Souths were dealt a tough blow in the dying moments of Sunday’s Round 16 clash, as a last-minute try handed the Brisbane Tigers a dramatic 30-34 victory.
The Magpies started strong, striking early thanks to a perfectly weighted kick from Anthony Milford that found Te McDonald, who grounded the opening try of the afternoon. Latrell Siegwalt added the extras to put Souths ahead 6-0.
Milford was instrumental again just minutes later, fending off three Tigers defenders before delivering a crisp cutout pass to Byron Johnson, who dived over in the corner. Siegwalt made no mistake from the sideline, extending the lead to 12-0 just eight minutes into the match.
However, the Tigers clawed their way back into the contest with three unanswered tries, taking the momentum and silencing the home crowd. The Magpies responded just before the break with a crucial try, locking the scores at 18-18 heading into halftime.
Souths edged ahead in the second half with a successful penalty kick, reclaiming a narrow 20-18 lead. Man of the Match Phranklyn Mano-Le-Mamea added to the tally off the back of some sharp hands from fullback Latrell Siegwalt, crossing for his only try of the day.
Unfortunately, the conversion was missed, leaving the Magpies with a slim 26-20 advantage.
The Tigers again surged back, leveling the scores at 28-28 as the clock wound down. With just minutes left, the Magpies looked to regain control, but two costly errors on their own line opened the door for the Tigers to pounce - crossing for the match-winning try and sealing a 34-30 win.
It was a bitter ending to an otherwise promising performance for the Magpies, who will be eager to bounce back next week as they head to Tweed Heads to take on the Seagulls.