Senior Pathways Wrap Round 7: Bulldogs Put 60 on Rabbits

The Bulldogs struck first as some tidy passing down the right edge found Blake Taaffe who linked up with a wide open Blake Wilson who scored with ease to put the home team ahead 4-nil. The kick was waved away.

The home side made it back-to-back tries through former Rabbitoh Blake Taaffe. Veteran half Drew Hutchison made a break through the line and passed outside to Taaffe who dove over to score. The fullback converted his own try to put Canterbury-Bankstown ahead 10-nil.

It was one way traffic at Accor Stadium as Bulldogs scored their third try of the day before half-time. Some more clinical passing down the left edge proved lethal as Taaffe found himself with the ball again and tapped it along to Wilson who crashed over for his second try of the day. The try was converted to put the home team ahead 16-0.

The Bulldogs scored again just minutes after when they broke through the line with speed and outside back Jonathan Sua strolled over for a comfortable four pointer. The kick was slotted with ease for a 22-0 lead.

The Rabbitohs bounced back with nine minutes before the break in an attempt to claw their way back into the game. Hooker Daniel O’Donnell cut through the line and zipped past several defenders and scored underneath the posts. The try was converted to shorten the scoreline to 22-6.

The away side scored again shortly after to tighten the score to 22-12. Ashton Ward cut through the line this time and passed inside to forward Thomas Fletcher to score a try as the travelling Rabbitohs wouldn’t go down without a fight.

The Bulldogs bounced back to extend their lead shortly before half-time through Blake Wilson to secure himself a first half hat-trick. The clinical right edge bore fruit once again as Sua found his winger wide open for a comfortable try. The kick was unsuccessful to send the two sides into the sheds at 26-12.

The home side picked up where they left off through front rower Lipoi Hopoi who busted through a tackle and charged down to score himself a try. Taaffe slotted the conversion to extend the lead to 32-12. Canterbury-Bankstown looked to put this game to bed as they scored their seventh try of the game. Reuben Moyle kicked a classy grubber through the line and Luke Smith charged through and jumped on the ball to claim the try and push the lead out to 38-12.

The Rabbitohs scored a try through Max Lehmann in an attempt to make a last ditch comeback. Some scrambling from the Rabbitohs saw the ball fall to Declan Casey who found his winger wide open for try. The kick was converted to bring the score to 38-18.

The Bulldogs scored again to extend the lead to 44-18 through Blake Wilson again. The winger received the ball on the 30 metre line and used his speed to blitz past the defence and dive in the corner.

The Bulldogs scored yet again through winger Jethro Rinakama. The home team went down the left edge this time and the ball found the hands of Rinakama who used his pace to beat his man and score himself a try. The conversion was nailed from the sideline to notch up fifty points for the home team.

The home side crashed over yet again. Half Joseph O’Neill attempted to take on the line and broke through with strength to crash over the line just next to the posts, lining up a simple conversion for Blake Taaffe.

Canterbury-Bankstown finished off the match with one more four pointer. Jethro Rinakama found himself with the ball on the halfway line and sprinted for fifty metres to score himself another try after the siren. The conversion was nailed to make the final score 62-18.

Talking Points

A late switch saw Blake Taaffe added to the squad with the young utility playing fullback and pushing out Blake Wilson to the wing. The switch proved crucial for the win as the pair linked up for two tries.

Ashton Ward was a shining light for the Rabbitohs as the rising half had a hand in two tries, setting up one and scoring one himself.

The platform for the win was set early as props Daniel Suluka-Fifita and Lipoi Hopoi dominated the middle with their strong carries and their line speed.

Key Moment

South Sydney were looking to bounce back into the game when they brought the score to 22-12 until Blake Wilson scored to extend the lead and kill any momentum from the opposition.

What’s Next?

In Round 8 of the KOE NSW Cup the Bulldogs will host the Penrith Panthers while Rabbitohs will face off against the Parramatta Eels.

Jersey Flegg Cup: Bulldogs 6 def by Rabbitohs 30, Kaiviti Silktails 34 def Melbourne Storm 26

The Bulldogs three-match winning streak in the Jersey Flegg Cup came to an end with a 30-6 defeat to the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Belmore Sports Ground. 

After a scoreless 20 minutes, the visitors scored the first points of the match for an early 6-nil lead. 

The Bulldogs hit back through Taye Cochrane, with the fullback cleverly striking through the ruck to touch down under the posts.

Unfortunately, that would be the side's only points of the match, with Souths taking an 18-6 lead at the break with a further two scores.

The Blue and Whites fought gallantly in the second half, however a further two tries saw them downed 30-6. 

The Bulldogs will host the Penrith Panthers in Round 8 of the Jersey Flegg Cup.

The Kaiviti Silktails secured their third win of the Jersey Flegg Cup season by toppling the unbeaten, top-of-the-table Melbourne Storm 34-26 at home on Seabrook Reserve.

Not only was it the Fijian side’s first away win in NSWRL’s Under 21s competition in 2025, but it was the first time they had won on Australian soil for nearly three years.

The Storm had five wins and a draw coming into Round Seven this weekend and were sitting in top position on the ladder to take on the Silktails in 12th spot. 

The improved defensive effort secured today’s win even though the Silktails scored six tries to five and led 22-6 at half-time.

A hat-trick to five-eighth Bala Vetaukula was the backbone of the win, with his second in the shadow of half-time, a magnificent team effort. A high kick by halfback Meli Nacaginimasei was misfielded by the Storm, which led to a chip ahead by the Silktails and then the ball passing through another four sets of hands for Vetaukula to dive over.   

The Silktails took the lead in the 29th minute when centre Iowani Mainalovo crossed (12-6) and were never headed, although the last 10 minutes had everyone on the edge of their seats.

Three tries were scored – two to Storm forwards Josiah-Ekkehard Neli (73’) and Zayvian Langkilde-Fale (78’) - but second rower Akuila Qoro proved the hero with a dashing 30-metre run including a fend and a step to dive over in the left corner.

It was also a special day for Silktails winger Seremaia Ramasima, who spent 12 months playing with Northern Thunder in Victoria Rugby League’s competition last year, where Seabrook Reserve was his home ground. 

The Silktails Round Eight match will be against the Sydney Roosters next Saturday.

“It’s a big achievement for the boys with all the travel we do to knock off one of the best teams in the comp,” Silktails Executive Director Stephen Driscoll told NSWRL.com.au.

“We’ve got boys who haven’t hit double figures yet in the number of Rugby League games they’ve played.

“We all sat around in our hotel in Melbourne and watched the Bulldogs play South Sydney in the NRL last night and saw how their defence set up that big win.

“We took a lot from that. And today we were able to repel the Storm no matter what they threw at us.”

The Silktails will face the Sydney Roosters on Saturday afternoon, with a venue to be confirmed later this week. 

by Margie McDonald, NSWRL.com.au