John Sutton crashes over for Souths. Picture: Mark Evans Source: The Sunday Telegraph
- SOUTH SYDNEY 25 bt NEWCASTLE 18 at ANZ Stadium.
SOUTH Sydney coach Michael Maguire last night heaped praise on John Sutton after the Souths utility shrugged off the disappointment of his near Origin miss to help lead the Rabbitohs to a 25-18 win over the Knights at ANZ Stadium.
MATCH CENTRE: RABBITOHS v KNIGHTS
Sent home from the Blues' State of Origin camp in the back of a taxi just three days before last night's match, Sutton combined with a rampaging George Burgess to help Souths fend off a late Newcastle onslaught and return to the winners circle.
Sutton scored a solo try in the 27th minute to put Souths on the board while "Baby" Burgess blasted through five defenders to steamroll the Knights with a 23-metre run and setup the come-from-behind victory that saw Alex McKinnon and Beau Champion carted off the field in the back of a medi-cab.
Maguire spoke about Sutton's dedication following the scrappy victory with the South Sydney big-gun firing just days after Bulldog Josh Reynolds won a showdown for the final spot on the Blues' bench for Origin I on Wednesday night.
"Sutto was in and out and not sure where he was playing all week," Maguire said.
"And he stood up and did a great for us tonight. It wouldn't have been easy put he did the job."
Speaking for the first time about being overlooked by the Blues and relegated to 18th man, Sutton admitted he was disappointed by his omission.
"I was a little bit disappointed I didn't get in the side," Sutton said.
"But I just wanted to come out here tonight and do my part for the team. I am really proud for the team because they really stepped up tonight. It wasn't the prettiest win but it was a good win for us."
With big guns Sam Burgess, Ben Teo, Chris McQueen and Greg Inglis all missing, Souths spluttered there way to a 12-0 deficit with the Knights making them pay for a series of handling errors and defensive lapses.
George Burgess barges over for his fifth try of the year for the Rabbitohs. Source: FOX SPORTS
The game was in the balance until Burgess charged through five hapless defenders to score a brutal 54th minute try and put the Rabbitohs into the lead.
"He was great," Maguire said.
"He was pretty disappointed last Monday and he has turned that around and I am very pleased for him. But all of our forwards had to stand up with all the guys we had out.
"I am pretty proud of the boys with all the changes we had this week.
"Some games are ugly and Newcastle really turned that game into an arm wrestle. I was just pleased to see the boys climb out of that and get the points. I think you expect some errors in these type of games and it does get ugly. I think that happened at times during the night."
The match came at a cost for both teams with Rabbitohs centre Champion suffering a suspected broken leg and Knights forward McKinnon to miss up to eight weeks with a syndesmosis injury.
Issac Luke was also placed on report for a shoulder charge.
The third man "cannon ball" tackle by Nathan Peats that downed McKinnon infuriated Wayne Bennett with the super coach calling on the NRL to ban the controversial tactic.
"That is the third tackle we have had an injury from this year," Bennett said.
"The game has to ban it and I have been talking about it for two or three years now. We are all guilty of it and it will only stop when the game gives the referees the authority and backs them. They need to get the guy out the the tackle.
"They are being caught by two players, held up and another comes in. It is a deliberate play and the third guy comes in and the injuries happen."
Bennett was also critical of the 7-1 first half penalty count in favour of South Sydney.
SOUTH SYDNEY 25 (G Burgess B Champion J Sutton D Walker tries A Reynolds 4 goals A Reynolds field goal) bt NEWCASTLE 18 (J Mantellato A McKinnon J McManus tries J Mantellato 3 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Gavin Badger, Alan Shortall. Crowd: 13,225.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
Re-live the action in the rolling coverage below...
9.20pm - Reynolds field goal seals it
ADAM Reynolds has booted a monster field goal from 45m out to give the Rabbits a 25-18 win with just a couple minutes left to sealing the win.
***
9.09pm - Knights hit back immediately
JAMES McManus dives over in the corner as the Knights hit back straight away.
Josh Mantellato puts through another beautiful conversion and Newcastle are within six.
Both Mantellato and Souths' Adam Reynolds have converted every shot at goal tonight.
***
9.07pm - Bunnies' lead out to 24-12
DYLAN Walker has scored untouched on the left wing after a surprisingly good cut-out ball from Ben Lowe.
Adam Reynolds added the extras from the sideline, making it 24-12 to Souths with 15 minutes to play.
***
9pm - Luke on report for shoulder charge, Champion injured
SOUTHS hooker Issac Luke has been placed on report for a shoulder charge, but there doesn't look to be too much in it.
Beau Champion, meanwhile, has left the field with a lower leg injury after an awkward collision with the Knights' Tyrone Roberts.
***
8.50pm - Georgie boy does it again
GEORGE Burgess has scored a barnstorming try to give the Rabbitohs an 18-12 lead after 54 minutes.
The big fella fended off two Knights on his way to the line, bringing a huge smile to the face of his suspended brother Sam who was watching on from the sidelines.
It's George's fifth try of the year - and probably his best.
***
***
8.20pm - Souths-Knights 12-all at halftime
IT'S all square at the break. Josh Mantellato has been the story so far, scoring on debut and also producing a wonderful conversion from the sideline, which you can see below.
Full stats, SuperCoach points and more at MATCH CENTRE.
***
8.11pm - McKinnon stretchered off with ankle injury
KNIGHTS second rower Alex McKinnon, already with a bloodied face from an earlier head clash, has been stretchered from the field with a potentially serious ankle injury.
***
8.06pm - Game on as Souths level it up
ANOTHER overlooked potential Blue Nathan Merritt has followed up with a wonderful pass for Beau Champion to score on the end of a worked play to the left.
Adam Reynolds converts.
12-all.
Cracking game so far, especially considering the missing stars.
***
8.03pm - Sutton sends a message to Laurie
RABBITOHS No. 6 John Sutton, overlooked for Origin I, has sent Blues coach Laurie Daley a message with a strong run and spin to power over next to the posts and pull the Bunnies back to 12-6 13 minutes out from halftime.
***
7.52pm - Mantellato scores on debut - and bends it like Becks
JOSH Mantellato has scored on debut, running onto a beautiful Kevin Naiqama ball to cross on the right wing.
But the real highlight was his conversion. Mantellato started it wide right from the sideline, and curled it in a mile.
12-0 Knights.
Josh Mantellato bends it like Beckham - or maybe JT - for the Knights. Source: FOX SPORTS
***
7.48pm - Suspect pass leads to Souths' first try
ALEX McKinnon has crossed on the back of a Kevin Naiqama pass that looked to be forward to open the scoring for the Knights in the 13th minute.
Josh Mantellato has added the extras on debut. He bends his kicks like JT.
***
6.45pm - Lima into Bunnies backrow
JEFF Lima takes the suspended Sam Burgess' spot in the backrow.
Josh Starling and Luke Keary come onto the bench, with Justin Hunt dropping out of the 17.
RABBITOHS: Nathan Merritt, Andrew Everingham, Beau Champion, Dylan Walker, Bryson Goodwin, John Sutton, Adam Reynolds, Dave Tyrrell, Issac Luke, Roy Asotasi, Ben Lowe, Jeff Lima, Nathan Peats.
Interchange: Jason Clark, George Burgess, Josh Starling, Luke Keary
6.30pm - Mantellato to make Knights debut
JOSH Mantellato makes his NRL debut for the Knights on the right wing in number 18 for the injured Akuila Uate.
Utility Matt Hilder joins the bench in 19 for Adam Clydsdale, who was forced to withdraw due to illness.
KNIGHTS: Darius Boyd, James McManus, Dane Gagai, Joey Leilua, Josh Mantellato, Jarrod Mullen (c), Tyrone Roberts, Kade Snowden, Travis Waddell, Willie Mason, Robbie Rochow, Alex McKinnon, David Fa’alogo. Interchange: Neville Costigan, Adam Cuthbertson, Korbin Sims, Matt Hilder.
***
5.30pm - Welcome to Saturday night NRL
The Bunnies, minus superstar fullback Greg Inglis due to Origin duty, are looking to bounce back from a surprise 14-12 loss to Cronulla last Monday night.
Who knows which Knights team will show up tonight.
In the past three weeks they've been hammered 44-14 by Canberra (Rd 9), spanked the Bulldogs 44-8 (Rd 10) and then been humbled 28-12 by the lowly Warriors (Rd 11).
We'll have the full team lists about an hour before the 7.30pm AEST kick-off and rolling coverage of all the big moments throughout the match.
For up to the minute scores, commentary and more throughout the game visit the LIVE MATCH CENTRE.
And to whet the appetite for the only game of NRL this Saturday night, check out Laurie Daley's preview video above.
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