Souths and referee implode
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There would have been one thought emanating through the minds of every South Sydney fan after tonight’s horror show against the Roosters.
Thank goodness the Wests Tigers lost.
Souths will enter the NRL finals on the back of a dreadful 26-12 loss. A score which is actually kind to the finals bound team. The Rabbitohs were flat, on a night where they could have pressed their claims for an unlikely top four spot.
Making matters worse, David Fa’alogo will almost certainly have a date with the judiciary, after objecting to what he thought was a grapple tackle from Braith Anasta in the 68th minute. Fa’alogo got up and punched the Roosters five eighth fair in the mouth, with the Souths forward inexplicably sent to the sin bin. Foul play is not a sin-bin offence and it was remarkable that Fa’alogo was not immediately sent off. Fox Sports commentator Laurie Daley immediately condemned Fa’alogo to a heavy suspension.
“He won’t be playing a part in the finals.”
Despite Fa’alogo being binned, referee Ben Cummins awarded Souths a penalty, sparking an incredible exchange between Cummins, Anasta and Roosters captain Craig Fitzgibbon. Click here to read it in full
Anasta was involved in another incident three minutes from fulltime, when Rabbitohs half Jeremy Smith reacted to what seemed like a legitimate tackle, pushing away Anasta with what could be construed as a punch.
The match itself was always in the Roosters keeping. Joel Monaghan scored the opening try in the fourth minute, when Souths winger Paul Mellor tipped a bomb to nobody, with the Roosters centre pouncing. That was compounded shortly after when Anasta burrowed his way through in the tenth minute.
The 10-nil lead was a warning sign, however it was the Roosters that maintained more enthusiasm. The visitors soaked up a wealth of pressure, before Amos Roberts scored twice just before half time.
A penalty goal in the 62nd minute extended the lead to twenty, and in a bitter irony, Craig Wing used his pace to scoot over the line and kill any chance of a Souths comeback.
The Bunnies picked up consolation tries to Fetuli Talanoa and Shane Rigon, but it failed to mask how inept Souths were in attack.
The incident between Fa’alogo and Anasta was the talking point after the game.
“I hope (Fa’alogo) doesn’t get suspended. I hope he gets to play finals,” said a generous Fitzgibbon on 2GB.
“I think we played our best footy tonight”, said the departing Monaghan on 2GB.
“We had a goal after last week, when we got dominated.”
The loss ensures that Souths will either play at Manly or Melbourne next week in sudden death final.
“Difficult, but not impossible,” said Souths skipper Roy Asotasi.
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