Red Hot Rabbitohs

Embed from Getty Images

St George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs

The Dragons looked the better attacking unit for most of the match, but poor goalkicking was the difference as the Bunnies came from behind to snare a tight victory in the dying stages of the game.

The Bunnies very nearly opened the scoring in the sixth minute when Peter Mamouzelos, 10 metres from the Dragons line and on the last tackle, grubbered for himself. The ball evaded Damien Cook in the Dragons in-goal before the ball was fumbled every which way and eventually went dead.

Souths did open the scoring just 2 minutes later though when Jye Gray grubbered for his outside man, but a Dragons defender partially blocked it. Gray attempted to clean up but failed to do so because of the interference from Lachlan Ilias. The Bunker awarded a penalty try. Jamie Humphreys converted from in front.

The Dragons responded 4 minutes later through some second phase play after Jack De Belin somehow got a ball away as he was falling in a tackle. The Souths defence stopped moving. Clint Gutherson got the ball and threw a nice cut-out pass to Tyrell Sloan, who raced around the defence and scored in the corner. Valentine Holmes failed to convert from the right sideline.

Mamouzelos responded in the 21st minute when he dived over from dummy half to score under the posts. Humphreys added the extras.

Just as before, the Dragons responded almost immediately. This time they strung together a bunch of passes on their right side along to Gutherson, who sent a good ball out to Moses Suli and he unselfishly dishes it to Sloan, who scores his second try. Holmes fails to convert from the right sideline again.

The Dragons levelled the scores in the 32nd minute when a shallow chip by Ilias was caught by Hamish Stewart, who offloaded off the deck. The ball comes off a Souths defender and rolled into the Bunnies in-goal where Kyle Flanagan fell on it for a try. Holmes converted from in front to give his side the lead.

Just on halftime, Holmes had a casual crack at field goal from halfway, but it was well off the mark. Dragons lead 14-12 at the break.

The Dragons came out of the sheds firing scoring just 5 minutes after play resumed when Gutherson wrapped around and put Christian Tuipulotu into space. The big winger raced 35 metres before getting a great ball inside to Flanagan, who stepped inside the defender to improve the position, scoring near the posts. Holmes converted.

Gutherson then sent Tuipilotu in for an easy try in the left corner, which Holmes failed to convert.

Cody Walker sparked the Bunnies fightback though, when he barged over in the 55th minute. Humphreys added the extras.

Nine minutes from full time, Sean Keppie took a crash ball close to the Dragons line and the defence offered little resistance as he barged over to score. Humphreys converted to level the scores.

With 5 minutes remaining in the game, Humphreys calmly potted a field goal, that nobody from either side appeared to expect. The Bunnies held on to win the game 25-24.