29/08/2008 10:41 PM
The Sydney Roosters' finals campaign is back on track after withstanding a spirited second-half fightback by the South Sydney Rabbitohs to emerge 22-20 winners in a thrilling Sydney Football Stadium contest on Friday night.
The Roosters took a commanding 14-0 lead into the break and appeared to put the game to bed with two quick tries just after half-time, extending the margin out to 22 points, but like they have done on so many occasions this season, the Rabbitohs refused to give in as their smaller men began to dominate big Roosters' forwards around the rucks.
Souths piled on three tries in a 13 minute period to trail 16-22 with 10 minutes remaining then when rookie winger Luke Capewell scored off a Shannan McPherson grubber three minutes from the death, extra-time loomed with the pending conversion.
Unfortunately for Bunnies fans, half-back Chris Sandow's wide-range conversion attempt hit the posts to leave Souths with an agonising two-point loss against their arch-rivals in front of 18,127 fans.
The win not only snaps a worrying three-game losing streak for the out-of-form Roosters, but keeps them in fourth position on the NRL ladder with just one round remaining.
Five-eighth Braith Anasta was the Roosters' best, scoring a try and setting up couple of others on a night that saw him take the captaincy role off regular skipper Craig Fitzgibbon in what was seen as a shock pre-game move by coach Brad Fittler.
After a tight opening between these two foundation clubs, the Roosters posted the opening try in the 14th minute when a high ball was reeled in by Kiwi centre Setaimata Sa then flicked along the line to winger Amos Roberts who did well to score in the corner.
Fitzgibbon misses with the sideline conversion leaving the Roosters in front 4-0.
Both teams had their opportunities for points in the next period of the game but poor handling prevented a further score until the 32nd minute when Roosters centre Mitch Aubusson took a well-directed Anasta pass to dive over in the left corner for an unconverted try, pushing the home side out to an 8-0 lead.
Just before the break, Rabbitohs lock John Sutton was penalised for obstruction, handing the Roosters perfect field position for Anasta to send Cronulla-bound back-rower Anthony Tupou charging over for the Chooks' third try.
A rare Fitzgibbon conversion put the Roosters up 14-0 at half-time.
The match appeared to be over as a contest just after half-time with full-back Sam Perrett crossing in the 42nd minute and Anasta cruising through some poor Rabbitohs' defence four minutes later to see the Roosters out to a 22-0 lead.
But the resurgent Rabbitohs stormed back into the contest with tries to full-back Nathan Merritt off a freakish Sutton flick pass in the 57th minute then Sutton himself three minutes later to trail by just 12 points with a little under a quarter of the game to go.
A brilliant individual effort out of dummy-half by hooker Issac Luke in the 68th minute and Capewell's four-pointer three minutes from full-time saw the gutsy Rabbitohs finish two points in arrears.
Sydney Roosters 22
Tries: Roberts, Aubusson, Tupou, Perrett, Anasta
Conversions: Fitzgibbon
South Sydney Rabbitohs 20
Tries: Merritt, Sutton, Luke, Capewell
Conversions: Luke, Sandow
Sportal's NRL Player of the Year:
3 - Braith Anasta (Roosters)
2 - Issac Luke (Rabbitohs)
1 - John Sutton (Rabbitohs)