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At Mt Smart Stadium, Auckland: Warriors 6 (Marcelo Montoya 15 min, try; Shaun Johnson 1 goal) Rabbitohs 28 (Alex Johnstone 22 min, Cameron Murray 33 min, Johnstone 48 min, Tyrone Munro 66 min, Blake Taaffe 76 min, tries; Taaffe 4 goals). HT: 6-12.
Sin binned: Addin Fonua-Blake 33min
It’s 2023 but the Warriors have wound back the clock with something more reminiscent of last year or even 2021 in Friday night’s 28–6 loss to an understrength Rabbitohs.
Only the Mt Smart rain gauge was under more pressure than the Warriors in the second half as a stack of unforced errors, poor options and an inability to control the ruck or generate any momentum made South Sydney look better than what they were.
In atrocious conditions, the Rabbitohs absorbed early pressure from the Warriors and then went on to score 28 unanswered points and make just three mistakes as the home side (13 errors) found new ways to put themselves under pressure in one of their worst games under new coach Andrew Webster.
The 2023 physicality, energy and execution of the Warriors seemingly washed away in the Auckland weather at a rain-soaked Mt Smart.
Goal line defence has been a major part of the Warriors’ revival in 2023 but not in the round 18 clash and even though they might not have been asked too many questions by a disjointed Warriors attack, the Rabbitohs’ defence of their own line was outstanding.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
The Rabbitohs celebrate Alex Johnston’s first try on a wet night at Mt Smart.
But make no mistake, this was one that got away from the Warriors despite missing Marata Niukore, who was serving the first week of a three-match ban, for a grade two careless high tackle charge and the mysterious scratching of Josh Curran 24-hours out from kick off.
The Rabbitohs were missing their biggest attacking weapon Latrell Mitchell and were then dealt two late blows with centres Campbell Graham and Isaiah Tass being late withdrawals, making way for Tyrone Munro to make his NRL debut and former Warrior Taane Milne to move into the starting side.
Marcelo Montoya finally opened the scoring after a clunky Warriors attack finally found their groove on the back of a flood of possession thanks to ill-discipline from the Rabbitohs.
A poor obstruction penalty from Jackson Ford and the injection of Damien Cook from the bench helped the Rabbitohs back into the game and prolific try scorer Alex Johnstone finished off for South Sydney’s first try.
Wrong options and unforced errors from the Warriors gifted the Rabbitohs an opportunity to level the scores at 6-6 with Addin Fonua-Blake in the sin bin for a high shot and South Sydney, on the back of another Warriors mistake, and defending a man short, grabbing a try through captain Cameron Murray.
Was the sin bin controversial after a number of high tackles from Souths in the first half? Maybe, but the Warriors weren’t playing well enough to convert their opportunities anyway. Even Shaun Johnson struggled behind a pack that was being dominated through the middle.
Hannah Peters/Getty Images
Addin Fonua-Blake was sent to the sin bin for this high shot on Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray.
By half-time the Warriors had made five errors to the Rabbitohs one and only held the possession edge 52%-48% despite being on the right side of a seven to three penalty count against the visitors.
The second half began with the Warriors losing their heads after a couple of bounce of the ball moments didn’t go there way and Cody Walker took advantage with an inch-perfect kick for Johnstone to grab his second.
A Lachlan Ilias kick handed Munro a match-winning try on debut to seal the deal with 13 minutes to play and Blake Taaffe scored another from a kick to finish off a sad and soggy night for the Warriors faithful who packed out Mt Smart.
Match rating 7/10:
Let’s be fair, the conditions were always going to make it tough for both teams to light up a dark Friday night with a spectacle full of long-range tries but the hardy souls who packed out a wet Mt Smart did get an entertaining contest considering the driving rain and freezing conditions. Just not the performance they wanted from their side.
MVP
Hard to go past Keaon Koloamatangi and Cameron Murray in the middle but Cody Walker conducted the Rabbitohs train perfectly.
The big moment
Just as the Warriors were building pressure and looking likely for a second straight try, Ford got ahead of the ball carrier, pole-axed a would-be defender and gave referee Ashley Klein an easy decision on an obstruction call that invited Souths back into the contest. Barnett’s second half forward pass and Fonua-Blake’s sin bin filled the podium.
The big picture
Next Saturday’s round 19 clash against the Parramatta Eels in Sydney presents yet another crunch match for the Warriors – who have dropped to sixth on the NRL ladder – in their bid to secure their first finals spot since 2018. An away win against another top eight side would go a long way ahead of home matches against the Sharks and Raiders before the final bye of the season.
For the Rabbitohs, they host the Bulldogs in a must and should win – even in the likely absence of Mitchell – next Saturday.
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