NZ Kiwis half Dylan Brown has guided Parramatta Eels to a surprise 36-16 victory over NRL leaders South Sydney Rabbitohs.
With the ball in hand, Brown, 22, scored a try, made a linebreak, threw a linebreak assist, ran for 139 metres, broke four tackles and made four offloads, as part of a gamewinning tandem with halves partner Mitchell Moses.
Brown's efforts saw him awarded the inaugural Eric Simms Medal, given to the player of the match between the Eels and Rabbitohs, in honour of the former South Sydney fullback.
Moses, 28, created four of the Eels' six tries and should take much of the credit for their fifth win of the season, which sees them sitting 13th on the NRL ladder, after falling to Penrith Panthers in last year's Grand Final.
Both sides traded tries in the opening minutes, as Moses sent winger Sean Russell over in the right corner, before Rabbitohs counterpart Alex Johnston hit right back, latching onto a Cody Walker pass.
A break from Brown allowed Ryan Matterson to put former All Blacks Sevens rep Bailey Simonsson over for the Eels' second, before Johnston grabbed his second to end the first half, with Parramatta ahead 12-10.
While the first half was an arm wrestle between the two sides, the second belonged to the Eels.
After Campbell Graham's try gave the Rabbitohs a 16-12 lead, the Eels scored 24 unanswered points to claim victory. Moses had his second assist to put Bryce Cartwright over, while a Brown kick allowed Junior Paulo to feed Simonsson for his second try of the night.
Brown and Moses combined inside the final 10 minutes, as a kick through the Rabbitohs line saw the Kiwis half cross for just his second try of the season, before the Eels halfback sent Will Penisini in for the clincher.
The victory moves the Eels up to 10 competition points, just two outside the NRL's top eight - a position currently held by NZ Warriors on a bye week.
Meanwhile, defeat sees the Rabbitohs drop from first to second on the ladder, behind the Panthers, who have a bye next week.
Parramatta Eels 36 (Russell, Simonsson 2, Cartwright, Brown, Penisini tries; Moses 6 conversions) South Sydney Rabbitohs 16 (Johnston 2, Graham tries; Mitchell 2 conversions)
