Round 21
Rabbitohs 21 d. Raiders 8

2006 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: Aus_NZ > National > First Grade Competition: NRL Telstra Premiership

Rabbitohs ruin Raiders in convincing win
Sun July 30, 2006
Source: www.souths.com.au

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have rained on the Raiders' top-eight parade when they secured their second win for the season at Telstra Stadium tonight (Saturday), 21 points to 8 in front of 6,152 ecstatic fans.

The Rabbitohs scored four tries to the Raiders' two, with flying winger Nathan Merritt scoring a double, rocketing to the top of the NRL's top tryscoring ladder.

The Rabbitohs led 20 points to 4 at the half time break, leaving the Raiders with no answers in their quest to crack the NRL's top eight.

Fullback David Peachey was the first to score, crossing for a four-pointer in the sixth minute of play. Captain Peter Cusack set up the play with a handy off load to halfback Joe Williams. Williams threw the long ball right to find Peachey who stretched out full length to slam the ball down over the line. Williams' conversion gave the Rabbitohs an early six-point lead.

Winger Paul Mellor was the next to score in the 14th minute. Nathan Merritt cleaned up a loose ball and the ball was swung wide right again for Mellor to touch down in the right hand corner. The Rabbitohs were targetting Lincoln Withers and Phil Graham in defence and it was paying dividends.

Nathan Merritt scored the next try in the 23rd minute. Peachey drifted left and then placed a deft grubber in the corner for Merritt to pounce unopposed.

Ten minutes later, Merritt scored his second try for the night and his 17th try for the season. Williams ran to the line, threw a two-man cut-out pass to Merritt who stepped his way just inside the sideline to score in the corner. A tremendous conversion from the sideline to Williams gave the Rabbitohs a 20-point lead.

The Raiders pegged the score back in the 36th minute when centre Adam Mogg scored his first of two tries.

The Rabbitohs were flying high at the break. They were blitzing the Raiders in defence and attack and didn't give them any chances to attack themselves.

The second half was a tighter tussle, with points becoming a premium.

Mogg scored his second try in the 53rd minute to bring the Raiders within 12, but the Rabbitohs put it beyond doubt when replacement Ben Rogers slotted a field goal in the 73rd minute to give the Rabbitohs an unassailable 13-point lead.

All of the Rabbitohs were outstanding tonight, with halfback Joe Williams earning the Rabbitohs' man-of-the-match award.

The Rabbitohs will go on to play the Penrith Panthers next Sunday 6 August at Telstra Stadium in round 22 of the Telstra Premiership.

The Rabbitohs went down in Premier League to the Canberra Raiders 44 points to six at Telstra Stadium.

The Raiders led 18 points to six at the break and went on with it in the second half to register a big win.

Canberra Raiders 44
defeated
South Sydney Rabbitohs 6 (Troy Boston try; Ryan Dickson goal)

Report source: www.souths.com.au

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