getting in the face of the Souths skipper.

That’s two of the all time pot-stirrers at work. I’ll be stunned if there’s not at least a small stink between them.

The first three sets of the game go by without much event, but North Queensland will get the first set in attack territory after Keaon Koloamatangi, pushed out to an edge, loses the ball in a Tom Chester-Jake Clifford-Heilum Luki tackle.

Jason Taumalolo takes the first charge and we’re off and running.

The Rabbitohs first, led by Cody Walker in Cameron Murray’s absence.

For the Cowboys, with Tom Dearden injured and Reuben Cotter on Origin duty, Jason Taumalolo leads the way.

I hear ya KB, but with Origin on Wednesday and Thursday, I’m happy to wear a shorter NRL round.

The news of Jai Arrow’s MND diagnosis rocked the entire rugby league community, but especially his Rabbitohs teammates.

“It’s been difficult if I’m honest,” Cody Walker tells Fox.

“The group’s gotten around him since November and December when he started having the tests. It’s been remarkable how he’s handled himself.

“I think if we can take something out of the way he played his footy and honour him the rest of the year I’m sure he’ll appreciate that.

“He’s got a tough road ahead, we know that, but we’ll be behind him and support him throughout that.”