South Sydney v Dolphins
Redcliffe Stadium
Thursday 11 July, 8pm
I had not seen Souths ‘in the flesh’ since early 2022.
I decided against a trip to Sydney for Indigenous Round earlier in the season, with the professional development Origin trip to Melbourne a worthy rugby league ‘fix’.
South Australian school holidays meant the Bunnies were in Brisvegas to play the Dolphins while I was in the north for a few days of various projects.
The Wayne Bennett Cup sold out early, however my younger daughter weaved some magic to secure two tickets in the main grandstand at Dolphin Oval.
Thursday night on the peninsula was a great setting for this clash of 6th v 13th.
Latrell was unavailable, injured and out of the Origin decider; Cam Murray in Origin camp … meaning Cody was both captain and first choice goal-kicker (see: The Quote)
The rowdy crowd of 10, 023 greeted the away team in the traditional, warm way!
Souths fell into old habits – conceding 30+ points, with the Phins forwards proving a handful to contain, along with the speed of Farnworth, Bostock and Fuller out wide.
As Braydon Burns did for the Cowboys earlier in the season, Cody Nikorima dived over for a try against (one of) his former clubs. Pangai-Junior was a handful for the Souths defence.
The contest ended up six tries apiece, however Souths were always chasing the game. The two goals from six attempts was quite rightly a talking point post-game, with several attempts not of first grade standard.
Jacob Gagai, who scored in Round 1 in Vegas, continued his splendid recent try -coring form with a hat trick, whilst Alex Johnston’s double moved him to 193 NRL ties.
The iron man Jai Arrow played his last game for the season before surgery on his birthday. Souths will miss his competitiveness. Jai’s feedback to Milne after the centre’s infamous bombed try sums up Arrow’s standards.
The Clive Churchill-George Piggins-Mario Fenech inspirational play (er) of the match:
Salute to Jai Arrow – who has played his last game of the season – played ‘busted’ for weeks,
The Phil Blake chip n chase best attacking moment:
Gagai’s second try – off a scrum, with Souths second choice fullback Jye Gray showing some of his speed, before handing off to Gagai for a straightforward four points.
The Rampling Brothers-Ian Roberts-Les Davidson tackle of the match:
Jye Gray saved two tries in the first half, one in the in goal, the other a cover tackle effort on the Dolphins dynamic fullback Fuller.
The Quote:
From the stand in captain, Cody (207 NRL games)
“You probably underestimate the importance of goal kicking”
Full time: Dolphins 36 defeated South Sydney 28
Souths points: tries (6) Gray 10’, Gagai 22’, 58’, Johnston 64, 74’ Gagai 79’. goals: Walker 11’, Milne 74’ (2 from 6)
Alex Johnston try tally: 193 (Ken Irvine 212)
Souths line up: Gray, Johnston, Milne, Kennar, Gagai, Wighton, Cody, Moale, Cook, Keppie, Chee Kam, Arrow, Koloamatangi, bench: Mamouzelos, Duncan, Burgess, Le Blanc
Next games: Tigers (Gosford), Canberra (A), Sharks (A), Storm (H), Tigers (A), Knights (H), Penrith (A), Roosters (H)
Highlights:
NRL 2024 | Dolphins v Rabbitohs | Match Highlights – YouTube
Press conference:
Rabbitohs: Round 19 | Watch (nrl.com)
RITV player of the year points:
Jai Arrow 3, Jye Gray 2, Jacob Gagai 1.
Progressive:
Wighton 14, Murray & Koloamatangi 11, Cook and Burgess 9, Latrell 7, Gray, Cook and Duncan 6, Arrow 5, Gagai and Latrell 4, Moale and Hawkins, 3 Havili, 2. S Mitchell and Milne 1.
BAROSSA RED WINE OF THE WEEK:
Grant Burge Barossa 2016 Filsell Old Vine Shiraz:
Grant Burge Filsell Limited Edition Shiraz 2021 (grantburgewines.com.au)
Imbibed as a toast to Lachlan Kennedy, Olympian, Australian 4 x 100m squad.
Lachlan Kennedy | Australian Olympic Committee (olympics.com.au)
Russel Hansen, South Sydney football club diamond member 6199, lives in Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia. His golden retriever, Murray, is named after the South Sydney captain. Twitter/X: @Rabbit in the Vineyard @Russel_Hansen
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About Russel Hansen
Russel Hansen Has worked in schools for over thirty years – as a teacher, coach, coach educator, sports coordinator and in pastoral care roles. Whilst at Brisbane Boys’ College as Director of Athletics, he led teams to six GPS premierships in track and field, and cross country. He has coached (athletics) at all levels from school to international. His squad at the University of Queensland (to January 2023) included Lachlan Kennedy OLY, Paris 4x100m relay runner, Australian record holder. He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters. Twitter: @Russel_Hansen
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Russel, congratulations on playing a part in the athletics career of young Lachlan. Well worth a toast indeed!
Your Bunnies and my Broncos are both locked in a dire struggle to keep in touch with the top 8, desperately hoping that some of those above will falter. I can’t see enough of them falling over to allow either of us in.
Love Cody’s quote!