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South Sydney have gotten their season again on observe with a gutsy victory over the Warriors, operating out 28-6 winners in a monsoon at Mt Good Stadium.
If champion sides are constructed on defence and resilience, then this Souths staff, lacking key gamers and away at one of many league’s kind groups in horrible situations, would possibly nicely be in with a shout on the finish of the 12 months.
The scoreline appeared comfy by the top, however got here after Souths survived an enormous onslaught from the hosts, who had all of the ball and area place early on, earlier than the Bunnies turned the tables for simply their second win in six.
Alex Johnston grabbed a double, debutant Tyrone Munro scored one and arrange one other for Blake Taaffe and Cam Murray additionally crossed.
However in the beginning, this was primarily based on defence. The sight of the Souths gamers celebrating tackles and errors by the opposition confirmed how a lot this one meant to them.
They’ve been far beneath their finest and actually wanted this one. With out Campbell Graham, Isaiah Tass and Latrell Mitchell, they’d have had loads of excuses to drop one other recreation, however by no means appeared like doing so.
The Warriors have loads of runs on the board in 2023, however this was removed from their finest exhibiting. They didn’t take advantage of their early supremacy and have been run down late. As soon as the Bunnies obtained the lead, they have been all the time favourites.
Andrew Webster can have a look at this as a lesson within the degree that his aspect want to achieve. They’ve now misplaced to the Bunnies, Broncos and Roosters on house turf. The Kiwis have been nice, however they’re not fairly there but.
They’d Addin Fonua-Blake sin-binned, too, which might trigger them issues down the road with a spot within the finals nonetheless up for grabs.
Souths present their mettle
Souths discovered loads about themselves within the opening phases. Their defence has gone to rack and smash in current weeks, and it obtained a critical working over, with 12 units to 5 within the opening quarter hour earlier than Marcelo Montoya was lastly in a position to open the scoring.
The penalty depend, the situations and the relentlessness of their opposition have been all going in opposition to South Sydney, however they stored their resolve in a time after they might have folded early.
It wasn’t simply dedication, nevertheless. Demetriou had clearly advised his males to defend slim and provide the wingers an opportunity: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak obtained some house early however was crowded out, and whereas Montoya did recover from, it was on a shortside play.
The Warriors shied away from the sidelines, in deference to the moist climate, however when the Bunnies obtained their crack, they did no such factor.
Souths have been dedicated to enjoying their footy regardless of the slippery ball and have been rewarded. The defence earned them the suitable to play it, they usually reaped the rewards.
At the moment of 12 months, the emphasis shifts from performances to outcomes, however Souths could be pleased with each.
They know they’ll be within the combine on the finish, so turning up on events like this when every part goes in opposition to them early will maintain them in good stead come the sharp a part of the 12 months.
On high of that, they’ve additionally arrested a slide that imperilled their high 4 probabilities. Now, they’ve the best run in – on paper a minimum of – and an outstanding probability to get that second shot within the finals.
A harsh lesson for the Warriors
There’s a number of parallels for the Warriors to their final loss at house to the Roosters in Spherical 9.
That recreation, performed in a deluge in Auckland, noticed them unable to place sufficient factors on an skilled, battle-hardened aspect with the final word consequence that they misplaced after they may need gained.
It’s comprehensible. It is a aspect in 12 months considered one of a cycle and already massively overachieving. They don’t have the reps that Souths or, regardless of their poor kind in 2023, the Roosters. Generally that counts for lots. They’ll be taught from this.
However – and this is likely to be the worrying half – additionally it is a limitation of their fashion. The Warriors go-to gameplan centres round making error free metres and counting on their stars to make one thing occur offensively.
That’ll assist beat a number of dangerous groups, and sometimes good groups who play badly, but when a half-decent aspect exhibits up and performs reasonably nicely, it’ll usually fall over in entrance of them.
Souths had all of the solutions to the Warriors questions in assault, and requested loads of their very own that discovered the Kiwis missing. They’d no reply to the nous of Cody Walker or the deception of Damien Cook dinner.
That’s alright, as a result of they don’t have anybody fairly in that bracket. All that is available in 12 months two or three, as they add to this platform with a mite extra endeavour.
Completion charges and conservatism can get you into the finals, however they hardly ever are sufficient in opposition to one of the best. The Warriors discovered that tonight.
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