Billie EderUpdated September 11, 2026 — 8:29pm,first published 7:20pmHave your say: who wins tonight? By Latest Posts8.29pmHumphreys into the halvesBy With Cody Walker off injured, South Sydney send Jamie Humphreys into the halves to partner Jayden Sullivan. Walker has gone straight up the tunnel in tears. Knights 10, Rabbitohs 0 after 34 minutes8.26pmCody Walker out injuredBy Bad news for South Sydney fans. Cody Walker is down and off the field. I repeat, Cody Walker is in big trouble. It is a right lower leg injury. It looks to be calf, but no confirmation just yet. Knights 10, Rabbitohs 0 after 30 minutes8.22pmKnights add to their tally as Gagai scoresBy Dane Gagai rubs salt into South Sydney’s wound, as the veteran centre scores his teams second try of the night. Brilliant stuff from halfback Sandon Smith, who puts a beautifully weighted grubber through the South Sydney line for a charging Gagai to score. Rabbitohs fullback Matt Dufty tries his best, but he can’t beat Gagai to the ball. It’s expertly grounded, and the visitors add to their tally. Knights 10, Rabbitohs 0 after 27 minutes8.16pmSouth Sydney hold on as Marzhew denied againBy Latrell Mitchell gives away the penalty for a late hit on Jermaine McEwan, and Newcastle reload. They have a full set 20 metres out, and after a couple of set-up plays, they shift the ball left for Greg Marzhew on the edge. He’s taken into touch by Jack Wighton, but that’s risky behaviour from Mitchell, who is toeing the line with discipline tonight. Knights 4, Rabbitohs 0 after 22 minutes8.08pmMitchell and Gagai avoid binBy What are Latrell Mitchell and Dane Gagai thinking? The centres both exchange words, before Mitchell lashes out (with his hands), and Gagai returns serve (with his hands). No one is sent to the bin, but the intensity has just been turned up to 1000. Referee Ashley Klein talks to Kalyn Ponga after Latrell Mitchell and Dane Gagai get into it.Getty ImagesDumb from both of them, and it feels like only a matter of time before things boil over. Knights 4, Rabbitohs 0 after 15 minutes8.02pmMurray error gifts Newcastle field positionBy South Sydney are the favourites tonight, but it’s Newcastle who have come out firing. After that early try for Jermaine McEwan, Rabbitohs skipper Cameron Murray drops the ball cold on their own 40-metre line. Alarm Bells for Rabbitohs fans. Knights 4, Rabbitohs 0 after 11 minutes7.58pmKnights strike first in elimination finalBy Wow. South Sydney are caught sleeping, and it’s the Knights who strike first in this contest. On the final tackle, Sandon Smith puts up a kick that lacks depth, but Dom Young gets high above Latrell Mitchell and makes something from nothing. Knights fans cheer at Allianz Stadium.Getty ImagesMitchell makes the tackle on Young, but the tall Newcastle winger easily offloads to Jermaine McEwan and, with Cody Walker stuck in no-man’s land and no other Rabbitoh to be seen, he crosses to score first tonight.Knights 4, Rabbitohs 0 after seven minutes7.54pmMarzhew taken into touchBy Newcastle try to go down the short side with Kalyn Ponga, Bradman Best and Gewg Marzhew, but South Sydney know it’s coming. With the Rabbitohs stripped for space, Campbell Graham takes Marzhew across the touch line and we have a changeover at about the Rabbitohs 40-metre line. Greg Marzhew is taken into touch.Getty ImagesRabbitohs 0, Knights 0 after four minutes. 7.51pmKick-off: the finals are officially under wayBy Referee Ashley Klein blows his whistle and, with that, the 2026 finals are officially under way. It’s Latrell Mitchell who gets things started with the kick-off and Tyson Frizell takes the first carry for Newcastle. I’m not going to lie, I’m a little underwhelmed by the turnout at Allianz Stadium tonight. Plenty of Newcastle fans here, though, and although they don’t outnumber the South Sydney faithful, they sure do make just as much noise. Already, “Newcastle, Newcastle, Newcastle” chants are echoing throughout Allianz Stadium. Rabbitohs 0, Knights 0 with 80 minutes to go 7.48pmJoey’s verdict on the matchBy These sides are attack-minded, which as an old playmaker makes me very, very happy. South Sydney against Newcastle on a dry track at Allianz Stadium should equate to points, points and more points.And for both teams, it’s all about one man more than any other: Kalyn Ponga.Kalyn Ponga will need his best game of the year if the Knights are going to win tonight.Getty ImagesFor South Sydney, it’s how they keep a lid on him. For Newcastle, it’s how they get him one-on-one with Rabbitohs defenders.1 of 2