The Burgess brothers all played key roles as the New Zealand Warriors were well beaten 10-30 by South Sydney Rabbitohs today at Mt Smart Stadium, running in five tries to two to claim a convincing victory.
Geoge and Tom both scored tries, while Sam led the Rabbitohs’ pack that dominated their opponents in front of their disappointed supporters.
For the Warriors Karl Lawton had replaced Isaiah Papali’i on the bench, while fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck returned at fullback after missing the previoius week due to the birth of his child. Mason Lino was missing, with coach Stephen Kearney moving Blake Green to halfback and Peta Hiku from centre to stand-off and Gerard Beale starting in the centre for Hiku. Anthony Gelling was cut from the squad an hour before kick-off.
For Souths, Alex Johnston (hamstring) was replaced at fullback by skipper Greg Inglis, with Lebanese star Adam Doueihi coming into the threequarters. Robert Jennings returned to the starting side on the wing with Hymel Hunt dropping to the bench.
The Warriors opened the scoring through Agnatius Paasi in the fifth minute, and when Tom Burgess was sent to the sin-bin in the ninth minute for repeated infringements the Warriors should have been at a considerable advantage.
But iInstead the Rabbitohs scored tries through George Burgess and Robert Jennings, while Inglis then scored in the 30th minute to give the Rabbitohs a 16-6 lead. Tom Burgess scored Souths’ fourth try before the break.
In the second half the Rabbitohs went further ahead through John Sutton making the score 28-6 on 44 minutes.
Souths’ only other score was a penalty, while a late try to Solomone Kata made the scoreline a little more respectable.
To add to the Warriors’ woes, Tuivasa-Sheck left the field late in the match with what appeared to be an ankle injury.
Warriors: 1 Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (c) 2 David Fusitu’a, 18 Gerard Beale, 4 Solomone Kata, 5 Ken Maumalo, 3 Peta Hiku, 6 Blake Green, 8 James Gavet, 9 Issac Luke, 10 Agnatius Paasi, 11 Simon Mannering, 12 Tohu Harris, 13 Adam Blair; Interchange: 14 Jazz Tevaga, 15 Chris Satae, 16 Bunty Afoa, 20 Karl Lawton
Tries: Paasi, Kata; Goal: Luke
Rabbitohs: 1 Greg Inglis (c), 2 Campbell Graham, 3 Adam Doueihi, 4 Dane Gagai, 19 Robert Jennings, 6 Cody Walker, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Thomas Burgess, 9 Damien Cook, 10 George Burgess, 11 John Sutton, 12 Angus Crichton, 13 Sam Burgess; Interchange: 5 Hymel Hunt, 14 Cameron Murray, 16 Jason Clark, 17 Tevita Tatola
Tries: G Burgess, Jennings, Inglis, T Burgess, Sutton; Goals: Reynolds 5
Full match reports of all this weekend’s NRL games will feature in Monday’s League Express.
