South Sydney teammates have celebrated Jai Arrow’s 31st birthday with a 26-24 upset defeat of fast-finishing Newcastle and a post-match rendition of ‘Happy Birthday’ in the dressing sheds — but it came at a cost.
The NRL threw Arrow “the world’s biggest birthday party” on Sunday, some two months after the ex-Souths forward retired with a diagnosis of motor neurone disease.
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Red-and-green party hats were scattered throughout the crowd of 30,113, while Prime Minister Anthony Albanese watched on as Arrow cut a giant birthday cake at half-time.
The party extended onto the field as Souths consolidated their top-eight spot and snapped a 10-game losing streak in matches without Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell.
Captain Cameron Murray was pleased the Rabbitohs could focus on the game, and then the post-match celebrations with their former teammate.
“We know how much (Arrow) means to us, and all the boys know how much he’s given to all of us in that change room,” Murray said.
“We don’t speak about it too much, but he’s always in the back of our mind.
“But at the end of the day, we’re out there and we have to turn up and perform to the game plan that we practise.”
Souths needed to overcome the loss of rookie winger Dayne Jennings (knee), five-eighth Jayden Sullivan (concussion) and back-rower Euan Aitken, who underwent an ECG after struggling for breath during the first half.
A sickening photo that emerged in the aftermath of the match shows the gaping cut that Jennings suffered, which stretched from the side of his quad to the bottom of his knee.
Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett confirmed Aitken had battled a virus during the week and was in good shape after fulltime.
The Knights, wasteful to begin with, heaped more adversity on Souths as they recovered from 26-6 down in the final 12 minutes.
Star fullback Kalyn Ponga crossed on the right before kicking for Dylan Lucas and chasing through for a second try barely a minute later.
Newcastle were only two points behind after five-eighth Sandon Smith broke through the middle to put Harrison Graham over.
The comeback fell short in the final minute when Ponga threw a cut-out ball to Dom Young that missed its target and dribbled into touch.
“We’ve just got to play a lot smarter than what we’re playing at the moment,” said coach Justin Holbrook, whose Knights had two early tries chalked off for obstruction.
“We’re making it very hard on ourselves. To the boys’ credit, we still could have got away with a win at the end. A lot to like and a lot to get better at.”
Earlier, part-time contract holder Matt Dufty came up with three try assists to vindicate Bennett’s bold decision to bench fullback Jye Gray.
Dufty’s cut-out pass sent the returning Campbell Graham over for first points, before he threw the last ball for David Fifita to score.
Dufty then swung left and found Tallis Duncan on the outside of Dane Gagai to help Souths score on the stroke of halftime.
For good measure, Dufty denied Lachlan Crouch with a brilliant one-on-one try-saver just as the Knights rookie looked certain to score in the second half.
Gray made it onto the field to replace Jennings, holding his own marking up against the much taller Young and scoring the Rabbitohs’ final try down the left.
Newcastle winger Greg Marzhew (glute) left the field soon after halftime but he and Jermaine McEwen (hamstring) could face Cronulla on Friday night.
