Sharks coach Craig Fitzgibbon has implored his side to “harden up” and says he is “sick of waiting” for them to click into gear after a dismal defeat to South Sydney.
Alex Johnston’s hat-trick was the headline act in a thumping 36-12 South Sydney win over Cronulla on Saturday night, but the understated star of the evening was another Rabbitohs centre named Latrell stepping up on debut in his namesake’s absence.
The Rabbitohs rocketed into outright fourth spot on the NRL ladder – behind the Roosters and ahead of the Wests Tigers – courtesy of a resounding victory in Campbell Graham’s 150th match.
Three Souths tries between the 25th and 34th minutes blunted the Sharks’ attempts to generate momentum as the visitors faltered badly a week after routing the Tigers 52-10.
It is a decade since Cronulla won a premiership and their defensive frailties against a side that shapes as a genuine September threat suggested they are not grand final contenders.
For a team with such impressive consistency – having finished between second and fourth on the NRL ladder from 2022 to 2025 – they are not doing a great job in challenging the narrative that they can’t go to another level when required.
“I thought we had a Shark-like performance last week, but not tonight,” Fitzgibbon said. “It looked more important to them and not important enough to us. I didn’t think we were hard enough tonight.
“I’m getting a bit sick of waiting for it to be honest. It’s up to us. I still believe we have a good side … but we’re not displaying it regularly. The only way out for us is through. We’ve got to harden up and do the simple things better.”
Johnston crossed for three tries in an outstanding performance, two of which were set up by debutant Latrell Siegwalt, who replaced the injured Latrell Mitchell in Souths’ starting side and booted the first points of the night with a penalty.
Siegwalt reportedly asked Souths for 120 tickets for friends and family, many of whom travelled hundreds of kilometres across NSW to Accor Stadium to watch the young Indigenous star make his NRL bow. The Wagga Wagga product only found out on Thursday, his 25th birthday, that he would be playing after Mitchell pulled out of the match with a back injury.
Siegwalt’s great, great-grandmother Gladys celebrated her 100th birthday in Walgett on Friday and no doubt would have been thrilled watching her talented relative, who has made a name for himself in the Queensland Cup, chalk up a big win.
“The real Latrell turned up,” said Souths coach Wayne Bennett said. “He was very good and I was very proud of him.”
After a tryless opening 25 minutes, Souths found their rhythm with three in 10 minutes to open up an 18-0 lead.
Siegwalt set up Johnston’s second try down the left edge. As much as teams study and prepare for South Sydney’s attacking raids on that side of the field, stopping it is another matter entirely. In full flow, it is a beautiful thing to watch.
Siegwalt again provided the final pass for Johnston for Souths’ fourth try, beautifully drawing in the last defender and showing he belongs at this level.
Graham’s milestone match unfolded perfectly as he crossed untouched for a try in the final minute, while Sharks halfback Nicho Hynes endured an underwhelming night in his 100th game for the club.
The Sharks’ lack of bite down South Sydney’s end was epitomised when pint-sized Rabbitohs fullback Jye Gray dislodged the ball from Sharks reserve Jesse Colquhoun’s grasp despite a 28-kilogram weight disparity.
Gray contributed with a try assist and 237 run metres as Wayne Bennett’s men prepare to travel to Magic Round full of confidence for a clash with the Dolphins on Friday.
Cam Murray shook off a high shot on his jaw before crashing over 13 minutes from full-time for the Rabbitohs’ fifth try of the evening to make it 30-0 after Siegwalt’s fourth conversion of the evening.
Consolation tries from Kayal Iro and Mawene Hiroti in the last eight minutes saved the Sharks from complete embarrassment.
Meanwhile, Sharks enforcer Cam McInnes could miss his side’s next match against the Bulldogs after being put on report for a high shot on Edward Kosi in the first half.
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Tom Decent is the chief sports writer for The Sydney Morning Herald.Connect via X or email.