SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS 40 ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA DRAGONS 0
CALLUM WALKER, Accor Stadium, Thursday
PLAY-OFF hunting St George were rocked by a seven-try Rabbitohs display that brought Wayne Bennett’s men level on points with their opponents.
The writing was on the wall early when Jacob Host latched on to an Ashton Ward grubber, before Jye Gray finished off a wonderful Alex Johnston break, with Johnston himself getting in on the act on the stroke of half-time.
From 16-0 down at the break, things didn’t improve for the Dragons in the second half either, Tallis Duncan showing tremendous strength to carry two defenders over the line on 47 minutes.
Peter Mamouzelos continued the rout shortly after the hour, backing up a Thomas Fletcher break who himself broke through and dummied fullback Clint Gutherson for a scintillating score with eight minutes to go.
St George couldn’t even muster a flicker with time ticking down and it was left to Tyrone Munro to break through soft tackling and round Gutherson with ease to round off the scoring in emphatic fashion.
Ward, who had an accomplished game in the halves, finished with six conversions from seven to take home 12 points as the Rabbitohs proved far too good for St George.
RABBITOHS: 1 Jye Gray, 2 Alex Johnston, 3 Isaiah Tass, 4 Tallis Duncan, 5 Tyrone Munro, 6 Ashton Ward, 7 Jamie Humphreys, 8 Sean Keppie, 9 Siliva Havili, 10 Keaon Koloamatangi, 11 Jacob Host, 12 Jai Arrow, 13 Lachlan Hubner. Subs (all used): 14 Peter Mamouzelos, 15 Brandon Smith, 16 Cody Walker, 17 Thomas Fletcher
Tries: Host (17), Gray (27), Johnston (38), Duncan (47), Mamouzelos (65), Fletcher (72), Munro (76); Goals: Ward 6/7
DRAGONS: 1 Clint Gutherson, 2 Christian Tuipulotu, 3 Hayden Buchanan, 4 Mathew Feagai, 5 Corey Allan, 6 Lyhkan King-Togia, 7 Kyle Flanagan, 8 Emre Guler, 14 Jacob Liddle, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Luciano Leilua, 12 Jacob Halangahu, 9 Damien Cook. Subs (all used): 13 Ben Murdoch-Masila, 15 Blake Lawrie, 16 Loko Pasifiki-Tonga, 18 Raymond Faitala-Mariner
SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0; 22-0, 28-0, 34-0, 40-0
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rabbitohs Ashton Ward; Dragons: Jacob Liddle
Penalty count: 2-5; Half-time: 16-0; Referee: Gerard Sutton; Attendance: 7,213