Match Details
Match Date	28th Aug, 2014
Opponent	South Sydney
Result	Loss 14-21
Coach	Des Hasler
Captain	Michael Ennis
Venue	Homebush (ANZ Stadium)
Crowd	20,424
Referee	Gerard Sutton Alan Shortall

South Sydney have been waiting since 1989 to win another minor premiership so it mattered little that it took 73 minutes for them to gain the lead and keep their minor premiership aspirations alive in what could be a costly victory.

It was a brave rather than polished South Sydney side which failed to gain any real traction in a stagnant performance but jumped to the top of the NRL ladder. Canterbury were probably the better of the two teams but the home side could not score another try after the 33rd minute. The win could prove costly for South Sydney with Issac Luke and Adam Reynolds placed on report while Sam Burgess (hip and arm), Greg Inglis (groin) and Chris McQueen (concussion) finished the game with injuries.

Luke could face a short ban after being placed on report for kicking Michael Ennis while Luke tried to play the ball. The incident was almost identical to the one which led to Canterbury five-eighth Josh Reynolds facing a grade-one dangerous contact with feet charge, which carries 100 demerit points. Luke has 65 carry-over points from a dangerous-contact charge in round 22 meaning any grade-two charge could have him miss finals games. Adam Reynolds was placed on report for a lifting tackle in the come-from-behind victory.

Canterbury’s aspirations of a top-four finish are all but dashed and they could drop as low as seventh by the end of this round. The match was full of confrontations with Ennis in the thick of the action. The Canterbury skipper had an ongoing battle with on-field officials, while he wasn’t short of a word to Luke and Reynolds.

Englishmen James Graham and Sam Burgess clashed repeatedly with Graham singling out Burgess for plenty of extra attention in front of 20,424 people at ANZ Stadium. Burgess had the last laugh scoring two tries while Reynolds’ composure at the death helped swing the game in his team’s favour. A cut-out pass allowed Lote Tuqiri to score the match-winner before Reynolds kicked a one-pointer to extend his side’s lead to seven.

The Dogs raced to a 12-6 halftime lead as the Bunnies struggled for any continuity.

After seven minutes Mitch Brown finished off a short-side raid with Josh Morris and Moses Mbye combining for the Bulldogs winger to race to the line. Morris looked to have put his ongoing knee complaints behind him as he ran freely for the first time post-Origin.

South Sydney’s halves Reynolds and Luke Keary struggled to gain any real control as the Rabbitohs continued to turn over the football. Eventually, an inside ball from Keary isolated Ennis, who missed a tackle for Burgess to score with Souths drawing level after 28 minutes. Ennis received plenty of feedback from the South Sydney side. But in a game where the Bulldogs paid tribute to their departing skipper, Ennis ensured his team would finish the half in front when he dummied his way to the tryline.

South Sydney capitalised on an early Canterbury error in the second half to draw level when Burgess scored his second try before limping from the field.

A penalty goal to Trent Hodkinson were the only points added before Burgess returned to the field 20 minutes later. His return helped spark South Sydney to life as Canterbury struggled for field position.

Canterbury will welcome back Josh Reynolds from suspension against Gold Coast next week.

Source: The Sydney Morning Herald

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