Dragons Fireless as Bunnies Ease to Victory

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have scored a 29-10 win over the St George Illawarra Dragons in front of just over 11,000 fans at ANZ Stadium.

The Dragons were looking to fire for new coach Paul McGregor who shook things up with some surprising positional announcements pre-game, Souths on the other hand were looking to get back into the top 8 and with a big enough win they could move to 4th on the ladder.

Before we could get points on the board, our usual serving of Video Referee controversy arose when Video Referee Steve Chiddy and Luke Patten overturned the on field TRY decision of referee Shayne Hayne for a George Burgess try that replays suggested there was little evidence to overturn the on field call.

The Dragons looked to have crossed with a miracle try but that was also sent upstairs and this time correctly overturned by the Video Referees with replays showing Peter Mata'utia put his foot on the touch in goal line.

Finally, points were awarded when Sam Burgess crossed the line although that too brought its own controversy with replays suggesting that Sam had lost the ball before it got to the line, but it was still awarded by the Video Referees.

Thankfully the rest of the match was controversy free Joel Reddy crossing for a first half double to take the Rabbitohs out to an 18-0 lead before some good work saw Gerard Beale cross in the corner on the stroke of halftime to bring the score back to 18-4 at halftime.

Like the first half the points were hard to come by in the opening 20 minutes of the half and it wasn't until Adam Reynolds got a lucky rebound off his kick that the Rabbitohs got on the board for the first time in the second half and the score went to 22-4.

The Rabbitohs then crossed for another try when Dylan Walker brushed off some feeble defence to get a well-deserved try and after he converted his own try the Rabbitohs went out to 28-4.

A consolation try came the way off the Dragons when Tyson Frizell was on the end of a Gareth Widdop tap back to score and bring the score to 22-10.

Adam Reynolds ensured that there was no way back for the Dragons by putting a field goal over to bring the score to 29-10 where it ended up.

Next weekend, the Dragons return to Wollongong to take on the out of form Cronulla Sharks but in the meantime have a nervous wait with Mitch Rein put on report for a Dangerous Throw, meanwhile the Rabbitohs travel to the Wild West to take on the New Zealand Warriors at NIB Stadium in Perth.

Venue: ANZ Stadium
Crowd: 11771
Halftime Score: South Sydney Rabbitohs 18 St. George Illawarra Dragons 4

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (29)
Tries: Joel Reddy (2), Adam Reynolds, Sam Burgess, Dylan Walker
Field Goals: Adam Reynolds (1/1)
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (3/4), Dylan Walker (1/1)
Penalty Goals:

ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS (10)
Tries: Gerard Beale, Tyson Frizell
Field Goals:
Conversions: Gareth Widdop (1/2)
Penalty Goals:

Its Monday Night Football and tonight were heading to ANZ Stadium in Sydney Olympic Park, both sides have several team changes:

SOUTHS: Alex Johnston & Cameron McInnes are OUT for the Bunnies, Isaac Luke comes into the starting side in jersey 24, Nathan Merritt comes in wearing jersey 18 - Apisai Koroiasu drops back to the bench

DRAGONS: A raft of changes for the Red 'V' - Brett Morris OUT with a knee injury suffered in Origin 1, Mike Cooper OUT with a neck injury & Jack de Belin OUT played NSW Cup yesterday, Peter Mata'utia moves to the wing, Benji Marshall moves to Centre, Adam Quinlan into the side in jersey 21 at Halfback, Tyson Frizell starts in jersey 14 with Trent Merrin dropping back to the bench, Shane Pumipi and Will Matthews also move onto the bench replacing de Belin and Cooper

The St George Illawarra Dragons out on ANZ Stadium

Here come the Bunnies out onto ANZ Stadium

PLAY UNDERWAY at ANZ Stadium - Dragons have first possession of the Steeden tonight

2: A careful set of six opens proceedings - Benji Marshall puts the ball into touch and the Rabbitohs get a scrum 10m out

2: A careful set of six opens proceedings - Benji Marshall puts the ball into touch and the Rabbitohs get a scrum 10m out

2: A Good charge from Sam Burgess puts the Bunnies into the Dragons half

4: No real attacking chances for either side as of yet - both sides being forced to play it out of the middle of the field

6: Gareth Widdop puts the ball in the air but Greg Inglis takes it under no pressure whatsoever

6: PENALTY SOUTHS - The referees find something in the tackle and the Bunnies start the set on halfway

7: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Ben Te'o makes an unforced error.
Ben Te'o gets a bad pass and can't handle it

9: Adam Reynolds puts a kick in that bounces up as Adam Quinlan gets to it but he doesn't play at it and goes into touch

10: Benji Marshall has blown the end of two sets in a row now, firstly a poor pass now the kick going out on the full

12: Benji Marshall get a lot of touches of the ball and this time puts the ball along the ground to find the line

13: Isaac Luke goes over halfway from dummy half and opens up the chance of an attacking kick

14: PENALTY DRAGONS - Dragons struggle to get the ball past their own 10m line but thankfully for them Shayne Hayne penalises the Bunnies for being offside

15: PENALTY SOUTHS - Dragons in good field position lose the ball but an offside man picks it up and the Dragons are penalised

17: Repeat set coming up for the Rabbitohs, after a kick is grounded in goal by the Dragons

18: VIDEO REFEREE: Looking at a possible George Burgess try, Shayne Hayne gives us the 'T', Checking grounding

19: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
George Burgess makes an unforced error.
George Burgess gets the NO TRY up, with the ruling being a knock on short of the line

23: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Joel Reddy. Kick to come.
Some classy work through the hands puts Joel Reddy one on one with Adam Quinlan but the size of Reddy is too much and he scores in the corner

24: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Adam Reynolds slots the conversion

24: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Kyle Turner makes an unforced error.
Kyle Turner drops the ball on tackle 2 and Dragons on the attack

25: VIDEO REFEREE: Peter Mata'utia flies through and could have a try, Shayne Hayne gives us the 'T', Checking grounding and touch in goal line

26: Well if Paul McGregor had hair then he'd be pulling it out - Dragons penalised for a play the ball infringement

27: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Jason Nightingale makes an unforced error.
Jason Nightingale gets his hands to an Adam Reynolds kick, saves the try but gives Souths the ball back

28: VIDEO REFEREE: Sam Burgess crosses the line, Shayne Hayne says TRY... again but checking grounding

29: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Sam Burgess. Kick to come.
Sam Burgess gets the Green Lights from the Video Referees despite replays showing a lack of control on the ball

29: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Adam Reynolds has no problems putting the conversion through the posts

31: Greg Inglis goes high and Jason Nightingale drops it but luckily for him its gone backwards

32: Well that's another mistake from the Dragons, they are penalised for pulling back a defender

33: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Joel Reddy. Kick to come.
Reddy or Not? He has two - straight off the back of the Penalty some good attack and poor Dragons defence gives the Bunnies a third try tonight

35: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Adam Reynolds has no problems putting the conversion over once again

36: Rabbitohs making easy ground out there now, inside the Dragons 20m again

37: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
John Sutton makes an unforced error.
John Sutton puts the ball down on the last tackle releasing the pressure on the Dragons

39: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Gerard Beale. Kick to come.
Gerard Beale shows the ball to his winger lets Nathan Merritt slide too far and Beale goes through the gap to score

40: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop unsuccessful.
Gareth Widdop puts too much hook on the conversion from the sideline and the score doesn't change

40: Dragons back out on the field at ANZ Stadium with the Bunnies to follow soon

40: Benji puts boot to ball and were back underway at ANZ Stadium

41: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Greg Inglis makes an unforced error.
Greg Inglis is flying through but can't take an offload from Sam Burgess on the Dragons 30m line

42: Dragons almost get lucky on the last but execution still not good enough to frighten the Rabbitohs defence

43: Souths mix up their play up a bit there and try a chip and chase but cleaned up by the Dragons

44: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
Josh Dugan tries a tap on with the pass but it goes forward, Dragons trying to go fancy but can't get the basics right

45: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Greg Inglis makes an unforced error.
Greg Inglis on the burst again but Josh Dugan saves the day to pull his arm while he tries to pass the ball and it goes forward

47: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Benji Marshall makes an unforced error.
Benji Marshall drops the ball on the last inside his own half, putting the pressure on the Dragons again

51: The Rabbitohs put the kick straight down the throat of the fullback then he is smashed by Sam Burgess

51: Benji goes high but ends up going straight to Greg Inglis who takes it with no problems

52: John Sutton dummies and goes through a half gap before being brought down

53: Souths get a penalty inside the Dragons 10m zone after Joel Thompson picks up a Peter Mata'utia drop ball from an offside position

54: Dylan Walker gets to the outside of Gerard Beale again before offloading to Nathan Merritt who goes into touch

56: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Kyle Turner makes an unforced error.
Kyle Turner drops the ball on halfway

57: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
Josh Dugan has to reach behind him to catch a pass from Benji Marshall

59: Greg Inglis puts a chip in and puts a second kick through and some great work from Gareth Widdop saves the day for the Dragons

60: PENALTY SOUTHS - Henry Perenara penalises the Dragons for being too slow in the ruck

60: Souths take the tap off the back of the Penalty

61: Dylan Walker goes towards the outside before working it back to the middle and being tackle 5m out

62: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Adam Reynolds. Kick to come.
Not a prestige play but still worth the same 4 points, Adam Reynolds puts a kick that ricochets of Gerard Beale's knee and Adam Reynolds dives over the line to score

63: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds unsuccessful.
Adam Reynolds hooks the ball across the face of the goal posts

65: Mitch Rein picks up George Burgess legs and throws him over into a vertical position and is penalised and ON REPORT

66: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Kick to come.
Dylan Walker brushes off some poor defence and he goes through to score

68: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Dylan Walker successful.
Dylan Walker keeps his 100% career goal kicking record going, converting from out wide

70: TRY ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Scored by Tyson Frizell. Kick to come.
A high kick is offloaded by Gareth Widdop and he gives it to Tyson Frizell to score

72: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Conversion attempt by Gareth Widdop successful.
Gareth Widdop puts the conversion over from next to the posts

73: A good run from the Dragons straight up the middle gives them some better field position

76: SUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Field goal attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Adam Reynolds puts a field goal attempt in and it looks to hook to the left but Henry Perenara right in front of the posts likes it and Reynolds gets the one point

77: UNFORCED ERROR ST. GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS
Josh Dugan makes an unforced error.
Tackle 2 on his own 10m line Josh Dugan drops the ball

79: BENJI FLICKED IT!!! Marshall gets the intercept and races away before a 2005esque flick to Jason Nightingale before a kick is put into touch by Souths

80: All over at ANZ Stadium - The Rabbitohs have won 29-10