Rabbitohs run over erratic Eels

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have opened their account for 2011 with a comprehensive 32-18 victory over the Parramatta Eels in front of 22153 fans at ANZ Stadium tonight.

The action got underway in controversial circumstances after just four minutes when the Eels appeared to cross out wide through winger Uaisele, but referee Matt Cecchin ruled fullback Jarryd Hayne's pass as forward. Replays subsequently showed the Eels may have been unlucky, but their bad luck would continue two minutes later when second rower Andrew Lasalo was penalised for a double movement. Again, replays suggested the Eels were unlucky not to open their pointscoring account on this occasion. But the Rabbitohs would be the first team to score points in the ninth minute through fullback Rhys Wesser. Centre Greg Inglis, berated by the South Sydney faithful would have a hand in the try, stepping off his left foot, before passing and giving Wesser an untouched passage to the tryline. The Eels hit back minutes later through halfback Jeff Robson. Eager to make amends after missing the tackle on Inglis which led to the Rabbitohs first try, the halfback threw a dummy which was fallen for by Dave Taylor, as he crossed alongside the posts. 10 minutes later, the Rabbitohs would score the try of the opening half of action. This time, Wesser turned provider, delivering an amazing flick pass out the back into the waiting arms of Inglis. The centre looked to have passed early, but winger Fetuli Talanoa wrong-footed Eels fullback Jarryd Hayne to score in the corner. But the Eels would hit back in the shadows of halftime. Journeyman centre Chris Walker latched onto a perfectly timed Hayne pass to score out wide, despite the best efforts of Rabbitohs centre Dylan Farrell to hold him up. Burt's sideline conversion sent both sides to the halftime break locked at 12-all.

The Eels got off to the worst possible start to the second half when second rower Ben Smith couldn't control Chris Sandow's tricky restart after halftime. Fetuli Talanoa scored from the ensuing set of six after a perfect Dave Taylor around-the-corner pass extended the Rabbitohs lead to 18-12. Unfortunately for the Eels, that would be a sign of things to come as Fuifui Moimoi was sinbinned in the 47th minute after showing dissent to referee Matt Cecchin. Sandow's penalty goal attempt ensured the Rabbitohs pulled more than a converted try clear. The boys from Redfern took advantage of the extra man for 10 minutes when Inglis crossed out wide, brushing off some feeble attempted tackles by the Eels on their own goal-line. But Michael Crocker would score the try of the match in the 64th minute as second rower Tyrell caused all sorts of problems for the Eels left hand side defence. Tyrell's pass saw winger Nathan Merritt tiptoe down the sideline, before kicking a centring kick back towards Crocker who was trailing through the middle. The final points of the evening came through Eels front rower Moimoi who looked to make amends for his sin-binning as he charged onto a short ball from halfback Jeff Robson to score alongside the posts and round out the scoring.

The Rabbitohs will look to build on tonight's performance when they host Manly next Friday night at Bluetongue Stadium, while the Eels will look to bounce back against the Cowboys next Saturday night at Parramatta Stadium.

Match Details
Parramatta Eels 18 were defeated by South Sydney Rabbitohs 32
National Rugby League - Round 3 - Friday March 25, 2011 7:45pm
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Referee: Steve Lyons and Matt Cecchin
Video Referee: Sean Hampstead
Touch Judges: Steve Carrall and Gavin Atkins
Crowd: 22153
Halftime: Parramatta Eels 12 South Sydney Rabbitohs 12

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Dave Taylor
2 Points - Greg Inglis (1 Try)
1 Point - John Sutton

PARRAMATTA EELS (18)
Tries: Fuifui Moimoi, Chris Walker, Jeff Robson
Conversions: Luke Burt (3/3)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (32)
Tries: Rhys Wesser, Michael Crocker, Greg Inglis, Fetuli Talanoa (2)
Conversions: Chris Sandow (5/5)
Penalty Goals: Chris Sandow (1/1)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary And a very good evening and welcome to ANZ Stadium in Sydney for tonights Round 3 encounter between Parramatta and South Sydney. It is a good night for football, with the odd chance of a shower or two throughout the game. In team news, both sides are as named on Tuesday. Earlier tonight, the Eels got first points over the Rabbitohs with a 43-18 victory in the Toyota Cup. Kick-off in First Grade is scheduled for a little after 7.40pm. Join me for the action then!
The Eels get us underway here tonight and will defend the northern end of ANZ Stadium for the opening 40 minutes.
1 min: PENALTY Eels. Pettybourne upends the Eels centre Morgan and passes the horizontal.
3 min: Eels kick charged down by the Rabbitohs. Six again for Parramatta.
4 min: Hayne's cut-out pass to winger Uaisele is ruled to have gone forward, as the winger crosses out wide. Replays suggest the Eels could have been hard done by.
6 min: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Lasalo is ruled to have extended the arm to touch down alongside the posts. Replays again suggest the Eels should have been awarded the try.
7 min: Merritt's kick on the last has tricked over the deadball line. Eels 20m restart.
8 min: Robson's kick on the last tackle for the Eels sails over the sideline on the full. Changeover.
9 min: TRY
TRY South Sydney Rabbitohs
Scored by Rhys Wesser. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
The Rabbitohs get us underway here tonight! Greg Inglis steps off the left foot and away from the clutches of Robson, before drawing Hayne and sending Wesser on his way to the tryline.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 6-0
12 min: PENALTY Eels. Rabbitohs defenders taking too long to climb off the tackled player.
13 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Jeff Robson. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt successful.
Robson hits straight back for the Eels with a superb individual effort! A big dummy to his right fools Dave Taylor and the halfback crosses alongside the posts untouched.
6 all
16 min: Hayne's kick on the fifth tackle is hooked over the sideline on the full. Chance for the Rabbitohs in Eels territory.
16 min: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Walker's high tackle on Sandow is penalised.
17 min: The Rabbitohs create an overlap and Burt's touch saves the Eels four points. Scrum Rabbitohs.
18 min: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Robson in an offside position after Sutton's kick on the last.
20 min: Some superb goal-line defence from Parramatta turns South Sydney away empty handed. Eels 20m restart.
22 min: TRY
TRY South Sydney Rabbitohs
Scored by Fetuli Talanoa. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
The Rabbitohs extend their lead through Talanoa! Sutton's inside pass to Wesser is flicked out the back into the arms of Inglis who raced down the western touchline, before passing to Talanoa who stepped inside Hayne and crossed in the corner.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 12-6
24 min: Asotasi knocks on working the ball away from the kick-off. A chance for the Eels to hit straight back.
25 min: Robson trickles a grubber into the in-goal before Inglis forces the ball. Dropout Rabbitohs.
26 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Eels try.
26 min: No Try. Rabbitohs goal-line dropout.
27 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Chris Walker. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt successful.
Walker scores for the Eels! A sweeping second-man play sees Hayne deliver the last pass to his centre who bounces over out wide, despite Tyrell's best efforts.
12 all
30 min: Luke knocks on from dummy half on the last tackle, giving the Eels the ball on the halfway line as halftime approaches.
31 min: Sandow intercepts McGuire's pass! The Eels looked to be on the attack, before the halfback swooped and headed downfield.
32 min: Sandow kicks in behind the Eels defence and Hayne shadows the ball over the touch-in-goal line.
34 min: Chargedown from Smith. Eels on the attack!
34 min: Isaac Luke is left behind after Moimoi tramples over the top of him. The Souths hooker is in a bit of trouble, as the referees call time off and the trainers attend to the sick Rabbitoh.
36 min: Some less than enterprising play off the Eels sees a pass from Robson hit the ground, before Smith dives on the ball. The ball appears to go backwards out of the hands, but the referee rules a knock on. Rabbitohs scrum.
38 min: Hayne knocks on on the last tackle, giving the Rabbitohs one last chance to register points before halftime.
39 min: Uaisele comes in and knocks the ball down as Talanoa appeared to have a saloon passage to the tryline.
40 min: Crocker knocks on from dummy half! Eels scrum, as the clock ticks down.
40 min: Halftime here at ANZ Stadium where the Eels and Rabbitohs are locked at 12-all. An intriguing second half awaits.
40 min: Fresh from a rev-up from their respective coaches, both sides are back out on the field after the halftime break. The Rabbitohs will get the second half underway.
41 min: The Rabbitohs get the ball straight back from the kick-off!
41 min: TRY
TRY South Sydney Rabbitohs
Scored by Fetuli Talanoa. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
The Rabbitohs get a perfect start after the break! Big Dave Taylor gets a superb pass away to the winger, despite having four Eels defenders hanging off him.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18-12
44 min: Smith's pass from dummy half is ruled forward, as the Eels give the Rabbitohs another chance to extend their lead. A bad start to the second half for the Eels.
46 min: Sandow's grubber into the in-goal is well weighted and the Eels will have a goal-line dropout.
47 min: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Ross is taken high in a careless tackle from Moimoi and is placed on report.
47 min: SIN BIN
Fuifui Moimoi is sent to the sin bin.
Moimoi is sinbinned for dissent.
47 min: PENALTY GOAL
PENALTY GOAL South Sydney Rabbitohs
Penalty goal attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Sandow extends the Rabbitohs lead, piloting the ball between the uprights from 20m out directly in front.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 20-12
50 min: Sandow and Horo come together in a sickening headclash, with the Eels second rower coming off second best.
51 min: TRY
TRY South Sydney Rabbitohs
Scored by Greg Inglis. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
The Rabbitohs extend their lead through Inglis, taking advantage of the extra man out wide. The alarm bells should be ringing for the Eels now.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 26-12
54 min: Sutton's chipkick on the last is toed through by Talanoa into the hands of Hayne. Finally the Eels get their hands on the ball.
56 min: PENALTY Eels. Rabbitohs hanging on in the play-the-ball.
61 min: PENALTY Eels. Sutton and Farrell hanging in the ruck for too long.
61 min: Yet another knock on by the Eels. Shackleton is hit in a solid two-man tackle and loses the ball.
64 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Rabbitohs try.
64 min: TRY
TRY South Sydney Rabbitohs
Scored by Michael Crocker. Conversion attempt by Chris Sandow successful.
Crocker scores a sensational try for the Rabbitohs! Tyrell passed on the outside to Merritt, who kicked back towards the centre, where the interchange forward was trailing through, scoring the try beneath the uprights and in the process secures the Rabbitohs first victory of season 2011.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 32-12
66 min: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Things go from bad to worse for the Eels with the restart not going the required 10m from the restart.
66 min: Burt knocks Sandow's kick for touch back into the field of play and the Eels will now have the ball.
68 min: TRY
TRY Parramatta Eels
Scored by Fuifui Moimoi. Conversion attempt by Luke Burt successful.
Moimoi gives the Eels a glimmer of hope of an unlikely victory. The front rower charged onto a short pass from halfback Robson, running over the top of Rabbitohs centre Dylan Farrell.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 32-18
70 min: VIDEO REFEREE: Possible Eels try.
70 min: No try. Burt's back foot scrapes the sideline as he attempts to cross out wide.
74 min: PENALTY Eels. Rabbitohs offside.
76 min: PENALTY Rabbitohs. Smith ruled to have not "made a genuine attempt" to play the ball.
80 min: Fulltime here at ANZ Stadium and the South Sydney Rabbitohs have registered a 32-18 victory over a disappointing Parramatta Eels outfit.