Round 23
South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 d. Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 18

2007 NRL Telstra Premiership Index [Table] [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

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

Souths edge closer to Finals with gutsy comeback
Tue August 21, 2007
Source: www.souths.com.au

South Sydney moved a step closer to their first finals appearance since 1989 with a gutsy come-from-behind 24-18 win over Manly at Telstra Stadium.

The Rabbitohs conjured up a valiant fight back after being down 18-6 to defeat one of the NRL premiership favourites - a win coach Jason Taylor claimed was due to persistence.

The Rabbitohs now sit in outright eighth on the NRL competition ladder with two rounds to play before the finals.

"The boys really perservered with something that we came here to do," he said.

"It could have gotten away from us but it didn't and I am very proud of them. We just hung in there and kept going for the whole 80 minutes and got the win in the end. We just kept at it and eventually it was very very satisfying. If we play well we know we are a chance of beating any team."

The Rabbitohs were down 6-0 early and 18-6 at halftime before two tries in four minutes dragged them back into the contest in arguably their greatest win this year.

Things looked ominous for the home side when Brett Stewart slipped over for a try after just four minutes in his trade mark manner on an angle near the line. And when Jamie Lyon kicked the conversion, Manly led 6-0.

But the Rabbitohs hit back shortly after when Yileen Gordon latched onto a Jeremy Smith cross-kick and Joe Williams evened things up at 6-all with his successful conversion attempt.

Stewart then laid on a converted try for Chris Hicks on his own angled run near the line and the visitors led 12-6 after 19 minutes. When veteran Steve Menzies scored again for Manly from the next set of six the second placed Sea Eagles led 18-6 and looked to have more points in them.

But then the game settled into a somewhat slow rhythm for the next half hour with neither team totally dominating the contest.

That was until Issac Luke darted over from dummy half in the 50th minute and was awarded a benefit of the doubt try by video referee Graeme West. Williams landed his second conversion from as many attempts and lined up another successful conversion just two minutes later after he put John Sutton in a half hole for the big second-rower to reach out and score.

With the scores locked at 18-all the final 24 minutes will be remembered as among the most important of the Rabbitohs season.

South Sydney dominated their more fancied opposition in the final stanza of the game and when Fetuli Talanoa chased down a Ben Rogers kick to score and put the Rabbitohs ahead for the first time in the match 22-18 the crowd of 12,087 went into red and green raptures. Williams converted for the full-time score of 24-18.

"We were disappointed at half-time," Taylor said.

"We were a bit rattled because we could have got across the tryline. But we knew if we just stuck to what we were trying to do it would happen for us and it did. It was a great win."

At the post-match press conference Manly coach Des Hasler paid tribute to the Rabbitohs' toughness.

"Souths played very well, their fans should be happy," he said.

"It was a very good win for them, they just kept coming."

The Rabbitohs play the Tigers at Leichhardt Oval this Sunday August 26th at 3pm, followed by the last round clash with arch-rivals the Roosters on Saturday September 1 at 5.30pm at Telstra Stadium.

South Sydney Rabbitohs 24 (Y Gordon, I Luke, J Sutton, F Talanoa tries; J Williams 4 goals) defeated Manly Sea Eagles 18 (B Stewart, C Hicks, S Menzies tries, J Lyon 3 goals).

Report source: www.souths.com.au

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