Qual. Final v Manly, SFS

[doyen]

Sths really blossomed as a genuine attacking side when JS was injured & Keary went to the halves.
After that point in time Reynold's game displayed much more confidence without the burden of JS.Keary,of course,has been a revelation.He & Reynolds have taken our backline to the next level;a level that should provide us with a genuine chance to upset the Roosters.I don't think JS was ever going to achieve this.
Our forwards have rolled along all season & provided JS with the platform to win games in a not so pretty fashion.But;I really didn't ever have the confidence in JS to go to the next level--he was never going to inspire our backline to play the dashing style they're playing at present!!
In George & Tom Burgess we have two huge superstar props[athletes]who will carry us to great heights over the coming years.These two I would be tying up with long-term contracts post haste.

 

[Different kind of Rabbit]

Sutton had a blinder last night. Probably the 3rd best player on the park. Looked dangerous everytime he got the ball near the line.

 

[saint.nick]

That Souths coach carried on like an idiot after the game. If he was watching the game 12 of the 24 points came from 50/50 chance bounce of the ball kicks and 6 points came from a blatant forward pass, this had little to do with his players. That coach sent out a clear message to his team at 40-0 when he took Sam Burgess off to give him a rest.

:lol: Why is he an idiot? So you just want him to enable that kind of complacent attitude in the team in the most important time of the season? What are you going to say about that if they have a good lead in the Preliminary and then blow it away because of gross complacency?

Just because a key player is taken off, it doesn't mean you drop the intensity by 50%. Maquire had every right to go off at them like that. It's the fact that Manly were so easily allowed into those try scoring situations so sequentially in the last 15 minutes that was more concerning for Maquire. Souths started dropping the ball, the defensive tenacity disappeared, and the grunt going forward disappeared.

You need to wake up if you think Maquire was out of order. If he enables that kind of attitude, it will come back and bite them in the ass really hard. You could say he was killing it before it laid eggs.

 

[Galeforce]

:lol: Why is he an idiot? So you just want him to enable that kind of complacent attitude in the team in the most important time of the season? What are you going to say about that if they have a good lead in the Preliminary and then blow it away because of gross complacency?

Just because a key player is taken off, it doesn't mean you drop the intensity by 50%. Maquire had every right to go off at them like that. It's the fact that Manly were so easily allowed into those try scoring situations so sequentially in the last 15 minutes that was more concerning for Maquire. Souths started dropping the ball, the defensive tenacity disappeared, and the grunt going forward disappeared.

You need to wake up if you think Maquire was out of order. If he enables that kind of attitude, it will come back and bite them in the ass really hard. You could say he was killing it before it laid eggs.

Exactly right!!
24 points in the last 20 minutes would WIN most games this year.
Good thing for Madge , it gave him something to work with for the team in the next two weeks.Any complacency coming from that win , can be knocked out and yet the positives are still there. See the team celebrating in the dressing room after the spray , it did not sour the team entirely.
Teo to come back in to the side , no injuries , will place more positive pressure over the next two weeks.

 

[saint.nick]

Exactly right!!
24 points in the last 20 minutes would WIN most games this year.
Good thing for Madge , it gave him something to work with for the team in the next two weeks.Any complacency coming from that win , can be knocked out and yet the positives are still there. See the team celebrating in the dressing room after the spray , it did not sour the team entirely.
Teo to come back in to the side , no injuries , will place more positive pressure over the next two weeks.

Yeah, it strangely might be a little blessing in disguise. It keeps him more busy, instead of just waiting around for this prelim game to finally happen.

I can understand why Souths players clocked off. It's not that often that you're ahead by 40 against Manly with 15 minutes left. They're only human, and I'm sure that self preservation of their bodies came into their minds.

It was also important that he still emphasized the positives and let them enjoy the win. Despite the last 15 minutes, it was the best I've seen Souths play in a long time, and it's important he lets them enjoy the fruits that the experience bears

 

[souths_pride]

That Souths coach carried on like an idiot after the game. If he was watching the game 12 of the 24 points came from 50/50 chance bounce of the ball kicks and 6 points came from a blatant forward pass, this had little to do with his players. That coach sent out a clear message to his team at 40-0 when he took Sam Burgess off to give him a rest.

What do you mean 50/50 bounce of the ball kicks? What tries were they? In any instance, thats why fullbacks are told right from the juniors, "Don't let the ball bounce! Don't give yourself a problem!" As for saying Maguire carried on like an idiot, that's just incorrect. You should NEVER concede 4 tries in 20 minutes at any stage and in any form of the game and Maguire was completely right to give the team a bit of a spray. Also, I would be very alarmed at how Souths intensity in the forwards drops off when Sam Burgess is off the field. This isn't the first time its happened either. It happened vs the Bulldogs a few weeks ago, it happened against the Roosters and it happened again last night. God only knows what we're going to do without him next year but we seriously need a pack leader to step up if and when Burgess comes off the field.

 

[ram raid]

Who should Souths cheer for tonight? Right now I'm thinking it's best for the Roosters to win vs Penrith tonight, then if the Cowboys beat the Broncs, the Storm beat Dogs, then Souths play Cowboys in the minor premiership? (prob to play Roosters)?

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2014/09/12/post_match_press_conference_fw1_2014.html

http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/20..._match_reaction_michael_maguire_fw1_2014.html

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Modest Reynolds deflects praise

By Jack Brady, Staff Writer
NRL.com
6:35am Sat 13th September, 2014





RSS

Adam Reynolds gathers in the Steeden to score the first of his two tries against the Sea Eagles. Credit: Robb Cox. Copyright: NRL Photos.

South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds will have none of it.


After starring in his team's massive 40-24 victory over last year's runner-ups Manly, the playmaker refused to buy into the personal achievements racked up on the evening.


Despite having a hand in five of his team's seven tries, including a try-scoring double of his own, Reynolds attributed his performance to "doing his job for the team".


"I didn't try and overplay my hand or do anything out of the ordinary," Reynolds said.


"That's all that is asked of me week-in, week-out and I just have to keep doing that."


While 24-year-old Reynolds carries arguably more confidence now than ever before, the Alexandria Rovers junior remains adamant he hasn't reached a personal peak in form yet.


"I'm hoping that there is more to come," Reynolds said. "I'm constantly trying to better my game every week and these next two weeks I'll be trying to get better again."


"I struggled earlier on in the season so I just had to keep working hard on my game and I knew it would eventually turn around."


Reynolds says missing last weekend's final game of the regular season against the reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters through suspension helped his cause against the Sea Eagles.


"It wasn't a good feeling [being suspended]. It is never good to see your own team run out there on the paddock and you're just sitting there helpless," Reynolds said.


"It definitely made me a lot hungrier to do well after the way the boys lost last weekend."


However, Reynolds was clearly disappointed by the team's defensive effort in the final 15 minutes.


"[In the week leading up to this game] we were all in high spirits there and it showed tonight for the first 65 minutes... [but] you can't win those semi-final games playing like we did in the final part of the second half and it is something we're not happy about and something we need to fix over the next two weeks."


With the Rabbitohs now afforded a weekend off to rest their ailing bodies, with centre Dylan Walker leaving the sheds in a moonboot after the game, they will now wait and see what the finals bring with the Panthers, Roosters, Cowboys and Broncos vying to take on South Sydney for a grand final berth.


"We haven't done anything yet. We are going to be working really hard over the next week or two and trying to get things sorted to go a bit better."

http://www.nrl.com/modest-reynolds-...4/newsid/81827/default.aspx?cid=NRL_HP_Latest

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Souths Cement Place in Preliminary Final

Words: Tom Skolarikis I Photos: Nrlphotos.com
Fri 12th September, 09:53PM
A A http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/_jcr_content/par/newslist_95ce.rss

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have advanced to the Preliminary Finals by emphatically defeating the Manly-Warringah Sea-Eagles by 40-24 in front of a sea of red and green at Allianz Stadium tonight (Friday).
Despite a late surge from Manly, a crowd of 25,733 were on hand to watch the red and greens put on a controlled performance that saw a handful of magic moments unfold, propelling the Club to its third successive Preliminary Finals berth. Doubles to Alex Johnston and Adam Reynolds – who scored a personal haul of 20 points – helped the side over the line in a seven try to four performance.
Both sides burst out of the blocks with enthusiastic football – the Rabbitohs getting an early opportunity at the Sea Eagles’ line thanks to some ill-discipline. But the red and greens were unable to convert the opportunity into points.
It was Manly who looked to score first though, when a kick into Souths’ in-goal stood up just long enough for Brett Stewart to have a desperate attempt to ground the ball. Greg Inglis shepherded the ball dead, but not before the video referee had a look for a possible four-pointer.
But it would be the Rabbitohs who would post first points, when Adam Reynolds put in a cross-field kick that was batted back by Lote Tuqiri, then grubbered forward by Dylan Walker for Reynolds to finish off the movement with the first try of the night. Reynolds converted his own try to give the side a 6-0 lead with 12 minutes gone.
The Rabbitohs continued on with their momentum when Kirisome Auva’a made a massive break down the touch-line. But while it seemed Auva’a had been grounded in a tackle, the movement continued up-field, culminating in the red and greens finding themselves again right on the Manly line. Reynolds put a short kick into the in-goal for a flying Luke Keary, who ultimately picked up the ball in the in-goal to score amid thunderous cheers from the predominantly red and green crowd. Reynolds added the extras to make it 12-0.
Not to be out-done by Auva’a, Greg Inglis then made his own statement by making a break of his own that almost lead to another try being scored – this time through young-gun Alex Johnston. A closer look at the try though showed that Johnston had lost the ball over the line.
Lote Tuqiri though would make no mistake on the other wing, when Reynolds hoisted a massive cross-field bomb to the dual-international, who towered over Manly’s Jorge Taufua to score. Reynolds converted mere feet inside the touch-line to make it 18-0 with 12 minutes in the first half remaining.
Anthony Watmough found himself on report following a dangerous tackle on Greg Inglis, and the penalty would prove costlier still. As a result, the Rabbitohs again found themselves on the Manly line, with Alex Johnston finishing off a back-line movement that saw John Sutton and Luke Keary combine – Johnston atoning for his earlier drop-ball with a four-pointer. Reynolds’ touch-line conversion attempt hit the upright, leaving the score at a stunning 22-0 to take the teams to the sheds.
From the very first set of six, Souths made their intentions clear when Kirisome Auva’a made a break up-field before being dragged down just short. The red and greens spun the ball out to Adam Reynolds who put the ball into the in-goal, before planting his hands down on it to claim a try in the first set of six of the second half. Reynolds converted his own try to make it 28-0.
Manly five-eighth Kieran Foran found himself on report following a desperate attempt to diffuse a try to Issac Luke, set up by a Johnston banana-kick. The Rabbitohs denied taking the two points, and after a second infringement on the following set, the red and green’s seemed even more determined to get four points. Dylan Walker delievered, before Reynolds again added the extras to make it 34-0.
It was raining red and green tries when a brilliant pass from Greg Inglis sent Johnston through for his second four-pointer of the night – the Souths Junior sprinting 30 metres to touch down mere minutes after the Walker try. Reynolds made no mistake to make it 40-0, bringing his own personal haul to 20 points.
With 16 minutes in the match remaining, Manly finally got on the board through Brett Stewart, who took a dubious looking final pass to make it 40-6 with Jamie Lyon’s conversion. Lyon grabbed a try of his own not long after. His conversion from the touch-line making it 40-12. It was to be the beginning of a gritty Manly fightback.

The Sea Eagles’ revival continued when Tom Symonds crossed for a four-pointer to close the gap slightly. Lyon converted to make it 40-18. A consolation try to Cheyse Blair made the final score 40-

Rabbitohs 40 (Adam Reynolds 2, Luke Keary, Lote Tuqiri, Alex Johnston 2, Dylan Walker, tries; Adam Reynolds, 6 goals)
Defeated
Sea Eagles 24 (Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon, Tom Symonds, Cheyse Blair, tries; Jamie Lyon 4 goals)

http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2014/09/12/souths_cement_place_in_preliminary_final.html

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

http://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2014/09/12/fujitsu_post_match_reaction_george_burgess_fw1_2014.html

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Super Souths make statement against Manly

By Dan Walsh, Staff Writer
NRL.com
10:09pm Fri 12th September, 2014





http://www.nrl.com/tabid/10639/default.aspx

QF2: Sea Eagles v Rabbitohs (Hls)

Highlights of the 2nd Qualifying Final between the Sea Eagles & Rabbitohs


The Rabbitohs have flexed their premiership muscle and crushed Manly's title prospects in the process, smashing out an emphatic 40-24 victory at Allianz Stadium.
Souths have been burnt too many times to be singing 'Glory, Glory' in the streets just yet, but they took a giant stride toward doing so in three weeks time with an emphatic display against the runners-up for the minor premiership.
Just short of 12 months ago the Bunnies were bundled out of the semis by the Sea Eagles, who engineered one of the great finals escapes from 14-0 down after half an hour of play.
This time around the Rabbitohs went on from an 18-0 advantage at the same 30-minute mark and at one stage led by 40 points before taking their foot off the pedal, with the boot of Adam Reynolds well and truly banishing the maroon and white nightmares of 2013.
Under the pump for much of the year and returning from suspension, the smallest man on the field produced the biggest performance of his career, tallying 20 points from two tries and six goals and laying on another three meat pies via both sleight of hand and a near-perfect kicking game.
Again the Bunnies find themselves just 80 minutes away from a grand final the red and green faithful have waited 43 years for, while the brutal defeat continues the lowering of the curtain on one of the finest eras Manly has seen.
With every game from here out potentially the last for retiring club favourite Jason King, who will join Glenn Stewart in departing the Northern Beaches at the end of the year, Manly will now await the winner of Sunday's Melbourne-Canterbury elimination final and must somehow dust themselves off from one of the more resounding finals losses in recent memory and four losses from their last six games.
The Sea Eagles' woeful night was compounded by the loss of hooker Jayden Hodges, who was taken to hospital for scans on a neck injury, while Jamie Lyon, Anthony Watmough and Kieran Foran all wound up on report.
For the Rabbitohs it was on for young, old and everyone in between. Nineteen-year-olds Dylan Walker and Alex Johnston collected three tries between them, while Lote Tuqiri – 13 years senior – terrorised opposite number Jorge Taufua as Reynolds peppered the Manly winger with a pinpoint aerial assault.
From the opening whistle referee Shayne Hayne trained an eagle on eye on the ruck, and off the back of Manly's first penalty they rolled downfield to go within a bee's appendage of opening their account, Brett Stewart just failing to ground a Kieran Foran grubber in the seventh minute.
Instead it was Reynolds who bagged the first four-pointer four minutes later, touching down on a kick dribbled in behind the line by Dylan Walker, and it all went to hell in a red and green hand basket for Geoff Toovey's men from there.
Having been put into space in the lead-up to the Bunnies' first try, Walker then extended the favour to centre partner Kirisome Auva'a, sending him on a merry gallop downfield deep into Sea Eagles territory.
Two plays later Reynolds turned provider himself, rolling a simple grubber through the scrambled Manly defence for five-eighth Luke Keary to push the Rabbits' advantage out to 12-0 after 19 minutes.
The Sea Eagles were battered, bruised and set for the deep fryer when Greg Inglis put a big old don't argue on the chest of Anthony Watmough before belting off on a 60-metre run. Only Johnston's dropped ball over the line prevented Souths from stretching further ahead.
Johnston's error only delayed the inevitable, as Tuqiri – the oldest man in the NRL – wound back the clock with a flying leap over Taufua for the Rabbitohs third.
Johnston's 18th try in 16 games – coming off the back of a simple wrap-around move putting him on the outside – sent the 'visitors' into the break up 22-zip.
Reynolds' kick and chase effort in to open the second half added another meat pie to his account, and answered emphatically those wondering out loud whether lightning could strike twice in the form of a repeat Manly comeback.
Tries to Walker and Johnston, coming within two minutes of each other, hammered another couple of nails into the Manly coffin.
A consolation try to Brett Stewart, courtesy a blatant forward pass from Taufua, stemmed the flow momentarily, while late tries to Jamie Lyon in the 67th minute, Tom Symonds in the 75th and Cheyse Blair two out from full-time pegged the Rabbitohs back but came far too late to have any effect on the outcome.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 40 (A Reynolds 2, A Johnston 2, L Keary, L Tuqiri, tries; A Reynolds goals) defeated Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles 24 (B Stewart, J Lyon, T Symonds, C Blair tries; J Lyon 4 goals) at Allianz Stadium. Crowd: 25,733

http://www.nrl.com/super-souths-mak...874/newsid/81815/default.aspx?cid=NRL_HP_Hero

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

Greg Inglis played part in bad tackle, says Manly's Geoff Toovey

League News
Date September 13, 2014 - 11:52AM Ben Horne

Manly have opened up old wounds by again hinting South Sydney star Greg Inglis may have been at fault in a tackle where he was put into a dangerous position.
Sea Eagles forward Anthony Watmough and, to a lesser extent captain Jamie Lyon, are in strife for an incident in the first half of Friday night's 40-24 loss to Souths where Rabbitohs fullback Inglis ended up crashing into the turf head first.
The tackle immediately brought back memories from a match at Brookvale Oval early last year when Inglis was dumped three times in the one match by Sea Eagles players.
Much to the outrage of Souths coach Michael Maguire at the time, Manly counterpart Geoff Toovey suggested that it was Inglis' way of carrying the ball which was contributing to the amount of times he ended up base over apex.
Maguire might feel the need to speak up again after Toovey and Lyon both reiterated their controversial viewpoint that Inglis could be playing a part, quite literally, in his own downfall.
The Sea Eagles' season is already on life support, but the situation would become even more dire ahead of next week's elimination final against either Melbourne or Canterbury if Watmough was to spend time on the sidelines for a tackle the NRL is taking a tough stance against.
Toovey indicated it was no coincidence Inglis was the victim.
"It always seems to be involved with Greg Inglis," he said.
Watmough appeared to have his hands between Inglis' legs, always a black mark in the eyes of the judiciary.
Lyon played a lesser role, but had hold of Inglis' other leg - with the tackle itself put on report by the on-field officials.
Sea Eagles skipper Lyon made the point to the referees that it was Inglis who made the tackle look nasty, and he didn't back down post-match.
"Sometimes it looks like he is going down a bit but I don't know," said Lyon.
Last year Maguire said it was a disgrace Manly players weren't sent off for their repeated illegal tackles on Inglis.
Toovey had a different take on the matter at the time, criticising Inglis.
"I didn't think it was too bad, I thought he landed on his shoulder a couple of times and maybe he's got to look at the way he's carrying the ball - I don't know - it's happened to him a lot," he said.
Kieran Foran has also been put on report for Manly for a high tackle on Souths' hooker Isaac Luke.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...off-toovey-20140913-10gf12.html#ixzz3DAPRs78u

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/sp...manly-sea-eagles/story-fni3gki8-1227057144018

 

[Rabbits20]

Greg Inglis played part in bad tackle, says Manly's Geoff Toovey

League News
Date September 13, 2014 - 11:52AM Ben Horne

Manly have opened up old wounds by again hinting South Sydney star Greg Inglis may have been at fault in a tackle where he was put into a dangerous position.
Sea Eagles forward Anthony Watmough and, to a lesser extent captain Jamie Lyon, are in strife for an incident in the first half of Friday night's 40-24 loss to Souths where Rabbitohs fullback Inglis ended up crashing into the turf head first.
The tackle immediately brought back memories from a match at Brookvale Oval early last year when Inglis was dumped three times in the one match by Sea Eagles players.
Much to the outrage of Souths coach Michael Maguire at the time, Manly counterpart Geoff Toovey suggested that it was Inglis' way of carrying the ball which was contributing to the amount of times he ended up base over apex.
Maguire might feel the need to speak up again after Toovey and Lyon both reiterated their controversial viewpoint that Inglis could be playing a part, quite literally, in his own downfall.
The Sea Eagles' season is already on life support, but the situation would become even more dire ahead of next week's elimination final against either Melbourne or Canterbury if Watmough was to spend time on the sidelines for a tackle the NRL is taking a tough stance against.
Toovey indicated it was no coincidence Inglis was the victim.
"It always seems to be involved with Greg Inglis," he said.
Watmough appeared to have his hands between Inglis' legs, always a black mark in the eyes of the judiciary.
Lyon played a lesser role, but had hold of Inglis' other leg - with the tackle itself put on report by the on-field officials.
Sea Eagles skipper Lyon made the point to the referees that it was Inglis who made the tackle look nasty, and he didn't back down post-match.
"Sometimes it looks like he is going down a bit but I don't know," said Lyon.
Last year Maguire said it was a disgrace Manly players weren't sent off for their repeated illegal tackles on Inglis.
Toovey had a different take on the matter at the time, criticising Inglis.
"I didn't think it was too bad, I thought he landed on his shoulder a couple of times and maybe he's got to look at the way he's carrying the ball - I don't know - it's happened to him a lot," he said.
Kieran Foran has also been put on report for Manly for a high tackle on Souths' hooker Isaac Luke.



Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/rugby-league/...off-toovey-20140913-10gf12.html#ixzz3DAPRs78u

Oh shut up Toovey you think your players are perfect in incidents in games. Watmough and Lyon deliberately did that. Toovey always comments when his player/s are on report which you are not meant to do.

On Ch9 at half time it was funny to see Toovey flustered playing with eye and continually rubbing his hand on his head.

I hope you go out the back door Manly next week and we say good riddens!

 

[Rabbits20]

Who should Souths cheer for tonight? Right now I'm thinking it's best for the Roosters to win vs Penrith tonight, then if the Cowboys beat the Broncs, the Storm beat Dogs, then Souths play Cowboys in the minor premiership? (prob to play Roosters)?

We need the Roosters to get up so we can't face them in a prelim. If Roosters win it would be Penrith next week versus winner of Cowboys v Broncos. I think the Cowboys will win and play Penrith with the winner facing us in the prelim.

Whoever we play will be very tough to beat.

 

[RL The greatest game]

Oh shut up Toovey you think your players are perfect in incidents in games. Watmough and Lyon deliberately did that. Toovey always comments when his player/s are on report which you are not meant to do.

On Ch9 at half time it was funny to see Toovey flustered playing with eye and continually rubbing his hand on his head.

I hope you go out the back door Manly next week and we say good riddens!

I have no some big moaners over the years in sport and Toovey is seriously up there with them.
Its the "Its not my fault guvnor its everybody else's"

 

[alien]

We need the Roosters to get up so we can't face them in a prelim. If Roosters win it would be Penrith next week versus winner of Cowboys v Broncos. I think the Cowboys will win and play Penrith with the winner facing us in the prelim.

Whoever we play will be very tough to beat.

but if roosters lose this week they might lose next week too.

i really hate toovey after the stupid comments he made re inglis

how good is it to see keary, reynolds and sutton in the team at the same time. sutton in the second row running outwide setting up tries, and reynolds and keary in the halves has really given souths another dimension in attack. the young guys out wide are going awesome and have alot of points in them, along with gi. lote is on fire at the moment and its awesome to see. souths dont have any real weaknesses in the team when they are at full strength or there abouts. they can win this comp!

 

[Newcastlerabbit]

South Sydney are playing down their Manly victory, saying they haven’t achieved anything

• JAMES HOOPER
• The Sunday Telegraph
• September 13, 2014 4:23PM

THE scars of two previous preliminary final fade outs have steeled South Sydney to mount the club’s best possible campaign at ending a 43-season premiership drought.

South Sydney captain John Sutton believes the Rabbitohs are in a stronger frame of mind to handle the big end-of-season September fixtures after moving to within 80 minutes of the club’s first grand final since 1971.
On the evidence submitted in the opening 60 minutes against Manly last Friday night, the Bunnies appear to have clicked into a highly-potent attacking zone.
Luke Keary was finding something funny at the South Sydney recovery. Source: News Limited
The Rabbitohs blasted away the scars of last year’s grand final qualifier defeat by cutting the Sea Eagles open from long and short range, piling on a 40-0 scoreline before Manly retaliated.
Dual international winger Lote Tuqiri was in vintage touch, while the halves duo of Adam Reynolds and Luke Keary provided enough x-factor to make the Rabbitohs anything but predictable.
“We haven’t achieved anything yet. Last year we only played for 40 minutes and then in the second half we turned it up and Manly came over the top of us,” Sutton said.
“That’s one big thing that we’ve all learned.
“We were very good the other night. Everyone was doing their job, which made it a lot easier for the team.
“The last 15 minutes might be a blessing in disguise. We can go back and look at the tape and make sure it doesn’t happen next time.
“I thought it was probably some of the best footy we’ve played all season but in saying that the last 15-20 minutes was disappointing.”
The return of halfback Reynolds from a one-week suspension made all the difference for the Rabbitohs, with the red and green no.7 notching a personal haul of 20-points in a man-of-the-match performance.
The addition of Reynolds’ long and short kicking game provided the Rabbitohs with the field position and composure to apply sustained pressure on Manly.
“It’s paid off, all the hard work and dedication the boys have put in over the year,” Reynolds said.
“In saying that, we still haven’t done anything yet.
“All our focus now is the next two weeks and getting our bodies right and preparing for our next game.
“We’re not worried about last year or the year before. We’ve got a new squad here with several players who haven’t played semi-finals football together before.
“A lot of hard work and passion has been put into this year. A lot of the young boys have really stepped up and driven this club’s culture to new levels.”
Sutton said the vision of coach Maguire giving the Bunnies an almighty spray in the club’s inner sanctum after full time related to the 24-points Manly were allowed to score late in proceedings.
The next headache for Souths coach Maguire will be who to cut out of the team to make room for the return of the suspended Queensland State of Origin backrower Ben Te’o
Te’o will be an automatic selection into the Souths starting side for the grand final qualifier, meaning right edge backrower Kyle Turner may be forced to the bench.
Sutton was adamant the Bunnies can still improve for the biggest games of the year.
“Definitely. We didn’t put together an 80-minute performance last night, so there’s still a lot of improvement there and will be doing everything possible to make sure we’re ready to go,” Sutton said.





http://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl...lic_rss&utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

 

[saint.nick]

Has Newcastle Rabbit ever posted something other than an article? Or is it your acquired role to do that? Just curious