Red V bloodbath leaves Wayne Bennett’s Bunnies with big calls to make
The South Sydney Rabbitohs have slunk to ugly new depths after suffering a humiliating defeat against an NRL rival on Saturday.
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The Dragons beat the Rabbitohs 46-26 in a seesawing Charity Shield affair, with Sione Finau scoring four tries and Jamie Humphreys impressing in Mudgee.
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After a catastrophic week that saw them lose skipper Cameron Murray, potentially for the season, and star fullback Latrell Mitchell for up to two months, Wayne Bennett’s Rabbitohs were suddenly staring down the barrel of a tough start to the season.
Things didn’t look like they’d get any better on Saturday either after they were blown off the park in the first half hour against the new-look Dragons before going down 46-26 in the 42nd Charity Shield.
English halfback Lewis Dodd was again off the pace and then put on report in the 27th minute for a high shot on Dragons’ winger Sione Finau before he was retrospectively sin binned at half time under the NRL’s experimental new rule when Finau failed his HIA.
The Dragons were always going to win after racing to a 34-0 lead inside the first half hour of the match played in beautiful conditions at Glen Willow Oval in Mudgee and aside from an on field nap either side of the break, they were very good.
Dragons coach Shane Flanagan ran out a near full-strength side for the second trial in a row and it was his new recruits that led the way. Captain Clint Gutherson, centre Val Holmes, former Rabbitohs Lachlan Ilias and Damian Cook, and prop Emre Guler all had their moments of sparkle for their new club.
Of concern for Flanagan would be the ten or so minutes either side of halfway when Souths scored five unanswered tries of their own courtesy of some individual brilliance from Mitchell’s replacement, Jye Gray, and new recruit Jamie Humphreys, the pair collectively setting up or scoring five tries.
COMBINATIONS
It was hard to pick which edge had the best combination for the Dragons but with Gutherson popping up on both sides of the field and injecting himself into the backline, the Red V now have two very dangerous attacking options.
On the left Luciano Leilua and Val Holmes were outstanding feeding Finau, while on the right Moses Suli and Jayden Su’A were damaging in creating space for Matt Feagai.
RECRUIT WATCH
The Dragons’ roster overhaul was one of the stories of the off season, none more so than the signings of veterans Gutherson and Holmes and the duo were in everything, collectively having a hand in six Dragons’ tries.
For Souths there will be some tough decisions to be made on the makeup of their spine to start the season, with Dodd struggling to inject himself into the game in both trials, a fact only exacerbated by his time in the sin bin.
On the positive side, former Sea Eagle Humphreys came off the bench at hooker and may have done enough to force his way past Dodd or Peter Mamouzelos for a round one starting spot.
Humphreys, who played in the halves in his solitary NRL game for Manly, came on for Mamouzelos in the first half and looked far more creative at dummy half before switching to halfback with Dodd in the sin bin. At first receiver he laid on a pair of tries for Keaon Koloamatangi before a scything run to beat three players and score himself – all inside the first 12 minutes of the second stanza.
ROOKIE WATCH
At the Dragons, two-gamer Finau looks to be in a battle with Tyrell Sloan for the left wing spot for round one and after today’s performance he may have locked away that jersey. Finau scored four tries inside 28 minutes before he left the field with what appeared to a combination of heat stroke and delayed concussion symptoms caused by Dodd’s high shot.
While not strictly a rookie after playing four games under Bennett for the Dolphins last season, new Rabbitoh’s middle forward Lachlan Hubner was solid coming off the bench and could well come into calculations for a bench spot early in the season.
HOT TAKE
A player yet to set foot in Kogarah or Wollongong this season will start the year in the front row for the Dragons. David Klemmer will join the Red V within a week and partner Emre Guler up front in round one.
FINAL SAY
The Dragons’ slashing win comes off the back of a comprehensive 26-8 victory over the Roosters last week, setting up a mouthwatering round one clash with the Bulldogs at Kogarah.
Meanwhile, Souths can expect Cody Walker, Tevita Tatola, Jai Arrow and Siliva Havili all to return for their round one matchup against the Dolphins in Brisbane but their biggest question mark is sorting out who will wear the number seven and nine jerseys. No doubt Bennett has the answers.
Originally published as Red V bloodbath leaves Wayne Bennett’s Bunnies with big calls to make
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