Chloe Schibeci reviews South Sydney’s Golden Point win over Manly Warringah – a fitting way to honour the late John Sattler.
Result
South Sydney Rabbitohs 13
Tries: (2) Cody Walker 22nd, 49th
Goals: (2) Latrell Mitchell 23rd, 67th
One-Point Field Goals: (1) Lachlan Ilias 81st
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 12
Tries: (2) Haumole Olakau’atu 25th, Daly Cherry-Evans 39th
Goals: (2) Reuben Garrick 26th, 40th
Report
The beginning of this game was looking like a tedious back-and-forth, with both the Rabbitohs and the Sea Eagles taking their time to gain any kind of momentum. In the early stages, the Rabbitohs were looking like they had more confidence and stamina in attack, but both teams looked strong in defence from the beginning.
Cody Walker scored the first and most impressive try of the evening, after refusing to give up on the chase following a grubber kick from teammate Damien Cook. He was running alongside Daly Cherry-Evans to get to the ball first, and grounded it just inside the dead ball line.
In the first set after the try for South Sydney, there was a lost ball and they were immediately back in the defence. Manly capitalised on the ball and the field position, and scored a try on the last (with a huge leap and put-down from Haumole Olakau’atu) to put themselves on the board.
The intensity of the game was certainly heightened in the final minutes of the first half, after both teams were finally able to get some points on the board.
Cherry-Evans was the Sea Eagles’ hero in the final moments of the opening half, intercepting the ball and running 70 metres to score Manly’s second try of the evening, getting them the six-point lead they needed going into the break.
There was definitely a momentum shift early in the second half, with South Sydney looking more on top in the first 10 minutes. Walker went over for his second try of the night, and the gap was closed to two points.
South Sydney ramped up the defence against Manly after conceding a penalty on their line. The Sea Eagles played the full set inside the Rabbitohs’ 10, but they were unable to take advantage and score any more points to put themselves further ahead.
Latrell Mitchell kicked a penalty goal to even the scores, which ramped up the intensity of the final few minutes of regular play. Both teams attempted a field goal and neither were successful…and so began Golden Point.
An unfortunate error in Manly’s first Golden Point set gave South Sydney the ultimate opportunity to claim victory after a Lachlan Ilias field goal.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR POINTS
Embed from Getty Images3 – Cody Walker (Rabbitohs)
2 – Damien Cook (Rabbitohs)
1 – Daly Cherry-Evans (Sea Eagles)
