Penrith v South Sydney
Friday 30 August, 8:00pm
Penrith Park
(NRL 2021 Grand Final replay)
(While I was at) The 2024 Marananga Wine Show
The 2024 Marananga Wine Show was a great evening, held in a wonderful setting at Peter Lehmann Wines in Tanunda.
As I tasted several of the 120 wines on offer, Souths travelled out to Penrith to take on the three-time defending premiers, Penrith. Of course, the Riff’s 14-12 win over Souths at Lang Park in 2021 will remain the greatest South Sydney disappointment of the modern era. Adam Reynolds’ last game in the cardinal and myrtle. We sat in wonderful seats, on the 40m line, alongside Mick & Phil Coorey. Souths had beaten the Panthers in the Qualifying Final in Townsville two weeks earlier, 16-10. Blake Taaffe was Souths’ fullback during that finals series, replacing the suspended Latrell. We stayed after fulltime to wave goodbye to Reyno. Mick & Phil Coorey were already on their way to the exit before the fulltime hooted had finished sounding!
One of the great anecdotes in Andrew Webster’s ‘who is the real Wayne Bennett?’ book ‘The Wolf You Feed’ concerns the super coach not travelling back to the Gold Coast after the Grand Final with the team. Football manager Mark Ellison was left to pick up the pieces and address the team, a scenario ‘Ello’ described to Webster as ‘disappointing’.
Wayne’s South Sydney chapter was over, and he was back to the farm. Unsure if Wayne has built a bridge over that grand final loss? I know I have not and never will.
There was precious little to write home about as 15th played 4th last Friday night. Young gun Tyrone Munro had endured much grief during the week, including the passing of his mother. In a remarkable display, Munro scored both of Souths tries, including a long-range intercept in the second half.
Two tries just after halftime, both down the same wing, again exposed Souths’ defensive frailties. No sugar coating this: 16 losses now for the 2024 season, after being premiership favourites after Round 11 last year, and the ninth time Souths conceded 30+ points in 2024.
As Cooper Cronk remarked in commentary: “The passive defensive line of South Sydney to start the second half is alarming.”
Penrith Park is never an easy venue for visiting teams. A staggering ‘forward pass’ decision in the second half left thousands of punters shaking their heads. Not long after, Keon Koloamatangi was sent to the sin bin. No doubt at this point Andrew Moore would have screamed ‘game, set, bingo!’
Souths slumped to their 16th loss of the season. Wayne has a huge task in front of him in 2025. Let’s hope he’s bringing a strong wheelbarrow!
Round 27 sees the return match of the Ron Coote Cup. The Sombrero won the first leg 48-6 in Round 3. This is the 233rd match between the two neighbouring clubs since 1908. At present the ledger is: Souths wins 120, Eastern Suburbs 107.
Thomas Burgess and Damien Cook play their last games in the red and green.
Half time: Penrith 18-6
FULL TIME: Penrith 34 d South Sydney 12
Souths points: tries (2) Munro 33’, 53’ Goals: Myers 2/3
Sin bin: Koloamatangi 68’
Penalties: Penrith 11-10
Souths team list: Gray, Munro, Milne, Myers, Wighton, Cody, Moale, Cook, Keppie, Koloamatangi, Duncan, Host. bench: Mamouzelos, Havili, Burgess, S Mitchell.
The Clive Churchill-Sam Burgess-Mario Fenech inspirational play(er):
Tyrone Munro.
The Phil Blake chip n chase best attacking momen:
Tyrone Munro’s intercept try.
The Rampling brothers-Les Davidson-Ian Roberts tackle of the match:
Liam Le Blanc’s tackle on Liam Henry.
Crowd: 20, 176.
“Highlights”:
NRL 2024 | Panthers v Rabbitohs | Match Highlights (youtube.com)
Press conference:
Souths rally around young star amid heartbreaking loss | Rabbitohs Press Conference – YouTube
R.I.T.V. Player of the year points:
3- Munro, 2- Moale, 1 – Gray
Progressive:
Murray 20, Wighton and Gray 16, Cook 14, Koloamatangi 12, Moale 11, Burgess 9, Duncan 8, Latrell 7, Arrow 5, Gagai 4, Hawkins & Munro 3, Havili & Cody 2, Myers, S Mitchell andMilne 1.
BAROSSA VALLEY RED WINE OF THE WEEK:
My favourite tasting at the Marananga Wine Show: Whistler 2021 Growers Reserve Shiraz – at $150.00 a bottle, just outside my price range!
2021 The Grape Growers Reserve Shiraz || Whistler Wines
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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It’s a no brainer, RITV – the wine show wins every time! We’ll commiserate together in a couple of weeks.
We were on the 10 metre line (south west corner). Either cheaper seats or we booked late. I remember expecting to lose and being, as a result, less stunned or stung when the interceot try robbed us.
It was, at least, a moment to savour given the pandemic and to have a final in a true football stadium and outside Sin City.
Graeme – 2021 was a case of so near, and yet so far. The 16-10 win over the Riff in Townsville was one of Souths’ best – Reynolds’ last game for the club, Bennett finished then off to the Phins …
Souths in a GF, rather than bowing out in a prelim … again
The Cody intercept pass: we had a great view of the turning point: my wife, who is not an NRL fan, was in the seat beside me … I put my face into my hands, and Mrs Hansen said to me, her hand on my knee “I’m sorry, dear” – she knew!!
Apart from the player of the match game in Origin 3 last year, I really do not think Cody has contributed too much on a consistent basis since … many hard-core Souths fans would disagree, and that’s fine