South Sydney have ended the Sydney Roosters’ NRL title defence to surge into their first grand final in 43 years with a stirring comeback win over their century-old rivals.

Finals bunnies no more, Souths will take on either Penrith or Canterbury in Sunday week’s premiership decider after recovering from an early 12-point deficit to power to a 32-22 victory at ANZ Stadium on Friday night.  

The thumping win atoned for painful preliminary finals losses Canterbury and Manly in 2012 and 2013 and denied the Roosters a shot at becoming the first team since Brisbane in 1992-93 to secure back-to-back titles in a united competition.

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The Rabbitohs’ five-tries-to-two triumph also ended the stellar NRL careers of the Roosters’ record-setting captain Anthony Minichiello and Sonny Bill Williams.

But the victory gives veteran winger Lote Tuqiri and rugby-bound forward enforcers Sam Burgess and Ben Te’o a dream opportunity of farewelling the code with a premiership.

After being stripped of two titles for Melbourne’s salary-cap rorting, Greg Inglis is also just 80 minutes away from earning his “first” premiership ring after the champion fullback’s second-half double clinched Souths’ win in front of 52,592 fans.

Thirteen years after their re-entry to the competition following a lengthy and emotional court battle with the league, Souths will be chasing a record 21st title – but first since 1971.

They may have to chase grand final glory without Issac Luke, though, after the livewire hooker was placed on report for a first-half dangerous tackle on Williams.

The New Zealand Test star has 55 carry-over points from his last appearance at the judiciary and will be sweating on the match review panel charge sheet on Monday.

Like Rabbits caught in the headlights, Souths presented more like road kill than premiership favourites in a spectacular opening to the first preliminary final.

From nothing, Roosters halfback Mitchell Pearce left back-rower Kyle Turner clutching at air with a brilliant right-foot step before wrong-footing Inglis off his left to score under the posts in the fifth minute.

Then, playing his milestone 200th NRL match and 20th finals game, Inglis was out-leapt by Roosters opposite Anthony Minichiello three minutes later while trying to defuse a James Maloney bomb to gift the premiers their second try.

With Maloney slotting both conversions, the Roosters were flying at 12-0 and the Rabbitohs floundering once again on the big stage.

Desperate for inspiration, it was Souths’ oldest and youngest players, a pair of wingers on the opposite sides of the field and at the opposite ends of their careers who sparked the fightback.

First, 35-year-old Tuqiri squeezed over in the right-hand corner off a Dylan Walker pass in the 20th minute before 19-year-old first-season rookie Alex Johnston touched down on the half hour for his 20th four-pointer in just his 17th NRL start.

Halfback Adam Reynolds nailed both sideline conversions to leave the Sydney neighbours locked up at 12-all halftime.

Returning from a month-long suspension, Te’o was a man on a mission and carried over Roosters hooker Jake Friend over with a barnstorming run to give the Rabbitohs the lead for the first time shortly after halftime.

Inglis bagged his first four-pointer in the 52nd minute and then put the issue beyond doubt when he soared high to score off a Reynolds bomb 15 minutes from fulltime.

A four-pointer from Aidan Guerra in the penultimate minute was too little for the Roosters.

Surpassing Luke Ricketson as the Roosters’ most-capped player with his 302nd appearance for the tri-colours, Minichiello ended his distinguished career with a double after also crossing for a late consolation try in the final minute.

But there will be no fairytale record seventh grand final for the 34-year-old.

AAP