South Sydney Rabbitohs have continued their sparkling NRL run with an emphatic win over table-topping Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday.
Fresh off their victory over defending premiers Penrith Panthers, the Rabbitohs ran in six tries - including a hat-trick to stand-out centre Campbell Graham - to pull clear of their vaunted opponents and record their fourth straight win.
The visitors overcame the early sinbinning of skipper Cameron Murray to take a narrow 12-6 lead into the sheds at halftime thanks to Graham's double.
A three-try blitz to open the second stanza swung the momentum dramatically in the Bunnies' favour, going on to register their eighth win in the past 11 games at the Broncos' iconic home ground.
Graham's hat-trick took him to an NRL best 11 tries for the season, putting him in the frame for a debut State of Origin call-up. Latrell Mitchell was another who impressed for Souths, chiming in with a try double.
"I thought we started a bit scratchy but the big boys started well for Brisbane," said Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou.
"I thought Cam going to the bin switched us on a little bit defensively. We got some real intent and made it hard for Brisbane to get off their line which took their attacking players out the game.
"Campbell Graham is doing what he needs to do to put himself in the frame for future representative honours."
The result sees the Rabbitohs climb into third place on the NRL ladder, two points behind the No.1-ranked Broncos.
In other NRL action on Friday, Parramatta Eels crushed Newcastle Knights 43-12 at Commbank Stadium.
Captain Clint Gutherson was the driving force for the Eels, running in a hat-trick of tries against the beleaguered visitors in a seven-tries-to-two mauling.
The decision to start Kalyn Ponga in the halves backfired, with the star fullback accounting for 10 of his side's mammoth 65 missed tackles.
The third straight defeat for the Knights drops them to 13th in the overall standings, while the Eels advance to 10th.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 32 (Graham 3, Mitchell 2, Walker, Mitchell 4 cons) Brisbane Broncos 6 (Arthars, Reynolds con)
Parramatta Eels 43 (Gutherson 3, Brown, Moses, Russell, Paulo, Moses 7 cons, pen) Newcastle Knights 12 (Croker, Young tries, Miller 2 cons)
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