NRL reacts to Roosters 60-8 thumping by Rabbitohs on eve of finals
An NRL giant’s premiership credentials have been hit with a sledgehammer after a record beatdown that left fans in utter disbelief.
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The Sydney Roosters will now need to make rugby league history to claim the first three-peat since the Parramatta Eels did so in 1981-83.
While winning three in a row is no mean feat, there has never been a side who has overcome conceding 50 points in a game and gone on to win the premiership after an unbelievable 60-8 thrashing at the hands of the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
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The result was the second biggest score conceded in Roosters‘ history and the Rabbitohs biggest win against the Roosters.
They will now need to await the result of the Eels match against the Wests Tigers to see if they will head to Penrith to play the Panthers or Suncorp Stadium to play the Melbourne Storm.
The Rabbitohs’ Alex Johnston also moved to the top of the try scoring list with five tries, including one where he put Corey Allan over the line, only for the fullback to wait and pass back for the winger to put the ball down.
- @SSFCRABBITOHS:
— Fox Sports Lab (@FoxSportsLab) September 25, 2020
Biggest win since 1980 (59-5 v Eels)
Most points since 1937 (63-0 v Uni)
Most ever points and biggest ever win over Roosters
Alex Johnson 1st player to score 5 tries in SOU v SYD match since Johnny Graves in 1949#GoRabbitohs #OldestProudestLoudest
Fox League‘s Braith Anasta savaged the Roosters after full time, and although he couldn’t put a line through the Roosters, it was far from pretty viewing for the defending champions.
“This is a total dagger in the heart of the Roosters because it‘s not Melbourne, it’s not Penrith, it’s South Sydney Rabbitohs who’s done it to them,“ Anasta said. ”This is a rivalry that’s lasted the test of time, it’s been around forever.
“Total embarrassment for the Roosters, they pulled their pants down. Total capitulation for the side going for a three-peat heading into the finals, what does this do to the Roosters?”
On Channel 9, Phil Gould was stunned by the result and said “The Roosters‘ defence hasn’t been pulled apart like this for a long time” in the first half.
By the end of the game, he was convinced that Robinson had his work cut out for him.
“This is a major repair job,” Gould said.
“I can‘t imagine being faced with that challenge of being blown off the park and getting ready to face Penrith.
“I have not seen the Roosters defence decimated like this. I can‘t remember when.”
Parramatta legend Peter Sterling added: “I have no words.”
“I don‘t know what I just witnessed.”
Roosters coach Trent Robinson said it “hurts a lot, very embarrassing for us”.
He added that the team “couldn‘t feel much worse”.
On the other side of the coin, Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett couldn‘t help but smile in the post-match interview and said he’d not had a performance against a team of that quality in his coaching career.
“It was a great performance, it‘s a great club to be a part of,” he said. ”I’m very humble sitting here as a coach after that performance. We don’t know what the future will bring but nothing they do in the next month will surprise me.”
On social media, it was clear the shellshock extended well beyond the footy field.
Illawarra Mercury sports journalist Cameron Mee tweeted “Did anyone see this coming?”
Roosters.
— Josh Jerga (@josh_jerga) September 25, 2020
Completely and utterly humiliated.
Could be the best thing to happen in 2020.#NRLRabbitohsRoosters pic.twitter.com/saO3oSRYPR
Wow. Roosters cop an absolute drubbing from the Rabbits. And the scarily poor Bunker calls went against the Rabbits. The Roosters shot at the Premiership in 2020 looks oh so slim. #NRLRabbitohsRoosters
— Chloe-Amanda Bailey (@ChloeAmandaB) September 25, 2020
30 years ago Mal Meninga scored 5 tries against the Roosters. The Raiders went onto win the comp that year.
— Peter Psaltis (@peterp79) September 25, 2020
This year Alex Johnston scores 5 tries against the Roosters. Do Souths go on to win the comp?
Probably not, but it’s a fun meaningless stat! @Middleton_David @mjm09ten
I have the sneaky suspicion that in a month Roosters players will be talking openly about how being disrespectfully flogged by the Rabbitohs was the night their premiership threepeat was born #NRL
— Mark Gottlieb (@MarkGottlieb) September 25, 2020
Roosters can still win the comp, great teams come back even better. #NRLRabbitohsRoosters
— Ryan Park MP (@RyanPark_Keira) September 25, 2020
But a big congratulations to the Rabbits!
It now sees the Rabbitohs hosting the Knights in the first week of the finals next week, while the Roosters will have to wait to see if they play the Panthers or the Storm depending on the result of the Eels match against the Wests Tigers on Saturday night.
Originally published as NRL reacts to Roosters 60-8 thumping by Rabbitohs on eve of finals