Source : the age
Bang – that’s a huge shot from Latrell Mitchell to flatten Roosters halfback Toby Rodwell, who copped a hospital pass with the hulking centre rushing up in defence. With Rodwell sprawled on the turf – the ball went flying from his grasp as Mitchell made the tackle – we get a look at plenty of replays which suggest there was nothing wrong with the tackle.
Rodwell is leaving the field now. That’s a tackle that is going to get a run in a few TV commercials in the lead-up to the NRL finals, I’d say.
Rabbitohs 44, Roosters 14 with four minutes left
Euan Aitken’s night is over early with the second-rower picking up a shoulder injury, but now the game really comes to life. First Latrell Mitchell crashes over for a try in the left corner, having pulled off a one-on-one strip a couple of plays earlier.
But then the teams come to blows, or at least get into a bit of argy bargy after Daniel Tupou picks up the ball after Mitchell scored, started trotting upfield, then got shoved over by Souths forward Lachlan Hubner.
Roosters players rushed over and started shoving Hubner, and it’s melee time (though there don’t appear to have been any actual punches thrown).
Hubner has been sent to the sin bin, and so is the Roosters’ De La Salle Va’a.
After everyone calms down, Mitchell misses another sideline conversion.
Rabbitohs 44, Roosters 14 with seven minutes left
The Rabbitohs are up to 40, with Jamie Humphreys poking a nice grubber off his left foot towards the right corner and Campbell Graham reaches out his right arm to touch down.
Latrell Mitchell’s goal kicking is somehow getting worse, and his sideline conversion attempt goes wide left by about 20 metres.
Still, the Bunnies are a very decent chance of racking up 50 against their old rivals tonight.
Rabbitohs 40, Roosters 14 with 13 minutes left
It’s Latrell time! Or is it?
Once again the Rabbitohs ease their way into the Roosters’ 20 metres, and Cody Walker drifts left, sizes up the defensive line, and this time pokes a grubber kick in behind. Latrell Mitchell – back in the South Sydney starting side tonight for the first time since round 11 – gets to the ball first but doesn’t ground it cleanly.
But wait! The bunker spots an infringement by the Roosters, with a defender holding back Rabbitohs back-rower Adam Elliott who was also chasing the kick and in front of Mitchell at the time. On that basis, the bunker awards a penalty try to Elliott, who seems pleasantly surprised by the whole thing.
Rabbitohs 36, Roosters 14 with 17 minutes left
Defence is really starting to take a backseat now, although more experienced defenders have been fooled by Cody Walker – who steps past two Roosters players to score a nice solo try for the Rabbitohs to the left of the goal posts.
Latrell Mitchell converts this one and Souths are up to 30.
Meanwhile five-eighth Reece Foley has been ruled out for the Roosters after failing an HIA, so the Tricolours will be using an even more makeshift halves combination for the final stages of this contest.
Rabbitohs 30, Roosters 14 with 22 minutes left
Suddenly these young Roosters are on fire. Benaiah Ioelu makes a bust out of dummy-half from near his own 30-metre line, then finds bench forward Taylor Losalu – who brushes off Alex Johnston, holds off Jye Gray and passes to Egan Butcher who scores an excellent long-range try.
That’s two in rapid succession, and the Chooks are making a real contest out of this.
Rabbitohs 24, Roosters 14 with 25 minutes left
And now a bright sign for the future of the Sydney Roosters, who produce a 55-metre long-range effort via three of their young outside backs. Cody Ramsey, playing at fullback tonight, flicks a nice pass for Tommy Talau, who unleashes promising winger Rex Bassingthwaighte down the sideline. Bassingthwaighte runs around Jye Gray to score and Toby Rodwell slots the sideline conversion.
Rabbitohs 24, Roosters 10 with 28 minutes left
The Rabbitohs roll-on continues. Souths find themselves on the attack again and run it on the last tackle – Cody Walker throws a wayward pass that is batted down by Roosters centre Tommy Talau, but the ball bounces into the hands of Rabbitohs bench forward Euan Aitken who crashes over.
Latrell Mitchell’s goal-kicking radar hasn’t been on target tonight, he misses another one – his third miss from five attempts – but it’s unlikely to matter much tonight.
Rabbitohs 24, Roosters 4 with 31 minutes left
Jai Arrow stepped onto South Sydney’s (sometimes) home ground.
A packed house, much like the man of the moment, struggled to contain its emotions. They came for what preceded the match as much as for what occurred during it.
Jai Arrow’s final NRL appearance, and 100th game for South Sydney.
The clangs of the Legacy Bell, rung by Ron Coote, reverberated around the stadium before the opening notes of Stand By Me rang out over the PA system. And then the moment we had all come for.
We’re on for the second half now, and it’s no surprise that South Sydney’s full-strength side is dominating across the board against a Roosters side featuring mostly backup options. The difference on the scoreboard hasn’t quite reflected how far in front the Rabbitohs probably should be right now.
