Canterbury-Bankstown v South Sydney DRLFC
Olympic Stadium, Homebush
Friday 7 April, 4:00pm
Latrell’s 150th NRL match. Talk during the week around the human headline’s first half involvement in recent weeks.
The Bulldogs were missing many players through injury.
Things were tense early on.
Souths managed to turn the ball over after attacking the Bulldogs’ line during the opening minutes.
From the scrum, with Cody Walker defending on the wing, the Dogs managed to expose Tanne Milne and Walker, and run ninety metres with their first possession of the game to score under the posts.
Josh Addo-Carr, who starred for the Kangaroos in the World Cup late last year but, inexplicably, was not worthy of a place in the Blues’ Origin squad, was another huge injury loss for the Dogs early in the game.
Latrell certainly involved himself before half-time, scoring twice through great support play. He also ‘played on’ at one stage and claimed a two-point field goal. Referee Gerard Sutton was having none of that.
The big man, who also had a couple of his cattle on display next door at the Royal Easter Show, helped himself to a third try after half-time.
***
The Mario Fenech-George Piggins inspirational play of the match: Latrell’s third try. With a player in the sin bin, Souths attacked down their right side with slick passing, Cook to Ilias. Ilias’ classy offload to Cartwright was outstanding, then Latrell had a thirty-metre run to the try line. A sixty metre try. Brilliant.
Honourable mention: Latrell’s freakish involvement in two of Campbell Graham’s three tries: one a bullet-like pass, cutting out Kolomatangi and Cartwright; the second: an incredible effort following the Dogs’ allowing a Lachlan Ilias bomb to bounce. Mitchell followed the ball through, instinctively found himself in possession after a high bounce, then slung a miraculous left to right pass for Graham to score in the corner, again.
The Tony Rampling-Les Davidson tackle of the match: Davvy Moale and Hame Sele were both huge for Souths off the bench. Dynamic in both attack and defence. It seems the 2022 George Piggins medal winner, Junior Tetola, will be unavailable again for an extended period due to a controversial hip drop tackle. Sele may find himself in the starting side for the Phins clash this week.
Both Rampling and big Davo would no doubt approve.
The Michael Andrews-Luke Stuart work rate award: off the bench, Hame Sele was excellent, as was Daniel Suluka-Fifita, alongside starting players Damien Cook and Keon Kolomatangi. The key now for Souths is to take this form to Brisbane on Thursday night.
The Phil Blake ‘chip n chase’ best attacking moment: The lead up to Jacob Host’s try just before half-time: Cook with a beautiful, long, cut out pass to Murray, on to Walker, who delayed his pass to big ‘Qantas Hostie’ to barge over for a 24-6 lead. Poetry.
Full time: South Sydney 50 d Canterbury-Bankstown 16
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South Sydney travel to my old hometown this week for a mouth-watering Thursday night clash with Wayne Bennett’s Dolphins. One of the great humans, Mark ‘the Goat’ Nicholls, will suit up against his former club.
The crafty super coach, Uncle Wayne Bennett, has the new boys sitting in the to four, fresh from a win in Townsville. I sense Souths’ passing game, erratic at times, could be exposed by the speed merchant, the Hammer, Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow.
Matt Burton ran ninety metres to score for the Dogs after Souths worked a move from a scrum. Cook off the back of the scrum, with a pass (almost) to Latrell. Burton was all over Cook’s pass. Uncle Wayne will be awake to all his most recent club’s set plays.
I am nervous already.
Bring on a game day pie on Thursday pre-match!
***
Round 6 R.I.T.V. player of the year points:
3 – Latrell Mitchell
2 – Campbell Graham
1 – Hame Sele
PROGRESSIVE R.I.T.V. PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS – LEADER BOARD:
7: Campbell Graham
6: Lachlan Ilias
5: Keon Kolomatangi
3: Cameron Murray, Latrell Mitchell & Isaiah Tass
2: Damien Cook, Thomas Burgess
1: Davvy Moale, Shaqai Mitchell, Cody Walker, Hame Sele & Tevita Tetola
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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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, Mitchell gets the headlines, not undeservedly, but for me the base was set by a dominant pack to provide time, space and opportunity. I thought that the Souths bench was enormous! They played big minutes and were relentless in both attack and defence. Now, can they sustain it?
Love the Tony Rampling reference. Not sure why, but it reminded me of another tough Souths second rower, Paul Sait.