South Sydney Rabbithos

Against an in-form Warriors side at a sold-out Go Media Stadium in Auckland, Cody Walker fired South Sydney to a 28-6 win which snapped a prior two-game losing run. 

Saturday's meeting with the Dogs at Accor Stadium marks the last time they will play in Sydney until the final round of the season, with a tough run coming up which includes 'home matches' in Perth, Carins and on the Sunshine Coast. 

A double to Alex Johnston and try to NRL debutant Tyrone Munro set up victory for the visitors, who held their nerve to overcome an early deficit and then go on to score 28 unanswered points. 

It wasn't necessarily desperate stages for the Bunnies, who were eighth coming into the match after dropping four of their past five games, but Jason Demetriou's men had to show some grit after conceding over 30 points in each defeat. 

Parramatta showed their intent with a Sean Russell try two minutes into the game and took a 12-10 lead into the break, before overcoming South Sydney with four second-half tries.

Moses set up four of his side's six tries, while halves partner Brown terrorised the Rabbitohs with his running game, chewing through 139 metres and scoring a try on his way to winning the inaugural Eric Simms Medal as player of the match. 

Just two competition points separate them right now, with the Storm falling to fourth after their most recent defeat at the hands of the Raiders and South Sydney holding firm in seventh position after picking up their third win in a row on Sunday against the Bulldogs. 

Melbourne have struggled to put it together in attack over the past fortnight and are now without influential fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen (knee) for the rest of the year. 

The Bunnies have had no such trouble with ball in hand and are playing with a newfound confidence, led by star fullback Latrell Mitchell. 

Despite being well beaten in a 36-16 defeat to the Canberra Raiders last Sunday, the Warriors powered through the middle of the park, averaging 49 metres on every set in Round 23.

Their total haul of 1814 metres was beaten only by the St George Illawarra Dragons last week, with Jacob Lillyman, Ben Matulino and Simon Mannering all running for over 100 metres individually.

For rookie big man Isaiah Papali'i, it has been heartening to get the job done without the presence of injured frontline props James Gavet and Albert Vete, as well as veteran back-rower Bodene Thompson.

It was the first time the club has won three straight games without their inspirational playmaker, and suggests their premiership chances aren't over yet despite losing both Thurston and co-captain Matt Scott to season-ending injuries.

The win came despite a second-half breakdown in discipline and ball-handling from the Cowboys, with their completion rate dropping from 85 per cent to 76 per cent by the end of the game. 

According to rabbitohs.com.au, Farah will "continue to train and is not in any danger of missing any football in 2017."

He has knocked back the option of surgery in order to be right for the start of the NRL season in March.

Any operation on the muscle usually leaves the player sidelined for at least three months.

The NSW State of Origin hooker's Friday night showdown with the Tigers and former coach Jason Taylor is one of the highlights of the opening round, on March 3 at ANZ Stadium.