NRL TEAMS - 2024 Round 4
3 days ago | LeagueUnlimited Media
A first half kicking masterclass from Adam Reynolds has lead the South Sydney Rabbitohs to a 41-22 victory over the New Zealand Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium tonight in front of 17409.
The home team looked the more likely early in the contest with repeated attacking raids on the Rabbitohs goal-line eventually resulting in a barge over try from centre Solomone Kata from dummy half in the 7th minute. Halfback Shaun Johnson kicked the conversion from out wide to give his team an early 6-0 advantage.
It would prove as close as the home team would get with a rare unforced error from back-rower Bodene Thompson from the ensuing set of six swinging the pendulum the Rabbitohs way.
Reynolds was quick to capitalize on the error laying a grubber in behind the line early in the tackle count for winger Alex Johnston to score in the corner. Reynolds then proceeded to land the sideline conversion and level the match at 6 a piece after ten minutes of play.
From here the Rabbitohs forwards lead by the Burgess Brothers laid a solid platform and Reynolds took full advantage with another grubber behind the line for centre Aaron Gray to cross in the 19th minute. Reynolds landed the extras to give his team a 12-6 lead.
A rare try scored through the hands in the 26th minute was the first of a double to English winger Joe Burgess after a long ball from fullback Greg Inglis and some quick hands from Gray set it up.
After scoring his first try in Rabbitohs colours, Burgess would cross for his double only five minutes later scooping up another grubber from Reynolds to touch down. Another conversion and a field-goal from Reynolds late in the half iced a perfect kicking performance and give his team what looked like a halftime score of 25-6.
The visitors weren't done yet though and laid on another try on the stroke of halftime through Inglis after John Sutton and Cody Walker came up with some nice offloads in the build-up.
The Warriors would need a big turnaround in the second half if they were to fight their way back into the contest and received a glimmer of hope when Kata snared an intercept and raced 70 metres to score his double. Johnson converted reducing the scores to 31-12.
The home team's hopes of a comeback would prove short lived when Rabbitohs centre Hymel Hunt crossed for a runaway try of his own in the 53rd minute. With Reynolds off the field with a hamstring injury, hooker Damien Cook took over the goal-kicking duties to send the lead back out to 25.
The Warriors did manage to lay on the try of the night moments later when Thompson offloaded to send Johnson drifting into the clear before linking up with Ryan Hoffman who along with Kata showed quick hands to send ‘The Beast' Manu Vatuvei over in the corner.
It was all to no avail though and an uninspiring final quarter resulted in two penalty goals to Cook and a consolation try to Warriors hooker Jazz Tevaga late in the contest.
The loss could prove season defining for the Warriors. They now sit outside the top eight and will need a massive turnaround in form heading to Townsville to tackle defending premiers North Queensland next Saturday night at 1300Smiles Stadium.
The Rabbitohs meanwhile will be sweating on the scans of Reynolds before facing a tough test of their own against the Cronulla Sharks at ANZ Stadium on a Monday night in nine days' time.
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