Two On The Hop For Souths

Sydney Morning Herald

Monday August 7, 2006

Jacquelin Magnay

SOUTH SYDNEY 32

N Merritt 3, M Minichiello, G Paulson, J Williams tries; J Williams 4 goals.

PENRITH 26

P Campbell 2, M Gordon, C Gower, T Puletua tries; M Gordon 3 goals.

Referee: B Cummins. Crowd: 9126 at Telstra Stadium.

PENRITH have to find a uteload of enthusiasm and passion to make the finals series after failing to snatch a crucial two points in the match against cellar dwellers South Sydney yesterday.

Souths recorded their second win on the trot since their dramatic seven-game winning streak at the end of last season, and it was only their third victory of the year. A huge fireworks display of red and green starbursts lit up the Olympic Park sky after full-time, but mysteriously not apparently organised by the joyous Rabbitohs.

Yet right up until the final minute there was suspicion that the lacklustre Panthers would escape with an undeserved win.

That they didn't was probably because Penrith halfback Craig Gower was knocked out briefly after hitting the sternum of Rabbitohs winger Paul Mellor in the 34th minute. From that point, he, and indeed, the rest of the team, appeared to be in a twilight zone. Penrith fans can only read and weep.

Let's count down the last three minutes of the game, with Penrith just two points in arrears and with the ball 10 metres out from the Rabbitohs' tryline. Gower's last kick went deep but not high enough to put pressure on the Rabbitohs defence from any chasers. Then after a fortuitous referee ruling that gave them back possession, Panthers prop Joel Clinton was pulled up 30 centimetres shy of the line after a barnstorming run. It appeared it would be only a matter of time before Penrith, more skilled with their slick passing, would go in, but in the next play hooker Luke Priddis lost the ball.

Souths got the play down to the other end of the stadium with their set of six tackles and forced a goal-line drop out from Penrith.

Gower wisely decided that with one minute left he should kick it short to try to regain possession. It was a nice kick, but when Penrith players flew high there was no one behind to gather the tap back. Instead Souths interchange back Mark Minichiello swooped on the ball and scored.

"I was thinking Christmas had come early, the ball just bounced back into my hands," Minichiello said. Game over. And just maybe season over for the Panthers.

Perhaps Penrith thought they could just turn up and keep their noses in front, particularly after posting a quick 10-point lead in the first half.

Panthers captain Tony Puletua reckoned his team "didn't turn up today".

The difference, he claimed, was that "they wanted it more than us. It was a painful loss".

Souths ran in three tries in six minutes before half-time to take the lead, and while the second-half scoreline see-sawed, reflecting the defensive lapses of both teams, Penrith were a little hard done by in a couple of refereeing decisions.

One was a try to Priddis in the 59th minute, disallowed because a pass was ruled forward, but didn't seem to be. The second was a penalty against Clinton when he carefully cartwheeled Souths' Todd Polglase so that he landed safely on his feet, not his head. But Panthers coach John Lang, shattered at missing an opportunity to get into the eight, said, "We have got to control our own destiny".

The Rabbitohs' scoring machine Nathan Merritt continued his hot form, posting three tries to bring his season tally to 20 - the best for the club in the past 52 years. It was 1954 when Les Brennan ran in 29 tries in 19 games.

The win allowed Souths coach Shaun McRae a wry smile and little joke in the press conference. "I was a little disappointed Joe Williams didn't kick that last goal because the points for and against might make a difference," he said.

Indeed, McRae believed that the back-to-back wins, and last year's end-of-season string of triumphs might have been a result of the opposition being distracted with finals pressure.

"Maybe there is not as much pressure on us. We know where we will finish in the competition, but there is pressure on the other teams. I think we can be a little more relaxed in what we are doing," he said.

MATCH FOCUS

MAGIC NUMBER

93. Souths coach Shaun McRae reckoned the key to his side's victory yesterday was its completion rate of 93 per cent, including a flawless first half.

WHAT THE?

Two hours after the game, the skies above Telstra Stadium lit up with red and green starbursts of fireworks. Turns out they had nothing to do with the game.

© 2006 Sydney Morning Herald

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