Stadium Australia
Sat Sep 1, 5:30pm
LOSS 12-26
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have secured a top eight finals position with the Newcastle Knights defeating the Wests Tigers at Telstra Stadium tonight (Friday). The Knights' Kurt Gidley put weeks of turmoil behind his Club to secure an 80th minute victory over the Wests Tigers, thus locking them out of top eight contention, and securing a 26-24 victory for Newcastle, who came from 24-12 behind with 10 min to go to win the game in the dying seconds.
On the night, the Rabbitohs missed a chance at a possible top four spot tonight losing 26-12 to arch-rivals the Roosters at Telstra Stadium. Souths’ first finals appearance in 18 years was secured last night when the Knights defeated the Tigers but the Rabbitohs were unable to force their way further up the NRL ladder in going down to the Roosters. In front of 32,126 fans the Roosters led 10-0 after 10 minutes on the back of tries to Joel Monaghan and Braith Anasta. Monaghan’s try came in just the fourth minute after Paul Mellor dropped a Braith Anasta cross-kick and the Roosters three-quarter scooped it up to score. Anasta then crossed for the Roosters second try on an angle from first receiver five minutes later. After that blitzkreig opening the Roosters continued to dominate the Rabbitohs for most of the half. That dominance allowed Roosters winger Amos Roberts to claim two tries in the last five minutes of the first half and the visitors headed to the break with an 18-0 lead. The first was from a chip and chase, the second from an Anthony Tupou offload. The closest the Rabbitohs came to scoring in the first half was when Shane Rigon was held up in the 22nd minute after trying to dive over from dummy half. The Rabbitohs lifted their intensity in the second half but their attack continued to misfire. Craig Fitzgibbon put the Roosters further ahead in the 62nd minute with a penalty goal to stretch the lead to 20-0. Redfern bound utility Craig Wing then sealed the Roosters win when he went on a 25m dash from dummy half to extend the lead to 24-0 and when Fitzgibbon added the extras the Roosters led 26-0 after 68 minutes. It took until the 71st minute for the Rabbitohs to score their first try when Fetuli Talanoa crossed and Joe Williams converted for a 26-6 scoreline. Rigon then successfully forced his way over from dummy half five minutes later and Williams again converted for a 26-12 scoreline and that was the way things stayed for the remained of the contest. The last ten minutes though were not without incident. Rabbitohs back rowers David Fa'alogo was sin-binned for striking Anasta in the 69th minute before Anasta was sin-binned himself in the 79th minute for striking Jeremy Smith. Rabbitohs coach Jason Taylor said his team failed to match the Roosters early and that trend continue for much of the match. “We didn’t have any energy early,” Taylor said. “The Roosters were up for it early and the disappointing part was we knew they were going to throw everything at us. I don’t think it was the fact that we were already in the finals played a part in our performance. I think it was more last week against the Tigers, we just thought all we had to do this week was turn up and we would win. But in the NRL as soon as you starting thinking like that you will get beaten.”
We now take on Manly in our first Semifinal in 18 years.
4 min 0-6
10 min 0-12
35 min 0-14
39 min 0-18
62 min 0-20
66 min 0-26
71 min 6-26
76 min 12-26
Talanoa, Rigon tries
Williams 2 goals
10 Sin Bin Fa'alogo, David 79 min Striking
Crowd 32,126
Referee B.Cummins
Penalities 9-7
Scrums 8-4
Min Tac Pe MT LB HU DR m Er OL K
Talanoa 80 - - 2 1 24 4 195 2 4 -
Hegarty 80 5 - 1 - 12 6 55 - 3 1
Vagana 80 16 - 2 - 9 5 61 - 1 -
Gordon 80 13 - 1 - 11 4 69 - 1 -
Mellor 80 5 1 - - 13 4 109 1 2 -
Williams 80 9 1 4 - 5 - 29 1 - 8
Smith 80 18 1 5 - 6 - 32 1 1 6
Cusack(c) 51 25 - 4 - 13 - 95 - - -
Rigon 50 29 2 - 1 6 5 36 - - -
Asotasi(c) 56 22 - 7 - 21 - 153 - 5 -
Sutton 60 20 - 1 - 10 1 75 3 2 -
Faalogo 41 25 1 5 - 15 - 114 1 - -
Rogers 47 13 - 1 - 6 - 44 1 2 -
Luke 30 9 - 1 - 6 2 44 - - 1
Widders 53 20 - 3 - 5 - 35 - - 2
Stuart 37 21 1 - - 12 - 78 - - -
Greenfield 45 27 - 5 - 13 - 97 1 4 -
TOTAL 277 7 42 2 11 25 18
Completion Rate - 32/41
Other FG Matches
38-32 Town Nth Qld b Bulldogs
26-24 StAu Newcastle b Wests-Tig
24-20 Penr Warriors b Penrith
22-12 Canb Cronulla b Canberra
28-24 Brok Manly b St Geo-Ill
68-22 Parr Parramatta b Brisbane
50-6 Olym Melbourne b Gold Coast
W D L B Diff PT
MELBOURNE 21 0 3 1 +350 44
MANLY 18 0 6 1 +230 36
NTH QLD 15 0 9 1 -71 32
WARRIORS 13 1 10 1 +150 29
PARRAMATTA 13 0 11 1 +92 28
BULLDOGS 12 0 12 1 +47 26
SOUTHS 12 0 12 1 +9 26
BRISBANE 11 0 12 1 +35 24
Wests-Tig 11 0 13 1 -20 24
Sydney 10 1 13 1 -165 23
Cronulla 10 0 14 1 +60 22
Gold Coast 10 0 14 1 -150 22
St Geo-Ill 9 0 15 1 -78 20
Canberra 9 0 15 1 -130 20
Newcastle 9 0 15 1 -286 20
Penrith 8 0 16 1 -68 18
Judiciary News
Rabbitohs back-rower David Fa’alogo has been charged with grade four striking by the NRL match review committee today. The New Zealand international was charged over an incident in the 69th minute of the Rabbitohs 26-12 loss to the Roosters on Saturday night. The base penalty for the charge is 425 points but receives a 50 per cent loading because Fa’alogo has been charged with a similar offence in the last two years. The charge carries 478 points for an early guilty plea (100 points = one game suspension). If Fa’alogo fights the charge and is found guilty he will receive 637 points. Fa’alogo has 93 carry over points to be added to any charge. The Rabbitohs have decided to contest the charge, pleading not guilty.
Rabbitohs backrower David Fa'alogo has been found guilty of grade four striking by the NRL judiciary tonight. Fa'alogo received 730 points which means he is suspended for seven matches and will miss Saturday night's qualifying final against Manly, any further semi final matches, NZ test match and 2 trials.
South Sydney said David Fa'alogo was disorientated when he king hit Braith Anasta, while a leading cardiologist has warned it is only a matter of time before a player dies as the result of a grapple tackle following a landmark night at the NRL judiciary. South Sydney called in Dr Chris Semsarin as an expert witness in a what was ultimately an unsuccessful bid to clear second rower David Fa'alogo of a striking charge. Fa'alogo's defence for his king hit on Sydney Roosters pivot Braith Anasta was based on the fact he had suffered acute brain hypoxia as a result of a grapple tackle in the lead-up. It was argued Fa'alogo was left short of breath due to the compression of Anasta's arm around his throat and as a result did not know what he was doing when he hit the Roosters No.6. Semsarin said he filed a report after attending Saturday night's clash between the Rabbitohs and Roosters with his son. "My main concern is that this is going to end up with somebody dying before something is done about it, that was the motivation for me," said Semsarin, a leading cardiologist at Sydney's Royal Prince Alfred Hospital. "This weak word of grapple is hopeless and it really needs to be replaced by words like strangulation, asphyxiation, suffocation, choking because they're the real medical terms that describe when someone puts their hand around someone's neck." Souths chief executive Shane Richardson conceded he understood why the judiciary panel of Royce Ayliffe, Bob Lindner and Darrell Williams found Fa'alogo guilty, the image of a player punching another not one the NRL would want to promote. "I'm not trying to justify what (Fa'alogo) did because our argument wasn't that it was a retaliation, it was that he was completely disorientated from it," Richardson said. "What we've got to do is get out of the game grabbing people around the necks." Following the handing down of the sentence, judiciary chairman Greg Woods said he would pass on the recommendations from Semsarin's report to NRL boss David Gallop. Fa'alogo did not speak after the hearing and will now miss the Rabbitohs first finals campaign since 1989.
Fa'alogo Suspension Internationals Don't Count
Reserve Grade - NSW Premier League - Round 25
v Bulldogs, North Sydney Oval, Friday Aug 31 7:00pm
WIN 34-6
SOUTH Sydney veteran David Peachey hasn't given up on a fairytale finish to his career despite the heartbreak of being overlooked for a rookie fullback on the eve of the finals. Not even a season-ending knee injury to first-choice fullback Nathan Merritt was enough to earn 33-year-old Peachey a reprieve for Saturday night's momentous derby against the Sydney Roosters. Instead, Souths coach Jason Taylor has gambled on 19-year-old Fetuli Talanoa to start an NRL game in the No.1 shirt for the first time as the Rabbitohs shoot for a historic finals berth. "JT rang me and as head coach it's his decision. I've just got to run with it,'' Peachey said. "If (a recall) happens, it happens. If not, I can live with that." While Talanoa is better known in the premiership as a winger, he was so impressive in the fullback's role for Tonga last season that he received instant offers from two European Super League clubs which were unaware he was contracted to Souths. Former Australian Test star Shannon Hegarty comes into the Souths side on the wing for the clash with the Roosters at Telstra Stadium. Peachey said: "Souths brought him (Talanoa) in last year and he's come along in leaps and bounds. As you know, rugby league is about opportunities. JT's given him one so he's definitely got to grab it with two hands." And if he falters, Peachey - a former Country, NSW and Australian custodian - will be waiting in the wings. "Nathe won't be back this year, so I've heard,'' Peachey added. Peachey will turn out for feeder team North Sydney against the Bulldogs at North Sydney Oval on Friday night. "I've enjoyed (playing Premier League) immensely,'' he said of his time with the Bears. "The young blokes we've got there are a heap of fun. I'm having fun."
Canterbury had a lot of possession in the first period of the match. Penalties were going their way and the Bears were making a few errors. Norths ability to withstand the pressure was fantastic. The goal line defence was superb. Canterbury did manage to crack it once when Andrew Emelio scored for them. About 5 minutes after that North Sydney levelled when David Peachey made a good run to score and Eddie Paea converted. We were leading 10-6 by halftime after Eddie Paea put up a bomb, which Canterbury failed to take with David Peachey putting a lot of pressure on, and Greg Nichols got the ball and scored. David Peachey scored the first two tries of the second half running into holes. They could have been set plays. Peachey was involved again when he made a break to get the Bears in good field position. Then Beau Champion broke through and he had enough pace to score. Eddie Paea was next to score with a great solo try, pushing away from some defenders. The final try was scored when Jardine Bobongie put Ben Lowe through.
0-6
6-6
10-6
16-6
22-6
26-6
30-6
34-6
Peachey 3, Nichols, Champion, Paea, B.Lowe tries
Paea 3 goals
Final Line Up
T G/A FG
Flbk - Peachey, David 3 - -
Wing - Simmonds, Reece - - -
Cntr - Paulson, Germaine - - -
Cntr - Nichols, Greg 1 - -
Wing - Boston, Troy - - -
5/8 - Champion, Beau 1 - -
Half - Paea, Eddie 1 3/7 -
Prop - Manuokafoa, Manese - - -
Hook - Irvine, Daniel - - -
Prop - Lowe, Jamian - - -
SRow - McPherson, Shannon - - -
SRow - Pettybourne, Eddy - - -
Lock - Lowe, Ben 1 - -
Int - Bobongie, Jardine - - -
Int - Ta'akimoeaka, Conrad - - -
Int - Verlinden, Ryan - - -
Int - Falemaka, Joe - - -
7 3/7 -
Other Reserve Grade Matches
48-6 Bruc Canberra b Cronulla
38-18 Penr Penrith b Auckland
30-25 Leic Balmain-Ryde b Parramatta
40-20 Leic Newcastle b Wests
38-12 Brok Manly b St Geo-Ill
W D L B Diff PT
BULLDOGS 15 0 7 3 +4 36
PENRITH 14 0 8 3 +201 34
BALM-RYDE 13 1 8 3 +51 33
NEWCASTLE 13 1 8 3 +37 33
NORTHS 13 0 9 3 +102 32
CANBERRA 12 0 10 3 +152 30
PARRAMATTA 11 1 10 3 +89 29
ST GEO-ILL 10 2 10 3 +4 28
Manly 9 1 12 3 -24 25
Auckland 9 0 13 3 -128 24
Newtown 7 2 13 3 -24 22
Cronulla 8 0 14 3 -110 22
Wests 5 0 17 3 -382 16
NSWRL Jersey Flegg - Under 20's - Round 25
v Central Coast Storm, Stadium Australia, 3:35pm
WIN 36-24
The Souths Juniors Jersey Flegg side defeated the Central Coast 36-24 at Telstra Stadium today in the curtain raiser to the Rabbitohs v Roosters round 25 NRL clash. The win helped Souths Juniors into the final eight, ensuring all three of the Rabbitohs grade sides will play in the finals this season. In a fiery encounter Souths Juniors scored six tries to four to secure their 10th win of the year. At one stage both teams were reduced to 11 men after a massive all in brawl. Both teams had one man sent off and one man in the sin bin. Trotter was the man sent off from Souths.
Souths Juniors and Central Coast players turned on a wild melee during their Jersey Flegg curtain-raiser at Telstra Stadium last Saturday afternoon. Hostilities erupted near halfway and spilled over the dead-ball line as players, reserves and trainers rushed in. Punches were traded for over a minute. Trent Trotter running at least 30 metres to throw punches. Later charged with a grade four striking charge and suspended for three weeks, Trotter was one of six players outed as a result of the fight. All players took the early plea. The suspensions were -
Trent Trotter 3 weeks Ray Tafokitau 3 weeks Richie Barrett 2 weeks Jason Clark 2 weeks Joseph Matapuku 2 weeks Jarrett Douglas 1 week
6-0
12-0
18-0
24-0
24-6
24-12
30-18
30-24
36-24
Nathan 3, Tafokitau, Powell, Joseph tries
Coleman 6 goals
Other U20 Matches
28-18 StAu Newcastle b Wests
26-22 Bruc Canberra b Cronulla
38-12 NSO Bulldogs b Norths
12-10 Parr Parramatta b Balmain
W D L B Diff PT
PENRITH 19 1 2 3 +303 45
CANTERBURY 15 2 5 3 +248 38
PARRAMATTA 15 1 6 3 +204 37
CANBERRA 14 2 6 3 +104 36
BALMAIN 13 2 7 3 +81 34
NEWCASTLE 10 0 11 3 +92 28
MANLY 10 2 10 3 +8 28
SOUTHS 10 1 11 3 -79 27
Wests 10 0 12 3 +13 26
Cronulla 6 1 15 3 -45 19
Sydney 6 0 16 3 -219 18
Norths 5 0 17 3 -330 16
C Coast 3 0 19 3 -380 12