Round Rewind: Rabbitohs Edge Dolphins in Season-Opening Nail-Biter

In a gritty season opener, the Rabbitohs launched their 2025 campaign with a 16-14 win over the Dolphins at CommBank Stadium. Tyrone Munro struck early on the back of a sharp left-edge raid, then backed it up with a smart chase off a pinpoint bomb to grab his second. With the match on the line late, Isaiah Tass lit up the right edge, finishing in full flight with a one-handed dive that secured the win and sent Rabbitohs home with two points to start the year.

Rabbitohs looked sharp from the outset. Inside ten minutes, Cody Walker took control on his favoured left edge, engaging the line and delivering a delayed pass that opened up just enough space for Jye Gray to slice between two defenders. Gray straightened the play and linked with Tyrone Munro, who dove over untouched in the corner to post the Rabbitohs’ first try of the year.

The Dolphins answered with a scrappy four-pointer ten minutes later, but a missed conversion kept the Rabbitohs narrowly ahead.

Then came a perfectly placed last-tackle bomb from Jamie Humphreys. It dipped late, fell between defenders, and Munro was first on the scene. He nudged it ahead with his knee and pounced before anyone else could react — an alert, opportunistic finish that gave him a first-half double and South Sydney a 12-4 lead at the break.

Momentum swung early in the second half. The Dolphins found space on the edge and scored through an overlap to close the gap. Minutes later, a chaotic sequence, including a ball ricocheting off a Rabbitohs players’ head, led to another try. The Dolphins had taken the lead, and suddenly the game had shifted.

With just over ten minutes left, the Rabbitohs needed a spark. Peter Mamouzelos zipped out of dummy half and fired a sharp pass to Jamie Humphreys, who linked with Jye Gray and Jack Wighton. Wighton squared up his defender and fired a quick ball to Isaiah Tass, who hit the line hard, got low, and grounded it one-handed in the corner.

Rabbitohs had to close it out and did. The Dolphins pushed late, throwing bodies and passes around in search of a winner, but the Rabbitohs scrambled well. The final siren brought relief, celebration and a round one win earned the hard way.

Key Performers

Tyrone Munro – two tries, one line break
Jye Gray – 280 run metres, one try assist, 116 post contact metres
Isaiah Tass – one try, 114 run metres, 35 post contact metres
Campbell Graham – 202 run metres, 95 post contact metres
Jamie Humphreys – four points (two out of three conversions), one try assist, 30 tackles (none missed)
Keaon Koloamatangi – 186 run metres, 76 post contact metres, six tackle breaks, 28 tackles (two missed)