Rabbitohs building towards September

REIGNING premiers South Sydney put the rest of the competition on notice with a comprehensive 31-18 victory over North Queensland on Thursday night.

The Rabbitohs scored first and were never headed on the way to a five-tries-to-three win at 1300SMILES Stadium.

In the process of hanging on to their top four position they ended a four-game winless run against the Cowboys as North Queensland registered back-to-back losses.

Rabbitohs forward George Burgess said the side tried not to be concerned about talk during the week which suggested they could slide out of the top four.

A loss could have seen the Rabbitohs slide to as low as sixth, but instead they will finish the weekend in fourth spot.

"We've been trying to focus internally and not try to worry about the outside world too much," he said.

"We had to get back to what we do best and get back to our processes and I thought we did that tonight."

Both sides exchanged tries in a high-quality first half with a 38th minute field goal from Adam Reynolds separating the sides at the break.

Fullback Greg Inglis opened the scoring in the third minute before Cowboys centre Justin O'Neill hit back for the home side 15 minutes later.

Tom Burgess put the visitors back in front in the 25th minute and with the siren sounding for halftime North Queensland fullback Lachlan Coote finished off a scintillating 50-metre try for the home side.

On the last tackle the hosts shifted the ball to their right with five-eighth Michael Morgan putting O'Neill on the outside of his man.

As the centre was bundled into touch he kicked back in-field for Coote to win the race.

Unfortunately that would be as close as North Queensland would get with the Rabbitohs scoring a further three tries in the second half to sniff out any chance of another Cowboys fightback.

"We knew they'd be good in the second half so when we came out we knew we had to stick with them. We'll keep on building," Burgess said.

Next week the Rabbitohs host Canterbury on Friday night at ANZ Stadium, while the Cowboys head across the Tasman to meet the Warriors on Saturday.

Match Details

North Queensland Cowboys 18 South Sydney Rabbitohs 31
Venue: 1300SMILES Stadium
Crowd: 16,685
Halftime Score: North Queensland Cowboys 12 South Sydney Rabbitohs 13

NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS (18)
Tries: Justin O'Neill, Lachlan Coote, Michael Morgan
Conversions: Johnathan Thurston (3/3)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (31)
Tries: Greg Inglis, Thomas Burgess, Jason Clark, Alex Johnston, Dylan Walker
Field Goals: Adam Reynolds (1/1)
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (5/5)

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:

3 points - Thomas Burgess
2 points - Adam Reynolds
1 point - Jason Taumalolo

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Both sides out on the park, Cowboys to defend the northern end of 1300SMILES Stadium. Rabbits to kick off.

Underway!

1: Impressive first set from the Cows.Goodwin takes the bomb from Morgan 1m from their own line.

1: PENALTY Rabbits. Cowboys offside.

2: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible try to Greg Inglis.

2: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Greg Inglis. Kick to come.
Inglis crosses out wide in a fairly simple try for the visitors. They ran the ball on the last and the fullback sliced through.

4: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds adds the extras.

5: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Flop from Thurston.

6: 20m restart for the Cowboys. Reynolds trickled a kick into the in-goal and Walker looked to score, but he knocked on.

8: Thurston tries to kick into the Souths in-goal but it rebounds off legs and Thurston knocks on trying to pick up the ball. Souths in possession.

10: What is going on here? Do the refs have any idea?!

11: After what seems like half an hour the Cowboys get a play the ball after Reynolds was tackled after kicking, but the refs decided to stop the game for no particular reason.

11: Cowboys run the ball on the last and Winterstein puts an innocuous looking kick in.

12: PENALTY Souths. Inglis has his foot picked up by Morgan.

13: PENALTY Cowboys. The home side get the first of the night. Keary takes too long to get off Coote.

14: PENALTY Cowboys. Rabbits offside.

15: PENALTY Cowboys. Hand on the ball from the Rabbits.

17: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Justin O'Neill. Kick to come.
Justin O'Neill hits back for the Cowboys. Thurston plays a role by finding his five-eighth and a clever bat on from Michael Morgan puts O'Neill over out wide.

18: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston adds the extras.

21: Thurston kicks into the corner and Johnston finds the dirt a metre from his own line.

21: PENALTY Rabbits. Leg came off the ground from Walker before the defenders push him into the in-goal.

23: Bomb from Reynolds comes down to the Cows and they're working the ball off their own line.

23: Morgan's kick on the last goes out on the full. Rabbits ball on the Cows 40.

25: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Thomas Burgess. Kick to come.
Tom Burgess bounces away from an average tackle from Taumalolo and crashes over next to the posts.

26: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds adds the extras from beside the posts.

27: Reynolds goes to the air and Coote comes up with a good catch under pressure.

28: PENALTY Cowboys. Keary goes on with the tackle too long for the refs liking.

29: PENALTY Cowboys. Hand on the ball from Grant.

30: Granville offloads to Cooper who puts the ball down. Rabbits scrum.

31: Big Tom has put the ball down as cold as a spud. Cowboys ball.

32: Tamou loses possession under the weight of a three-man tackle. Rabbits ball.

33: The Rabbits appear certain to score and Keary loses the ball in a Thurston tackle. Cowboys scrum.

33: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Cowboys try

33: No try. Michael Morgan is ruled to have knocked on in attempting to ground the ball after Goodwin tried to bat the ball dead.

34: Coote flies through the air again to claim Reynolds' bomb.

36: Quick hands from the Cowboys puts them on the outside of the defence. They had two men free on the outside and Coote knocks on. Rabbits scrum.

38: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Field goal attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds takes a point for the Rabbits to extend the lead to seven in the shadows of halftime.

39: Keary kicks into the corner and the ball trickles touch in-goal. Cowboys 20m restart.

40: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Lachlan Coote. Kick to come.
Lachlan Coote scores a sensational try for the Cowboys as the siren sounds! The home side shift the ball to their right with Morgan putting O'Neill on the outside of his man. He kicked back in-field and Coote won the race.

40: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston closes the gap to a point at the break.

40: Both sides out on the park, Cowboys to get us underway in the second stanza.

40: Underway!

41: Both sides get through first possessions of the half without any dramas.

43: PENALTY Cowboys. Coote slices through the Rabbits defence and heads off for the prize. Isaac Luke comes across in cover and upends him onto his head.

44: Coote puts a kick in looking for Winterstein but Johnston bats it dead. Rabbits dropout.

45: Thurston kicks to the posts and the ball is knocked dead by Morgan.

47: Thurston comes up with a catch the Aussie cricket team would have been proud of.

47: PENALTY Cowboys. Markers not square.

48: Scott makes an error for the Cowboys. Rabbits scrum,

49: PENALTY Rabbits. Thurston pulls the ball out in a two-man tackle.

50: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Jason Clark. Kick to come.
Jason Clark barges over alongside the posts after charging onto a short Isaac Luke pass which had a question mark on it.

51: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds adds the extras again.

54: Cowboys run the ball on the last and Morgan kicks into Auva'a and Thurston then kicks the ball into touch. Rabbits scrum,

55: Johnston loses the ball for the Rabbits. Cowboys back on the attack.

57: PENALTY Rabbits. Markers not square.

59: The boys are getting a bit restless with a bit of push and shove.

59: PENALTY Cowboys. Ball stripped in a two-man tackle.

60: Thurston trickles a kick into the in-goal but it goes dead. Rabbits 20m restart.

62: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Alex Johnston. Kick to come.
Alex Johnston scores for the Rabbits to extend the lead. Reynolds went to the air, the Cowboys let it bounce, the ball rebounded off Johnston into the Cowboys defenders before he found the ball in his hands.

63: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds makes it four from four.

65: Double knock-on. Burgess strips the ball from Winterstein who knocks on . Cowboys scrum.

70: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Inglis hit in a high tackle and hasn't moved.

72: Tamou is held up on tackle five. Rabbitohs ball.

73: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Kick to come.
Dylan Walker seals the win for the Rabbitohs as he races away to score under the posts. Luke darted out of dummy half before Johnston and Walker loomed up in support.

74: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds makes it five from five.

76: PENALTY Cowboys. George takes too long to get off the tackled player.

76: PENALTY Cowboys. George again the culprit.

78: TRY NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Scored by Michael Morgan. Kick to come.
Morgan scores a consolation try for the Cowboys as he gets on the outside of Keary who raced out of the line.

78: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS
Conversion attempt by Johnathan Thurston successful.
Thurston adds two more.

79: Taumalolo charges through before he flicks it to Clark

79: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Coote takes too long to get off the tackled player.

80: Fulltime at 1300SMILES Stadium and the Rabbits have run out victors 31-18.