A first-half double from South Sydney Rabbitohs star Nakia Davis-Welsh has helped the Rabbitohs women's team maintain their undefeated start to the season, with a strong 32-4 victory over the North Sydney Bears at Erskineville Oval.
Going into the match as heavy favourites the Rabbitohs were put to the test early against a tough and determined Bears outfit.
Starting the match with real vigour the North Sydney side were rewarded for their impressive attitude and posted first points of the contest through Josephine Maejiirs with just two minutes gone.
The centre crossed over in the corner with ease as she comfortably rounded a stretched Rabbitohs defence to give the Bears an early 4-0 lead.
The Rabbitohs would equalise soon after though.
Showing why she's one of the best in the game, Rabbitohs halfback Maddie Studdon produced a controlled cross-field kick to find winger Taleena Simon on the fly, who scored in the corner.
Simon showed exceptional athletic ability in the act of scoring, catching the ball and putting it down at extreme speed.
From then on the Rabbitohs took control of the match. Forward Eunice Grimes was next to score, with the Cardinal and Myrtle star crashing over to give the Rabbitohs the lead for the first time in the match.
Studdon would easily add the extras from right in front to give the Rabbitohs a 10-4 lead with 15 minutes gone.
The match would then turn into an arm wrestle from here on, and it took a determined effort from centre Nakia Davis-Welsh to keep Souths in the driver's seat.
The versatile outside back shrugged off three would-be tacklers before planting the ball down on the line to give the Rabbitohs another four points, which was converted by Studdon to extend the Red and Green's lead to 16-4.
Davis-Welsh would then put on a show with just one minute remaining in the first half.
Receiving the ball 35 metres out from her own line, Davis-Welsh produced great footwork to get through the Bears defence before running 60 metres untouched to score another Rabbitohs try.
Studdon would again make the conversion look easy to give her side a strong 22-4 advantage at half-time.
While the first half was an intense competitive affair, the second period of football was tough and gritty, as both sides got stuck right into each other.
As the second half wore on the Rabbitohs started to assert their dominance, and continually pummelled the Bears line.
The Bears would lose halfback Emily Andrews to the sin bin for a professional foul as result of the Rabbitohs pressure but to their credit, they kept the Rabbitohs at bay, even with a player down.
However, the league leaders would eventually settle the match, with Grimes crashing over for her second of the afternoon.
The barnstorming forward would, however, get ten minutes in the bin herself for an over jubilant celebration but the try still stood and Studdon made sure the four points turn into six to give the Rabbitohs a healthy 26-4 lead with three minutes to go.
The Red and Green weren't done just yet, however, adding the finishing touches to the win through fullback Sharon McGrady, who ducked and weaved her way to the line to score.
The last-minute try was converted by Studdon, giving the Rabbitohs a strong 32-4 victory, keeping their undefeated start to the season intact.
Score Summary
South Sydney Rabbitohs 32
Nakia Davis-Welsh 2, Eunice Grimes 2, Taleena Simon, Sharon McGrady tries; Maddie Studdon 4 goals
Defeated
North Sydney Bears 4
Josephine Maejiirs try
