Souths show their quality in Cairns

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The match that was billed as the “Rumble at the Reef” in Cairns didn’t disappoint with fans witnessing a quality game with Souths scoring a 30-24 win in front of 16,118.

The opening half was the perfect example of quality football with both sides managing to outdo each other in the class stakes in what was an evenly matched opening 40 minutes.

South Sydney opened the scoring in just the 10th minute of the game with Greg Inglis showing his class to get over the line and after review from the Video Referees the Bunnies took a 6-0 lead.
The game was evenly poised after the points and from there the Titans were able to get the points from there on through Kevin Gordon and Albert Kelly to take the lead and move out to a 12-6 lead.
Souths managed to level the scores back up ten minutes from the break through Isaac Luke to get it back to 12 all.
However with what had already happened in the opening half fans knew that there was going to be more points and they were right with both sides managing to score with William Zillman for the Titans and Dylan Walker for Souths scoring tries, both were converted meaning that both sides went to the break at 18 points each.

The quality of play in the second half dropped massively at the beginning of the half with both sides making errors that would’ve made their coaches very angry it was South Sydney who were able to capitalise and score through Roy Asotasi after some good play from Adam Reynolds, Chris McQueen and Greg Inglis. The Rabbitohs again made the Titans pay for not being able to complete a set in the second half with Ben Te’o taking advantage of some poor defence to take the score out to 30-18.

As the game approached the hour mark the Titans were finally able to complete a set of six and once they held the ball they were able to score through Albert Kelly after it was the Rabbitohs who made an error close to their own line.

That was the last scoring play from either side in the match however Titans halfback Albert Kelly created massive problems for the Souths defence and was able to slide through many times but some lacklustre attack once they got close to the Souths line let them down.

Both sides would be pleased with their opening 40 minutes but the coaches focus will be on each sides performance in the second half.

Next weekend both sides will be without some key players due to origin, with the Souths taking on Parramatta at ANZ Stadium next Sunday afternoon meanwhile the Gold Coast take on the Melbourne Storm at Skilled Park on Monday night.

Match Details
South Sydney Rabbitohs 30 Gold Coast Titans 24
Venue: Barlow Park
Crowd: 16118
Halftime Score: 18 all

LeagueUnlimited.com Players of the Match:
3 points - Adam Reynolds
2 points - Albert Kelly
1 point - Chris McQueen

SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS (30)
Tries: Greg Inglis, Issac Luke, Dylan Walker, Roy Asotasi, Ben Te'o
Field Goals: Adam Reynolds (0/2)
Conversions: Adam Reynolds (5/5)
Penalty Goals:

GOLD COAST TITANS (24)
Tries: Kevin Gordon, Albert Kelly (2), William Zillman
Field Goals:
Conversions: Aidan Sezer (4/4)
Penalty Goals:

LeagueUnlimited.com Live Commentary

Rabbitohs: 1. Greg Inglis 2. Nathan Merritt 3. Bryson Goodwin 4. Dylan Walker 5. Andrew Everingham 6. John Sutton 7. Adam Reynolds 8. David Tyrrell 9. Issac Luke 10. Roy Asotasi 11. Chris McQueen 12. Ben Te'o 13. Sam Burgess
Interchange: 14. Luke Keary 15. Jeff Lima 16. Josh Starling 17. George Burgess

Titans: 1. William Zillman 2. Kevin Gordon 3. Brad Takairangi 4. Jamal Idris 5. Anthony Don 6. Aidan Sezer 7. Albert Kelly 8. Luke Bailey 9. Matt Srama 10. Nate Myles 11. Greg Bird 14. Dave Taylor 13. Ashley Harrison
Interchange: 15. Luke Douglas 16. Ryan James 17. Sam Irwin 18. Ben Ridge
Rugby league heads to tropical North Queensland today with the Rabbitohs and Titans facing off in Cairns. Barlow Park looking a picture ahead of this important clash. Both sides coming off the bye.
TEAM CHANGES -- Rabbitohs are 1-17 as per program, just the one change for the Titans with Mark Minichiello OUT, replaced by Dave Taylor in the second row. Ben Ridge keeps his bench spot as a result.
We're underway in Cairns, Titans with it first.
Both sides on the field in Cairns, Souths to kick off
1 min: Play underway with Titans to have the first posession
1 min: Poor kick to end the Titans first set, cleaned up by Nathan Merritt who passes it off to Greg Inglis
3 min: Adam Reynolds tries to put a 40/20 kick in but puts the ball about 5m over the sideline on the full, Titans with the scrum feed
4 min: PENALTY TITANS - Souths penalised for a player "flopping in" and being slow away
5 min: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Brad Takairangi makes an unforced error.
Takairangi drops the ball in a good attacking position for the Titans
7 min: PENALTY SOUTHS - Nate Myles penalised for a high tackle
9 min: VIDEO REFEREE - Checking a possible Greg Inglis try, checking whether there is a knock on in the lead up
10 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Greg Inglis. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Greg Inglis shows his class and with some good handling gets over the line
South Sydney Rabbitohs 6-0
12 min: Titans make another error in attacking position and with that Souths are able to get over halfway and deep into Titans territory
13 min: Kevin Gordon saves the day for the Titans, holding tight with possession while trying to be stripped, though does concede the dropout
13 min: VIDEO REFEREE - Checking a possible Sam Burgess TRY, Checking grounding, Referee Matt Cecchin says NO TRY
14 min: Video Referees spin up the NO TRY Rabbitohs, Burgess ruled to have knocked on, Titans with a scrum 10m out.
15 min: PENALTY TITANS - Souths penalised for being too slow away from the tackle
16 min: A good tackle by Isaac Luke on William Zillman gives George Burgess the ball who gets up towards halfway before being stripped by Dave Taylor with the ball going into touch
18 min: PENALTY SOUTHS - Titans penalised for being too slow away from the tackle, Penalty count now 2-2
19 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Sam Burgess makes an unforced error.
Sam Burgess for the second time drops the ball trying to ground the ball, Titans with the scrum feed 10m out
21 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Bryson Goodwin makes an unforced error.
Bryson Goodwin tries to offload the ball but does so into a titans defender, titans with the scrum feed 40m out
23 min: VIDEO REFEREE - Checking a possible Kevin Gordon try, checking onside and grounding, Referee Matt Cecchin has said TRY
23 min: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Kevin Gordon. Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
Kevin Gordon takes advantage of a perfect bounce from an Aidan Sezer kick, conversion from the sideline is good
6 all
24 min: PENALTY TITANS - South Sydney penalised for a strip with 2 in the tackle, replays suggest they could have been hard done by
27 min:
Greg Bird & Albert Kelly take advantage of some disinterested defence from Souths for Kelly to score under the posts
Gold Coast Titans 12-6
29 min: PENALTY SOUTHS - Titans penalised for being slow away from the ruck, Reynolds finds touch 30m out from the Titans line
30 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Issac Luke. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Isaac Luke pounces on an Adam Reynolds kick to score
12 all
35 min: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by William Zillman. Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
William Zillman breaks through the Souths defensive line and then does the rare thing of breaking out of a Greg Inglis tackle
Gold Coast Titans 18-12
35 min: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Ryan James makes an unforced error.
Ryan James makes an error inside his own half, Souths now in good attacking position
38 min: Greg Bird shows some amazing desperation to get the ball out of his own ingoal
38 min: Albert Kelly tries the chip and chase and comes off with Ryan James collecting the ball who then puts a kick in that is Collected by Souths
38 min: PENALTY SOUTHS - Titans penalised for being offside
40 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Dylan Walker. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Souths show some desperate play with just seconds left on the clock in the half, set up by some good play by Adam Reynolds
18 all
41 min: Titans & Rabbitohs back out on the park for the second half, Rabbitohs have first possession and get out to the halfway line
41 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
George Burgess makes an unforced error.
George Burgess drops the ball after being hammered in the tackle, Titans to get the scrum feed on halfway
42 min: PENALTY SOUTHS - Titans penalised for a strip after Jeff Lima loses possession
45 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Roy Asotasi. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Roy Asotasi scores for the Bunnies after a pinpoint kick from Adam Reynolds is taken in the air by Chris McQueen who shows good hands as does Greg Inglis who gets it to the tryscorer Roy Asotasi
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24-18
47 min: Souths on the attack again after Kevin Gordon tries to stop a possible 40/20 but goes into touch
49 min: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Luke Douglas makes an unforced error.
Luke Douglas tries to get a quick play the ball, Titans yet to complete a set in the opening 10 minutes of the second half
50 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Chris McQueen makes an unforced error.
Chris McQueen makes an error under a strong tackle, Titans with possession 10m out from their own line
51 min: UNFORCED ERROR GOLD COAST TITANS
Sam Irwin makes an unforced error.
Titans their own worst enemy at the moment, Sam Irwin loses the ball in a strong tackle from Isaac Luke
52 min: Adam Reynolds puts a kick across field that is taken by Andrew Everingham but he can't get the ball away and takes it touch ingoal
53 min: Souths coming out of their own end after the Titans make yet another error at least the positive for Titans fans its close to the Souths line this time
55 min: TRY SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Scored by Ben Te'o. Conversion attempt by Adam Reynolds successful.
Souths take advantage of the Titans poor opening to the second half, Te'o takes advantage of the gap in the Titans defensive line
South Sydney Rabbitohs 30-18
59 min: VIDEO REFEREE - Checking a possible Nathan Merritt try, checking whether Merritt knocked on or whether it was stripped, Referee Matt Cecchin says NO TRY
60 min: Video Referees need just one replay to agree with the call from Matt Cecchin, 20m restart for the Titans
62 min: UNFORCED ERROR SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Andrew Everingham makes an unforced error.
Andrew Everingham makes an error in the play the ball, Titans with it in attacking position
62 min: TRY GOLD COAST TITANS
Scored by Albert Kelly. Conversion attempt by Aidan Sezer successful.
The titans take the advantage from the Rabbitohs error to score out wide through Albert Kelly
South Sydney Rabbitohs 30-24
65 min: Albert Kelly splits through the defence and is finally brought down 30m out from the Souths line
65 min: PENALTY TITANS - Pressure continues to grow on Souths with Isaac Luke penalised for a strip after the Titans player was ruled to have been held
66 min: Titans make another error and Everingham cleans it up and gets 60m upfield
69 min: PENALTY TITANS - Souths penalised for being too slow away from the tackle, Titans find touch 40m out from their own line
70 min: PENALTY TITANS - Souths penalised for a blocker on the kick
70 min: Albert Kelly ends a bland set from the titans with a missile grubber kick that rebounds off the post that finds Inglis on the full
73 min: Crowd of 16,118 announced for the game here in Cairns, capacity was reported at 15,000 mid week
74 min: Titans take an unusual option for a team six points down needing points inside the final ten with the kick being a touch finder
74 min: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Field goal attempt by Adam Reynolds unsuccessful.
Adam Reynolds takes an attempt at Field Goal but misses badly
South Sydney Rabbitohs 30-24
76 min: Adam Reynolds puts a strong kick that forces William Zillman back to his own try line
77 min: Has Greg Inglis saved the Rabbitohs from having to go to golden point, with an amazing try saving tackle on Albert Kelly who throws the ball back infield and it goes over the dead ball line
78 min: UNSUCCESSFUL FIELD GOAL SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Field goal attempt by Adam Reynolds unsuccessful.
Adam Reynolds t7ries to put the margin out to 7 but misses, Titans with just the one last chance
South Sydney Rabbitohs 30-24
80 min: FULL TIME at Barlow Park in Cairns, South Sydney have won a quality match by 30-24, Titans players and fans would be disappointed with their sides opening 20 minutes of the second half, not completing a set in that time
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