NRL Round 19 – South Sydney v Canterbury: Deja Vu Kogarah

 

 

 

 

Rabbit in the Vineyard: 2023 NRL Round 19

 

South Sydney DRLFC v Canterbury-Bankstown,
Olympic Stadium, Homebush,
Saturday 8 July, 7:30pm

 

DEJA VU – KOGARAH

 

Another windy day in the Barossa, perfect weather for the sampling of the pie of the season front runner The Angaston.

The South Sydney team list bore little resemblance to that of the emphatic last start win over the Warriors in New Zealand.

This match, given Souths recent record, four losses from the last six games, conceding 30+ points each loss, alongside 13 of the top 30 players unavailable, had danger-game written all over it.

Saturday night at Homebush, Origin 3 this Wednesday night, the Dogs coming off a 0-66 shellacking last week, a new halfback from the Gold Coast Toby Sexton, on debut for the Dogs.

Seventh placed Souths versus fifteenth placed Canterbury, the Dogs had been lapped by Newcastle the previous Sunday.

Thomas Burgess had the honour of captaining the team. The man mountain drove over beside the posts for the opening points of the match in only the fifth minute.

Taane Milne was sin-binned, the Dogs, the team unable to score a point versus the Knights last week, took advantage, and by half time, Souths had already conceded four tries, including a double to winger Wilson, to trail 12-24.

The game ended six tries each, with Souths mounting a late, but ultimately fruitless fightback … ah la the Kogarah Round 15 debacle against the last placed Dragons.

Late tries to Taaffe, Munro and Duncan made for an exciting finish. Tallis Duncan’s try was spectacular, with the youngster showing pace to score beside the posts in the 78^th minute.

The unsigned Blake Taaffe again played out of his skin, making for an interesting selection conundrum for Souths next game after the bye.

We face the top of the ladder Broncos on Friday week, on the Sunshine Coast, with Latrell (apparently) finally available for another comeback, after injuring that famous calf before Origin 1, calf being the muscle in his lower leg, as opposed to the livestock on his Taree property, incidentally a common interest with coach Wayne Bennett.

Taaffe, the 2021 Grand Final fullback when Latrell was suspended, on form, does not deserve to be dropped.

Souths will have many big names available for the trip to the promised land of Queensland.

That is wonderful news for all Souths members, because after leading the competition after Round 11, we now sit in eighth position, following two wins from our last seven games.

To say the NRL table is congested would be akin to stating that Freddy Fittler and Brandy Alexander are under pressure as the NSW Origin brains trust.

Only time will tell – Souths have now dropped games against bottom of the table teams in the Bulldogs and Illawarra-St George and have teams like the North Queensland Cowboys on the edge of the eight, breathing down their necks.

Actions will speak louder than words at the Sunshine Coast on Friday week, before Souths start a three week odyssey with games versus the Tigers in Tamworth, the Sharks in Perth, then the Dragons in Cairns!

Then follows an away game in Newcastle in Round 25 then a much needed bye, before, finally a game in Sydney versus the Sombrero Roosters to wrap up the home and away season.

 

The Mario Fenech-George Piggins inspirational play of the day: Tallis Duncan’s 78^th minute try, from deep inside our own half, a 90m try from the kick off after the Munro try. The young man handled twice in the movement and showed a clean pair of heels to outpace the Dogs’ cover defence. A young player of immense promise.

The Michael Andrews work rate award:  The underrated Savila Havili. He started at hooker but played like an extra running forward. Have I said before how much we missed him in the preliminary final last year against Penrith? He was a huge loss.

The Phil Blake ‘chip n chase’ best attacking moment: Through the defensive issues on the night, two Souths young guns scored doubles: Man of the match Blake Taaffe, and Tyrone Munro, in his second NRL appearance. A four-way tie celebration of these moments, given the return of our defensive woes.

 

 

Full time: Canterbury-Bankstown 36 defeated South Sydney DRLFC 32.

South Sydney’s points: tries – Burgess 5’, Munro 19’, Taaffe 59’, Taaffe 67’, Munro 77’ Duncan 78’. Goals: Taaffe 3, Hawkins 1. Half time: Canterbury-Bankstown 24-12 

 

Highlights

 

 

Round 15 R.I.T.V. player of the year points:

3- Blake Taaffe

2- Salivi Havili

1 – Junior Tetola

 

PROGRESSIVE R.I.T.V. PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS – LEADER BOARD:

11: Campbell Graham  

10: Hame Sele, Cody Walker and Keon Koloamatungi

9: Blake Taaffe and Junior Tetola

8: Latrell Mitchell

6: Lachlan Ilias

5: Thomas Burgess

4: Damien Cook, Jai Arrow, Davvy Moale

3: Cameron Murray, Alex Johnston and Isaiah Tass

2: Savili Havili, and Taane Milne

1: Tyrone Munro and Shaqai Mitchell

 

 

 

The Rabbit in the Vineyard, Nuriootpa, Barossa Valley, South Australia

 

 

Read more from The Rabbit in the Vineyard HERE.

 

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 at all levels from school to international, most recently coaching a lad to the Australian U/20 4x100m relay squad for the 2022 world U/20 championships.

He is married to Heidi, a Primary school principal, and is father to two adult daughters.  

 

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