The South Sydney Rabbitohs have weathered a second-half scare from the West Tigers to run out 32-18 victors in Tamworth.
The match was rocked by an incident in the second half which saw Rabbitohs prop Davvy Moale placed on report for a shoulder charge on opposing second-rower Shawn Blore in the 48th minute.
The pair exchanged verbal barbs after the incident before Blore threw his hands up in the air at the opposition as he was forced from the field for a head injury assessment.
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“The boys are starting to spice up a little bit which is good to see the reaction from the Tigers,” league legend Steve ‘Blocker’ Roach told Fox League.
Blore was later rubbed out of the game after the incident was his second HIA of the night.
Adding to the Tigers’ fury, Moale was not binned for the tackle, meaning the side was unable to activate their 18th man as a replacement player.
Blore’s concussion headlined a horror night on the injury front for the Tigers with Stefano Utoikamanu suffering a knee complaint and five-eighth Daine Laurie succumbing to a leg injury.
Lock Aitasi James was also placed on report for a high shot on Cameron Murray in the 30th minute.
Alex Johnston bagged himself a first-half double which included the opening try just two minutes into the match, before chalking up a hat-trick in the 65th minute.
Johnston intercepted a ghastly pass from John Bateman pass before sprinting 70 metres downfield to score.
The response from the Tigers came nine minutes later through Apisai Koroisau as Cody Walker fumbled a grubber from Luke Brooks in the in goal.
After an error-riddled first 15 minutes from both sides, Rabbitohs eventually built themselves a nice cushion as Isaiah Tass scored down the left side before some crafty tactics set up Johnston for his second.
Keaon Kolamatangi then pounced on a pin-point grubber from Lachlan Illias to race out to a 18-6 lead.
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But in a game of two halves, the Tigers came out firing in the second as Isaiah Papali’i scored after a break from Koroisau.
Fonua Pole then beat three defenders to charge over the tryline before Brooks converted to bring the Tigers within two points.
“Here they come… the Tigers are giving the Rabbitohs a massive scare,” Warren Smith said in commentary for Fox League.
The chain breaker for South Sydney finally came from who else but Johnston as the Rabbitohs again trudged down the left edge.
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After several set restarts, it was the quick hands of Tass who sent Johnston over untouched.
To shore up the win, Murray broke through the line halfway down the field. He dummied past Jahream Bula to cross over under the posts.
In his return from a calf injury, Mitchell played out the full 80 minutes and starred with 160 run metres, four conversions and seven tackle busts.
The victory catapults the Rabbitohs back into league’s top eight (but it may not last long) as they look to their round 23 clash with the Sharks in Perth.
The Tigers will also travel to Canberra to face the Raiders.
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