Teen tyros star as Tigers hold out Rabbitohs

Teenage playmaker Lachlan Galvin led Wests Tigers to a gritty 18-16 defeat of South Sydney to keep alive their hopes of avoiding the wooden spoon.

Galvin, 19, laid on two tries as Wests Tigers stormed to a 16-4 halftime lead and their defence held firm to stop a Rabbitohs comeback and secure just their fifth win of the season.

Fellow rookie Luke Laulilii, 18, who was playing just his fourth game on the wing, scored a try and saved another, while 19-year-old Heath Mason ran a team high 175 metres in his first game at fullback.

The win puts Wests Tigers just two points behind Parramatta, who they play in Round 27, and with a bye, as well as a match against Manly, Benji Marshall's men are aiming to avoid a third wooden spoon.

Charlie Staines continued his remarkable strike rate of a try per game at Campbelltown when he flew onto a crossfield kick from Aidan Sezer to open the scoring for Wests Tigers in the 11th minute.

The Rabbitohs hit back five minutes later when Fijian centre Taane Milne managed to slip an offload for rookie fullback Jye Gray to score out wide, but Wests Tigers five-eighth Lachlan Galvin took control of the game before halftime.

A long bullet pass from Galvin created an overlap out wide for Wests Tigers rookie Luke Laulilii to score in the 19th minute and extend the home side's lead to 10-4.

The teenage playmaker then put Adam Doueihi over in similar fashion as Wests Tigers took advantage of Rabbitohs centre Richie Kennar being sinbinned to go to the halftime break ahead 16-4.

Rabbitohs winger Jacob Gagai appeared to have scored after a deceptive offload from Keaon Koloamatagi but Laulilii managed to get his hand under the ball to save the try.

A Sezer penalty goal after a high tackle by Souths captain Cameron Murray increased the lead for Wests Tigers to 18-4

However, there was no denying Koloamatagi as he bumped off three defenders and charged over to score in the 58th minute and set up a gripping finish to the match.

Despite losing star playmaker Cody Walker to a HIA, the Rabbitohs ensured the game would go down to the wire after Koloamatagi sent Gagai racing down the touchline and he linked with Gray, who found Cook in support to score.

The Rabbitohs thought they had snatched victory when Davvy Moale crossed the tryline with just seconds on the clock but the try was disallowed due to a forward pass and Wests Tigers hung on.