Parramatta humilates Brisbane with a convincing 46-6 victory in Darwin, as the evergreen Benji Marshall guides South Sydney to a 40-30 triumph against the Titans on the Gold Coast.
Check out how the Friday night action unfolded in our ScoreCentre.
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Marshall stars as Rabbitohs edge Titans
AAP: Dave Hunt
)Some Benji Marshall brilliance has overshadowed David Fifita’s first-half hat-trick as South Sydney claimed a 40-30 win over Gold Coast in Robina.
The veteran Marshall, a late inclusion in the Rabbitohs’ starting line-up, scored two tries and had a hand in several others to seal a thrilling victory.
Aiming to bounce back from their 36-0 thrashing against Manly in Mudgee last weekend, the Titans scored three tries in the final 10 minutes of the first half to take a 24-10 lead into the break.
Fifita claimed his second hat-trick of the season, his performance including a rampaging try where he shrugged off six Rabbitohs’ defenders on his way to the line.
A stunning length-of-the-field effort finished by co-captain Jamal Fogarty put the hosts in charge at half-time.
The Rabbitohs came out of the break on fire in response, rattling up 20 points in the opening 20 minutes of the second half to storm into the lead.
Marshall, starting at five-eighth with Cody Walker moving to fullback to replace the suspended Latrell Mitchell, was at the heart of the second-half fightback.
The 36-year-old combined with Walker to send Dane Gagai over, then finished a sharp one-two with Keaon Koloamatangi to score his first of the night.
A trademark flick pass from Marshall sent winger Alex Johnston over in the 58th minute to put the visitors back in front.
Tyrone Peachey’s smart one-handed pick-up and step levelled the scores at 30-30, but it was Marshall who created a break and then finished it off to put the visitors back in front.
Moeaki Fotuaika, placed on report for a late high tackle on Adam Reynolds, conceded two late penalties, which Reynolds converted to seal a sixth straight win for the second-placed Rabbitohs.
The Titans slip to a 3-4 win-loss record ahead of next Friday’s derby with Brisbane at Lang Park.
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