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Highlights: Souths heap more misery on woeful Knights

Greg Inglis is due a big match at club level. (AAP Image/Dean Lewins)
28th August, 2016
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South Sydney have extended Newcastle’s miserable club record to 17 straight losses after thrashing the Knights 34-12 at Hunter Stadium.

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Rabbitohs maestro Adam Reynolds was back to his devastating best on Sunday, pulling the strings for four South Sydney tries, while fullback Greg Inglis produced a candidate for four-pointer of the season when he touched down millimetres inside the dead-ball line to open the scoring.

Jake Mamo produced a brilliant individual try with five minutes remaining to set up a farewell conversion for retiring back-rower Jeremy Smith.

But it was too little, too late for the Knights, who were out-muscled and out-classed by the Rabbitohs.

The Knights, who as well as farewelling 36-year-old Smith were celebrating the club’s Old Boys’ Day, had every reason to be up for the clash in front of 15,212 fans.

But it was Souths who jumped out of the blocks, with Inglis latching on to a deft Reynolds grubber just inside the dead-ball line to score.

The kick had bamboozled young Knights winger Cory Denniss and despite two other Knights in the area, Inglis got there first and touched down in mid-front-flip.

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Souths cruised to a 16-0 halftime lead thanks to Inglis’ effort and tries to Alex Johnston and Cody Walker.

It looked as like more of the same after the break when Souths centre Aaron Gray muscled his way through poor defence to make it 22-0.

But the Knights were on the board 10 minutes later after debutant Dylan Phythian jumped in at dummy-half and reached out to score.

The momentum was short-lived, however, with South Sydney star Sam Burgess crossing next to the posts after swivelling out of a Sione Mata’utia tackle.

Reynolds was the provider again in the 64th minute when he landed a chip in Johnston’s lap in the right-hand corner.

The winger walked over to score untouched to make it 34-6.

Mamo produced a highlight with five minutes to go when he made a bust, grubbered ahead, soccered the ball then touched down.

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Smith, who has played 213 games with four clubs, knocked the conversion over with ease, much to the delight of the crowd.

After Souths’ third straight win, coach Michael Maguire said his team’s recent form reversal was due to the availability of his senior players.

“We’re pleased we’ve been able to back up the last month and the way they’re playing they are really putting a lot of effort around the small things in the game and they are getting rewarded for that and enjoying their footy at the same time,” he said.

Knights coach Nathan Brown said the score didn’t reflect his young team’s effort.

“I thought our young forwards who are all 19, 20 and 21 really stood up to the task really well, which I thought was really positive,” he said.

In the final round, the Rabbitohs play the Bulldogs on Friday night and the Knights take on the Dragons on Saturday.

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