Rusty Rabbitohs defeat Eels

With a possible finals berth at stake, South Sydney took out a less than thrilling encounter with the Parramatta Eels 24-16 in front of 19,908 fans at ANZ Stadium.

Both the Eels and the Rabbits were clinging to hope of making the finals with their slim mathematical possibilities of doing so.  But, poor execution from both sides in the first half saw the first forty go without a point being put on the board.

The closest the first half came to recording points was in the third minute. A barraging Sam Burgess look at the line was taken to the video referee, but Burgess had failed to ground the ball behind the line, spilling it inches out and making an easy no try decision for video referee Steve Clark.

What followed of the half saw a plethora of errors and penalties from both sides, holding each out from penetrating the other's try line. The defence was solid, and several big hits were the highlights of the first forty.

The second half saw South Sydney come out firing, with the first points put on four minutes into the half, Rhys Wesser dummying and getting through some soft Parramatta defence, an easy conversion for Sandow saw Souths take a 6 point lead.

Souths came close to scoring again only two minutes later, but Issac Luke was held up. Eels were penalised for offside in that call, and a few plays later Jaiman Lowe put on next points with arms out stretched, between the posts, giving another easy conversion to Sandow.

A few penalties and a failed field goal attempt from Sandow later, Eels were finally able to put points on the board in the fifty forth minute. Some straight and hard running from Justin Horo is what did the trick seeing him score Parramatta's first points, grounding the ball inches from the dead ball line. Burt converted and the difference was six points.

Two minutes later South Sydney took the opportunity for points with a penalty goal. It did not take long for Souths to further the lead, with a strong run from Issac Luke giving Souths their third try of the match in the fifty eighth minute.

Penalties, errors and an injury ensued, but it was Souths on top, pushing their lead out further in the sixty ninth minute with a try to Dave Taylor. Converting it took Chris Sandow to 100 points for the season and gave South Sydney an 18 point lead.

Parramatta began a fightback with a try to Krisnan Inu off a Feleti Mateo bust; the game looked all but out of reach when Burt failed to convert the try. But some exciting play saw Parramatta almost put on another just a minute later, but the video referee ruled it to have been knocked on.

Parramatta did cross the whitewash again in the eightieth minute; where Mateo muscled over to slam dunk a try into the turf. This was all too little too late for the Blue and Gold, with the siren sounding as Burt's conversion was sailing through to give South Sydney the game, with a 24-16 victory.

Match Details
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 defeated Parramatta Eels 16
National Rugby League - NRL - Round 25 - Friday August 27, 2010 7:35pm
Venue: ANZ Stadium
Referee: Ben Cummins and Matt Cecchin
Video Referee: Steve Clark
Touch Judges: David Abood and Steve Carrall
Crowd: 19908
Halftime: South Sydney Rabbitohs 0 Parramatta Eels 0

Leagueunlimited.com players of the match:
3 Points - Dave Taylor (1 Try)
2 Points - Justin Horo (1 Try)
1 Point - Chris Sandow (3 Conversions, 1 Penalty Goal)

South Sydney Rabbitohs (24)
Tries: Jaiman Lowe, Rhys Wesser, Dave Taylor, Issac Luke
Conversions: Chris Sandow (3/4)
Penalty Goals: Chris Sandow (1/1)

Parramatta Eels (16)
Tries: Feleti Mateo, Krisnan Inu, Justin Horo
Conversions: Luke Burt (2/3)

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary Welcome to ANZ Stadium for League Unlimited's coverage of this Round 25 clash between the Parramatta Eels and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. Both teams fighting with slim mathemetical chances of cracking into the finals.

TEAM NEWS: Eels and Rabbits with a superficial change each. South Sydney have Dave Tyrell starting the match with Dave Taylor moved to the bench. For the Eels, youngster Anthony Mitchell will start the game at hooker, pushing Matt Keating to the bench.
ANZ Stadium observing a moment silence for troops lost in Afghanistan during the month of August.
1 min: Souths kick off and we are underway.
2 min: PENALTY to South Sydney, markers not square, Souths find touch on the half way line.
VIDEO REFEREE for a possible South Sydney try.
3 min: NO TRY, Sam Burgess spills the ball inches away from the line.
5 min: South Sydney's last tackle option sees a bit of a spillathon in the Parramatta 20, but Luke Capewell deemd to be the first to knock the ball forward, to let the Eels off the hook.
7 min: Tahu puts a huge hit on Michael Crocker.
8 min: Eels finally have some footy in good field position, but Tahu passes a ball to Asotasi.
9 min: Anthony Mitchell ruled to have knocked on 12 metres ou from the Parramatta line.
10 min: Burgess going for the tryline again, but this time held up by solid Parra defence.
11 min: Triple knock on, but the first ruled to be off Parramatta hands.
12 min: Souths spending a lot of time in Parramatta territory, Tahu forced to push a Sandow kick dead for a line drop out.
13 min: Luke Burt puts on a huge 60m line dropout.
14 min: Burgess denied a try again, this time losing the ball in a tackle, 2 metres out from the Parramatta line.
16 min: Eels forced to kick from their 30 metre line, but a nice kick with a good bounce from Mortimer sees Parramatta's situation improved.
17 min: Dave Tyrell knocks on, and Jason Clark looks to be in some pain in backplay.
18 min: Rabbits' first interchange sees Dave Taylor injected into the game in the eighteenth minute.
19 min: PENALTY to Parramatta for putting the leg in, gives the Blue and Golds a great attacking opportunity in great field position.
20 min: FuiFui MoiMoi spills the ball in a Wesser tackle to let the Bunnies off the hook.
21 min: Michael Crocker with an incorrect play the ball hands the ball over to Parramatta.
22 min: Jarryd Hayne puts an anti climactic end to a solid Parramatta set, chasing a chip kick which ends up in the hands of Talanoa.
23 min: Sandow finishes the South Sydney set with a short kick right into the hands of Kris Keating.
24 min: PENALTY to South Sydney, who get their position advanced after some backchat from Parramatta.
26 min: Capewell tries a grubber, but Mateo grabs it right off the boot, makes a great bust and even offloads to himself.
27 min: Michael Crocker gives away a PENALTY to put Eels right on the attack.
28 min: Jarryd Hayne fumbles into the hands of Dylan Farrell.
29 min: Almost a 40/20 from the Bunnies, but the ball falls about a metre short of the 20.
30 min: Referee Ben Cummins calling errors each way, with scrums to each side in the space of 30 seconds.
31 min: Another error, this time Dave Taylor knocking the ball into Parramatta defence.
32 min: PENALTY to Parramatta for a late tackle from Taylor on Mortimer, giving Eels a great opportunity on the South Sydney line.
33 min: Timanah Tahu loses the ball after the tackle is completed to halt the Parra push to the South Sydney line.
34 min: Mateo leaving the field in some pain, looks to be his shoulder.
35 min: Luke Capewell pushes Joel Reddy outside the Western touchline, giving Souths another shot at the Parramatta line with a few minutes til the break.
37 min: Eels knock on about ten metres out from their line, putting the bunnies right on the attack.
38 min: Dave Taylor knocks on cold letting the Eels right off the hook.
39 min: Justin Horo puts on some kick, a great bounce almost caught Wesser napping, but he pushes the ball out to give a line drop out and Eels an opportunity to strike in the last minute of the half.
40 min: Eels fail to penetrate the South Sydney line and the hooter blows to conclude a scoreless half of football.
41 min: Luke Burt gets the second half underway off his boot.
42 min: Souths make a break down the Western touchline, but it comes to nothing with Hayne cleaning it up at the back.
43 min: PENALTY to South Sydney for Parra hands on the ball.
45 min: TRY
Rhys Wesser dummies and straight through some soft Parramatta defence. Conversion from Chris Sandow successful.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 6-0
46 min: Eels get hands on the ball to give Souths six again right on the Parramatta line.
VIDEO REFEREE for a possible South Sydney TRY.
47 min: NO TRY, after several looks, it goes to Ref's call. Issac Luke was held up on the Parramatta line, but Eels penalised for offside.
49 min: TRY
Another soft defensive effort on the Parramatta line, sees outstretched Jaiman Lowe hands put another try on for the Bunnies. Conversion from Chris Sandow successful.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 12-0
51 min: Noone in dummy half for Parramatta after a strong Hayne bust has the Eels surrender the ball to South Sydney with Sandow scooping it up.
52 min: Sandow has a field goal attempt, but skews it to the left.
52 min: PENALTY to Parramatta for a tackle over the horizontal.
53 min: PENALTY to Parramatta 10 metres out from the South Sydney line for a foot between the legs.
55 min: TRY
Some straight hard running from Justin Horo sees him put on the first points for the Eels, grounding it inches from the dead ball line. Conversion from Luke Burt successful.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 12-6
56 min: PENALTY against Matt Keating for a second effort on Colin Best.
57 min: PENALTY GOAL
South Sydney go for the two, and Sandow gets it between the sticks.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 14-6
58 min: Krisnan Inu kicks it out on the fly inviting South Sydney to attack the Parramatta try line.
60 min: TRY
Issac Luke makes a strong run at the Parramatta line to give South Sydney a lead of two converted tries. Conversion from Sandow unsuccessful.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 18-6
61 min: Penalty against Mateo for a flop, puts on a bit of biff after and goes on report. Probably should have been sent to the bin...
62 min: A forward pass halts a strong South Sydney surge at the Parramatta line.
64 min: PENALTY to Parramatta with Dave Taylor off side.
66 min: Parramatta have a real look at the South Sydney line, but it comes to nothing when a Hayne grubber bounces badly into South Sydney hands.
67 min: Tahu makes a BIG hit on Souths' Dave Tyrell, but hurt his cheekbone in the process yet he plays on.
68 min: Jamie Simpson's first play of the night sees him injure himself, but it does not hurt the bunnies when Eels kick the ball out on the fly.
VIDEO REFEREE for a possible South Sydney try.
70 min: TRY
Dave Taylor takes a Sandow bomb to streak over the line for Souths' forth. Sandow converts to reach one hundred points for the season.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-6
71 min: Double knock on off the kick off
72 min: Nathan Merrit knocks on into Timana Tahu to give Parramatta a chance to attack.
74 min: TRY
Mateo busts through and gets the ball on to Inu to score Parramatta's second of the match. Conversion from Luke Burt just missing.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-10
VIDEO REFEREE for a possible Parramatta try
75 min: NO TRY, Jarryd Hayne ruled to have knocked it forward off the Justin Horo kick to the line.
77 min: PENALTY to Parramatta to pull them away from their line.
78 min: Ben Smith passes the ball to South Sydney's Luke Capewell.
80 min: TRY
Mateo muscles over to slam dunk a try in the last minute. Conversion by Luke Burt successful.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-16
80 min: The fulltime hooter blows simultaneously with the ball going through the sticks, but it was too little too late, South Sydney take the game 24 - 16.