Newcastle Knights defeat South Sydney Rabbitohs in NRL finals opener

The Newcastle Knights opened the NRL finals with a victory against the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Friday. Despite operating with a limited roster, the Knights maintained an early lead throughout a low-scoring contest. Jermaine McEwen provided a major boost for the winners, scoring two tries during his performance. The Rabbitohs struggled to build momentum, hampered by uncharacteristic errors and a late-game injury to Alex Johnston. Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray were unable to spark a comeback for the South Sydney side despite intermittent pressure in the second half. The result marks the end of the opening match for both teams in the current finals series.

• 11:59 AMZero Tackle NRL — NRL Finals player ratings: Every Rabbitohs and Knights player ranked