Mark Nawaqanitawase scored a spectacular opener, but the Roosters largely failed to fire as they laboured past South Sydney 36-28.
The former Wallabies winger soared high in the corner to score a try reminiscent of cross-code star Israel Folau to open his account with the Roosters just six minutes into his NRL career.
Nawaqanitawase, who in the past 12 months has played in the Rugby World Cup for the Wallabies and at the Olympic Games for Australia's 7s team, will now likely feature in the Roosters' NRL finals campaign.
But the 23-year-old's brilliant start overshadowed a poor performance from the injury-hit Roosters overall, who will have to improve against likely semifinal opponents Penrith next week.
The Roosters led just 14-10 at half time after tries to Nawaqanitawase and a Fetalaiga Pauga double, with Jye Gray and Cody Walker replying for Souths.
Making uncharacteristic errors amidst a strangely subdued atmosphere for one of the NRL's most heated derbies, the Roosters were way off the pace early on.
However, the tricolours powered away after the break, scoring four tries in 15 second-half minutes to establish a 36-10 lead with just 10 minutes remaining.
Sitili Tupouniua, James Tedesco (twice) and Pauga all scored, although left the field late on with a knee injury he suffered after completing his hat-trick try, adding to the Roosters' mounting injury woes.
With the game all but won by the Roosters, the Rabbitohs powered back with three late tries of their own, including a heartening score to departing legend Thomas Burgess, who will play for Huddersfield in the Super League after 249 appearances for the Bunnies — the second most of all time.
At the other end of the scale, six-game 19-year-old Tyrone Munro raced away for a length-of-the-field score, with Gray crossing for a final try to make the scoreline tighter than it could have been.
Brendan Hands (right) scored the Eels third try in the first half. (Getty Images: Jeremy Ng)
Earlier, the Eels avoided the wooden spoon by powering past Wests Tigers 60-26 at Campbelltown Stadium in the highly anticipated spoon bowl, ensuring the joint-venture finished bottom of the ladder for a third-straight year for the first time in its history.
Wests Tigers are just the second team in NRL history to be bottom side for three-straight years.
Lachlan Galvin showed some flashes of brilliance as the hosts led 10-6 early on, setting up both Wests Tigers' tries in the first half.
But even during that slug-fest of a first period, it was abundantly clear the Eels were landing the heavier punches and deservedly led 22-10.
After the break the Eels continued to pound away, scoring four unanswered tries in 12 minutes — three of which came when Api Koroisau was in the sin bin for a dangerous lifting tackle.
TIn front of 17,311 supporters at a sold out Campbelltown stadium, the Eels scored 11 tries, with doubles to Maika Sivo, Clint Gutherson and Will Penisini.
Daejarn Asi, Brendan Hands, Bryce Cartwright, Reagan Campbell-Gillard and Joey Lussick also scored as Parramatta avoided a first wooden spoon since 2018.
On a sour note though, Dylan Brown and centre Will Penisini both suffered knee injuries, with the Eels telling reporters that Brown's was a suspected ACL issue — a huge blow for both New Zealand's Pacific Nations campaign and the Eels 2025 season.
Look back on how all the action unfolded in our live blog.
We're going to sign off here.
But don't think for a second our NRL adventure together this weekend is over. Oh no.
We'll be back tomorrow from 2pm AEST with the Dragons against the Raiders, which leads into the Bulldogs vs the Cowboys at 5:30pm and the Panthers against the Titans at 7:35pm.
I'll be with you throughout the afternoon and can't wait to hear from you.
Until then, good evening.
It wasn't convincing.
At the end, it was down right concerning.
But the Roosters win the Ron Coote Cup.
The Roosters appear set to play the Panthers in Penrith next week in the first round of the finals.
But they'll need to be a lot better than they showed tonight if they are to be a chance.
Sure, the injury list is troubling, and there are still a couple of players to come back next week, but those three tries they conceded at the end was not ideal preparation.
Oh my!
Thomas Burgess has run full pelt into the biggest kid in the NRL, all 198 cm, 114kgs of him - and laid him out!
What a shot - and the players all ran in to make sue the giant 19-year-old is OK, because he looked in a lot of bother there.
He'll be OK, as he walks off, but he should not play any further part in tonight's game and, worryingly for the Roosters, may not be available next week either.
Three late tries for the Rabbitohs!
Jacob Gagai made the line break down the right, before putting boot to ball and get it back inside.
There are a couple of Rabbitohs in contention, but Jye Gray is on hand to pick up and score in the corner.
It's 28-36 now, with Dean Hawkins making the conversion.
In his 249th game of the Rabbitohs - the second most of anyone in history - England's Tom Burgess gets his try!
He is off to Huddersfield next season in the Super League, ending the Burgess era at Souths.
Burgess is going to get the chance to kick as well!
AND IT'S HIDEOUS BUT IT'S OVER!
His score makes it 22-36.
There was a high tackle in there.
Injury concern for Fetalaiga Pauga, as he limps up the tunnel.
Again, something that the Roosters could probably have done without. They'll be hoping he's not in too much trouble and will be able to front up again next week.
The Roosters were threatening, looking for the cross-field kick to Mark Nawaqanitawase.
But the ex-Wallaby leaped under the ball and missed it entirely.
Munro picked up the ball and then raced 98 metres up the field to score.
He is definitely carrying a bit of an injury, Munro, but he still turned on the after burners to get away and then pull away to score.
The kick is a good one from Cook.
It's 16-36.
That was a nice little move from the Rabbitohs down the left side that saw Jye Gray cross.
However, it was never going to be given after the referee spotted an obstruction that was confirmed by the Bunker.
And crocks himself at the same time..
Tedesco kicked the ball through as the Roosters probed the left side of their attack.
And Junior Pauga just willed himself past a pretty weak effort from Jacob Gagai running back to dot down.
He jammed his knee into the ground as he scored it though and is limping.
He is going to try and walk it off as the kick is nailed from the sidelines to make it 36-10.
Weather update - the forecast Easterly breeze has been upgraded to a rampage - Souths fans are advised to take precautions
- BOM
Taane
Milne
is pinged for an escort on Mark
Nawaqanitawase, who comes up a bit sore after landing awkwardly attempting another speccy.
That gives the Roosters the best platform imaginable to score another.
Again Sandon Smith orchestrates it, finds Sitili Tupouniua after racing to the line, who is scragged as he sees the line, so pops a pass inside to the ever-present Tedesco to dive over.
Not a great kick from the right for Sua'ali'i, so it stays 30-10.
Magic!
Terrell May ran hard. He offloaded to Crichton, who offloaded to Watson, who found Pagua on the sideline. He pinned back the ears, was bumped into touch but passed inside to Sua'ali'i.
Oh hang on, the Bunker has got its microscope out and it's going to be ruled out.
Look, rules are rules, I get that, but Luke Keary has been pinged for offside interference as the Rooters attacked, even though the man he impeded - marginally at that - Jye Gray was barely impeded and still made the tackle he needed to make on Pagua, it's been ruled out.
Ah well.
Wham, bang! Thank you very much say the Roosters.
Angus Crichton was like a cobra there, mesmerising and hypnotising the Souths defence as he bobbed up and down, side to side and back and forth as the move seemingly broke down out the back of the line.
But then he struck, fangs out, through the gap and he was away.
Jye Gray offered cursory resistance in a training dummy sort of way, with James Tedesco running a clever line in support to receive the pass and score untouched.
The kick is good and all of a sudden it's 26-10.
The breeze is forecast to swing from S,E. towards East in the 2nd half of the game...
- BOM
Sitili Tupouniua with a nice finish after having the ball laid on a plate for him by Sandon Smith, who ran the ball right, straight to the line and delayed a lovely pass out wide for the hulking second row.
The aggression seems to have sharpened the Roosters focus.
They lead 20-10 after Sua'ali'i nails the conversion from the right sideline.
Joey Manu is involved after he made a break down the right sideline.
His pass inside went forward off the deck, but there was a Souths player who slid in late on the Roosters player on the ground which sparked the little melee.
Tyrone Munro put a really late shot on Mark Nawaqanitawase, all shoulder too, after released Manu, and that's the penalty that we're going back for.
It's been a bit ... limp? so far tonight.
This is the NRL's most brutal rivalry.
You'd expect a bit more fire in the coming 40 minutes as Easts kick off.
Some really bad news coming out of the spoon bowl for the Eels.
Dylan Brown has suffered a suspected ACL injury in the massive victory.
That's what Eels coach Trent Barrett told reporters in the press conference at Campbelltown.
Despite the win and avoidance of the wooden spoon, that would be a horrible way for the Eels to end the year if it is confirmed.
I've followed Eastern Suburbs, aka the Roosters, now for some 48 years. Don't ruin my night, Simon. Please ! Blog me a win to give me a wry smile.
- Old timer
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