‘Sky’s the limit’: Rabbitohs stars back versatile teammate to play Origin

Wayne Bennett finished his post-match press conference last Saturday night, and spoke about how difficult it was going to be to pick a man of the match.

“I don’t know who you’d pick,” Bennett said. “There were a lot of good players for us. They won’t be headlines tomorrow, but we value what they’ve done.”

For the record, teammates gave Latrell Mitchell the nod, largely because of his four tries against St George Illawarra.

But not far behind Mitchell was Tallis Duncan, the back-rower who has polled well all season, and arguably been the Rabbitohs’ best player after six rounds.

Duncan was solid last year, so much so he finished only three votes behind Jye Gray, who won the club’s Jack Rayner Players’ Player award.

The 24-year-old has played in the middle, on an edge, and even centre, but the last month nailed down the starting right-edge second-rower position.

Duncan’s senior teammates said his form and potential deserved to have him in the Origin conversation.

“I think every year he’s got better, he had a good year last year, and if he keeps growing the way he is, he’ll be playing Origin soon, if not this year, definitely the next couple of years,” winger Alex Johnston said.

“He’s lucky he can lean on guys like Cam [Murray] and John Sutton, who is assisting with coaching. He just wants to keep learning.”

Murray added: “He’s got the potential to play Origin, without a doubt. He’s got the skill level, and he’s a dangerous attacking player. The sky is the limit for him.”

Duncan said he had the simple goal of nailing a regular starting spot, and “trying to make a difference for my team every week”.

While he has had no troubles poking through the defensive line – go look at his highlights reel against the Bulldogs on Good Friday – Duncan has been most satisfied with his defence, with his edge, including Jack Wighton and Jamie Humphries, leaking few points.

Duncan will have no shortage of motivation to perform well against Melbourne on Saturday, Anzac Day, given his father, Kaine, is a navy chief, and worked as a diver more than 20 years.

While Duncan continues to shine, fellow forward Jai Arrow continues to be treated for a nerve issue in his shoulder, but remains no closer to an NRL return. Arrow will meet with specialists at the end of next week to see if the latest round of treatment has improved his condition.

Meanwhile, Johnston, the game’s leading try-scorer, celebrates 250 NRL games as the club chases its first win in the Victorian capital. Souths have lost all 20 games against the Storm in Victoria.

“It’s crept up on me, 250 games is special, but I’d love another 50 games to get to 300; we just need a win so we can celebrate,” Johnston said.

Dufty’s triumphant NRL return

A trip to the emergency ward, an NRL comeback, and a win over the club he debuted for almost a decade earlier: Saturday was a big one for Matt Dufty.

When the 30-year-old stepped onto Accor Stadium on Saturday night, it had been 1421 days since he’d last played in the NRL after spending four years in the English Super League. But it was like he’d never left.

Dufty scored a try and ran 333 metres in the Rabbitohs 30-12 victory against the Dragons. It was the most metres he had ever gained in an NRL match.

“I was a bit nervous this morning, but it wasn’t [due to] playing the Dragons, it was more being back in the NRL,” Dufty said after the match.

“I think I had a lot to work on when I went to England, and I think footy gets easier the older you get. I’ve come back a bit more mature, no need to push every pass. We’ve got so much strike, you realise where you fit into the team and your role.”

Dufty was given a one-year contract with South Sydney’s NSW Cup team for 2026. But when Jye Gray went down with a shoulder injury against the Raiders a week ago, Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett handed Dufty a Rabbitohs debut.

When he packed his bags and left for England in 2022, Dufty didn’t think he’d play in the NRL again.

“I think once you go there, you know it’s hard to come back, even if you’re killing it because the game is getting faster … [and then] you look at some of the fullbacks coming through, and they’re electric,” Dufty said.

“Sometimes, you do need an old head. I was lucky enough, even Jye Gray, he’s young, and he’s quick, and he’s electric. He does everything, he’s brave, so you know I just wanted to come and strengthen the squad because if Jye goes down like he did, then I can just step up and do my job.”

The days before Dufty’s NRL return were anything but relaxing, and hours before the match, Dufty and his wife were in hospital with health concerns for their baby daughter, who had been born a few days earlier.

“We were in emergency this morning, I was going, ‘Oh my God, but it was all good’,” Dufty said.

“It was fine, you know what newborns are like, you just get everything checked. Thank God, she’s all good.”

All good, too, are Dufty and the Rabbitohs seven weeks into the season.