Rabbitohs run roughshod over Titans

South Sydney have dominated proceedings at Cbus Super Stadium in Robina tonight, with a commanding 40-18 victory over the Gold Coast in front of just over 19,000 fans.

In truth the home side never looked like winning, with South Sydney racing the clock across the first quarter of the match. Dylan Walker bagged a double in the opening twenty minutes - including one with Souths' first touch of the ball in the first minute - while Alex Johnston and Kirisome Auva'a also got themselves on the scoresheet before the Titans had a chance to register what had happened.

First points for the Titans came through Anthony Don after 25 minutes when the rangy winger plucked a John Sutton pass out of the air and ran away to score against the run of play. The Rabbitohs were kept scoreless for the remainder of the half despite an Adam Reynolds penalty goal attempt, then the Gold Coast faithful got a taste of hope when "the Don" grabbed his second try in the shades of halftime off a clever high ball.

Sadly for those clad in aqua and gold, the Rabbitohs came out for the second half with a similar mindset to the first - early points. Dylan Walker was the man of the moment again, bagging his hat-trick of tries off a grubber. Both sides got a bit scrappy after Walker's third, with no points scored until the 65th minute - which proved to open the floodgates. The Bunnies bagged back to back tries - Johnston's second and Walker's fourth pushed South Sydney to 40-12 leaders.

Gold Coast pressured the final five minutes and it eventually tolled on the visitors, Dave Taylor scoring off a neat grubber inside the final minute, but nothing more than a consolation for a team staring at a dramatic fall from grace as they lost their third of the season.

Plenty of moments of concern for both sides came out of the clash - Gold Coast will be worried about Greg Bird (cited for a lifting tackle) and Ashley Harrison (concussion), while the Rabbitohs have big question marks over Adam Reynolds who left the field halfway through the game with a leg injury.

Both sides have a six-day turnaround before matches on Friday - the Rabbitohs host the Storm at ANZ Stadium while the Titans travel up the M1 to face big brother in the Broncos.

GOLD COAST TITANS (18)
Tries: Anthony Don (2), Dave Taylor
Conversions: Aidan Sezer (3/3)

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (40)
Tries: Dylan Walker (4), Kirisome Auva'a, Alex Johnston (2)
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (2/3), Bryson Goodwin (4/4)
Penalty Goals: Adam Reynolds (0/1)

Welcome to Cbus Super Stadium in Robina for Round 9 Saturday evening footy - no snakes tonight hopefully but an important game for both sides. The hosts can steal back first place with a win, at least temporarily, while the Rabbitohs want to get themselves back amongst the frontrunners and can move closer to doing so with a victory.

TEAM NEWS | Nothing much to report strangely enough - the Rabbitohs are 1-17 so their extended bench drops away. Gold Coast's Cody Nelson won't debut today as he drops off the five man bench, while Ryan James will start at prop with Luke Douglas taking a seat on the interchange.

We're underway with the home side Gold Coast taking first possession.

2: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Kick to come.
WOW! Souths get the ball from the end of the Titans' first set, go left and Auva'a goes through before finding his centre partner Walker inside... he trots away to score!

3: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Reynolds converts and a stunned Cbus Super Stadium watches the Bunnies take an early lead!

6: Titans manage to defend the set following the try but their own metreage is ordinary, forced to kick again from around their own 40m. Souths already at halfway on tackle three.

7: VIDEO REFEREE | Possible Rabbitohs TRY - Kirisome Auva'a is over. Checking double movement.

7: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Kirisome Auva'a. Kick to come.
Seems like a bit of benefit of doubt in that one, Auva'a has nobody touching him when he first went to ground so it's awarded a big T R Y.

8: UNSUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds unsuccessful.
Reynolds pushes it wide. No good.

9: PENALTY South Sydney - big Sam Burgess loses it, but it's ruled a strip. Bunnies tap it 20m out now.

10: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Kick to come.
Walker's got a double already! They go the short side and it pays dividends, Dyl's got a double out of dummy half.

12: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
From the sideline Reynolds has a crack... and hes got it!

13: Souths go close to scoring their FOURTH try, but Burgess and dropped it behind him then toed it dead. Titans 20m restart.

16: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Alex Johnston. Kick to come.
They're in again! Reynolds destroys them up the right after an Inglis offload. Adam finds Alex Johnston outside and they're well and truly racing the clock now!

17: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Bryson Goodwin successful.
Goodwin takes over the duties after Adam Reynolds pulled up lame in an earlier play. Reynolds remains on the field though. Goodwin converts.

18: PENALTY Rabbitohs - Titans have taken the legs out from John Sutton after a bomb. Souths have the ball 12m from the Gold Coast line.

20: Souths spread it and finally some pressure in defence tells and the Titans swoop on a loose pass through Kevin Gordon.

21: Decent metres this set from the Gold Coast... even featured Albert Kelly palming off George Burgess! Titans get a penalty here too for Souths running a blocker. Full set on the Bunnies line now... can they hit back?

22: Dave Taylor spills his lollies after being hit in a big tackle near the Rabbitohs' line. Souths scrum.

26: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Anthony Don. Kick to come.
Don leaps on a Sutton looping pass... a great intercept and he outpaces Auva'a to score the Titans' first.

27: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION GOLD COAST TITANS
Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
Sezer makes four into six and the Titans have a confidence booster. They'll want a couple more to be any chance of a win today.

29: Titans looking much better on the back of that try, but the final tackle option is a dodgy high ball, fielded on the bounce by Inglis. Souths work it off their line.

30: Penalty Titans - a dropped bomb from Walker lands in Burgess' lap in front of him. Offside called. Gold Coast attack now.

32: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Cameron McInnes makes an unforced error.
McInnes spills an easy ball for the Bunnies just one tackle in. That tackle was on Greg Inglis and he got up looking a bit soft on the ankle - Bunnies and Maroons fans will hope he's okay!

32: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Matt Srama makes an unforced error.
And now Srama has a dropsies. Titans just not putting it together today.

33: Penalty against the Titans for a high tackle. Rabbitohs set starts just short of halfway.

34: Another penalty for South Sydney, this one for an alleged strip. Replays show Burgess just dropped it. 33m out and the Rabbits are going for two.

35: UNSUCCESSFUL PENALTY GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Penalty goal attempt by Adam Reynolds unsuccessful.
Reynolds has pushed it wide from 33m out, right in front. Titans with a 20m dropout.

37: Titans pushing up the park, and a penalty to them just 5m out for a strip now.

38: VIDEO REFEREE | Possible Titans TRY to Anthony Don. Checking an aerial contest.

38: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Anthony Don. Kick to come.
Don has indeed leapt higher, looks relatively clean in the take despite plenty of hands in the mix. TRY.

38: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION GOLD COAST TITANS
Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
Isn't this a handy boost for the hosts on the edge of halftime? Sezer converts and the margin is reduced to ten.

40: HALFTIME at Cbus Super Stadium - the Rabbitohs started strong but have let the Titans back in. Interesting second half to come... do join us shortly!

41: We're back underway in Robina, Souths with it first, running left to right on your PC or smartphone screen!

43: VIDEO REFEREE possible Rabbitohs TRY to Dylan Walker, would be his hat trick.

43: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Kick to come.
And it's a try. Perfectly placed kick for Walker and he has no trouble winning the race to it.

44: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Bryson Goodwin successful.
Goodwin maintains a perfect record with his second kick of the night.

46: VIDEO REFEREE and we're checking another for the Bunnies. Checking a blocker back up the field but Alex Johnston's run 90m to score a phenomenal try...

46: How sad for Johnston - his teammates have run blockers on Titans players contesting the ball and as a result we're going 90m back up field to say NO TRY.

47: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Mark Minichiello makes an unforced error.
Dear me this Titans side couldn't catch a cold. Minichiello spills a regulation pass near the line, getting the Bunnies off the hook.

51: Injuries starting to litter this contest, Adam Reynolds is now down for the count, a few moments earlier Dylan Walker was looking worried as well.

57: VIDEO REFEREE | Checking NO TRY against South Sydney's George Burgess, who's rollicked over the line and seemed pretty adamant he scored... now he doesn't look so sure. Grounding...?

57: It is NO TRY. Titans have raked it in-goal, so it's a drop-out. Souths will get another chanc.

58: Upstairs again to the VIDEO REFEREE. Checking the contest out wide. It will be four for Dylan Walker if awarded.

58: NO TRY again - Johnston's hands were involved in the aerial contest, Walker had collected and scored but no dice. Titans scrum.

60: We have a bit of hot-under-the-collar stuff happening. Amongst it all someone flipped Greg Bird A-o-T...

60: So... Bird and Srama have lifted Goodwin initially, then someone's flipped Bird (yes, literally). GREG BIRD is ON REPORT for the lifting tackle. Penalty Souths.

61: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Ben Te'o makes an unforced error.
South Sydney were looking very likely with some great hands to the right but Te'o has overcooked it. Scrum Titans.

62: Souths concede a penalty and the Titans start a new set just short of halfway. A try here would be critical. Ooh, another penalty. Now they start 40m from the Rabbitohs' line...

63: Titans high ball, Don gets it and passes to Takaiarangi but it's forward. South Sydney to restart play.

65: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Kick to come.
He gets FOUR! Dylan scores in front of the healthy away contigent of Bunnies fans and it's his fourth of the night.

67: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Bryson Goodwin successful.
No worries for Goodwin with the extras and if the result wasn't a forgone conclusion it surely is now.

68: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Alex Johnston. Kick to come.
Johnston bags a double! Great bust up the middle from George Burgess and Johnston takes the offload and sprints the final 30m to score.

70: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Conversion attempt by Bryson Goodwin successful.
Suddenly the Bunnies hit forty! Goodwin converts and the flood gates? They're open.

74: Souths go to the air out wide with Inglis being used as a winger at the moment, but he's not quite tall enough for the ball put up for him.

76: Descended into a bit of a scrap now. Maguire will be disappointed the Rabbitohs haven't kept the intensity up, while Cartwright has plenty to work on for a side that was equal first heading into the weekend.

77: Time off now as Ashley Harrison appears to be clutching at his head after a heavy tackle from Luke Burgess.

77: Luke Burgess is ON REPORT for a Shoulder Charge. Penalty Titans as Harrison is taken from the field looking worse for wear.

78: Titans force a drop-out with a cheeky grubber which is taken dead by Alex Johnston. Two left on the clock.

80: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Dave Taylor. Kick to come.
Another grubber, this time Dave Taylor follows it through and scores for the hosts. Nice little consolation try on an otherwise forgettable night.

80: SUCCESSFUL CONVERSION GOLD COAST TITANS
Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
20 seconds remain, Sezer's converted and we'll have one more kickoff.

80: Don away down the sideline to finish us off, kicks ahead but Johnston wins the race and is tackled.
FULLTIME - South Sydney winners 40-18.