Gareth Widdop’s magic moment buried by Bunnies miracle
Braidon Burns and Campbell Graham combined on the final play of the game to clinch a miraculous four point victory for the Rabbitohs over the Dragons in one of the most entertaining clashes of the season.
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South Sydney have killed St George Illawarra’s finals chances in the cruellest of fashions after a nail-biting 20-16 victory in one the most thrilling finishes of the season.
Even one of the plays of the season from Dragons hooker Cameron McInnes and heroics from Gareth Widdop in the final five minutes of the game weren’t enough to save the Red V on Friday night at ANZ Stadium.
Trailing 14-8 and with five minutes on the clock, McInnes charged down a field goal attempt from Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds.
McInnes then beat Bunnies Cody Walker and Braidon Burns to win the ball back for his side.
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The decisive play ended with a crucial try to debutant winger Jason Saab.
Gareth Widdop, who has been out injured since round three, landed the sideline conversion to level the scores at 14-all. Then he nailed a penalty goal to give his side the lead. But it wasn’t enough.
Leading 16-14 with only seconds on the clock, a try to Rabbitohs winger Campbell Graham broke the Red V’s hearts as the full-time siren sounded.
Graham did more than rescue the match for the Rabbitohs, he spared his teammates a full-time spray from coach Wayne Bennett.
“The speech I had prepared before the try wasn’t anything like the one I gave after the try was scored,” Bennett said after the match.
CODY WALKER
Since being dumped from the NSW Blues side following game one of the State of Origin series, Rabbitohs five-eighth had been a shadow of the player that was the form half of the competition.
But Walker was heavily involved and was at his menacing best.
“I said to him during the week he was coming back to his best, as a coach you know your players better than anyone else. He was out of form when he came out of Origin.
Last week after the Cowboys I said to him ‘you aren’t making the linebreaks but you are about to’.
“On Friday night he started to run the ball again and started to be Cody Walker,” Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said after the match.
TO REST OR NOT TO REST
Dragons coach Paul McGregor copped plenty of heat over the decision to rest marquee halfback Ben Hunt against Penrith last week.
Hunt had some nice touches early but then conceded the first error of the second half, knocking the ball on cold on the second tackle.
It was costly, Walker, who had been tormenting the Dragons left edge finally cracked the line and scored in the following set.
It only got worse for Hunt. The halfback attempted a goal line drop out while Paul Vaughan was still running back into the line, forcing the forward to hurdle Hunt’s kick in what was one of the strangest errors seen this season. It summed up the Dragons’ season perfectly.
“It was a mixed one, he did some good things but that error and the missed tackle hurt a little bit. But there are other things he did well. When everyone is playing with a lack of confidence those things can happen,” McGregor said.
JASON SAAB
After being thrashed 40-18 by Penrith, Dragons coach Paul McGregor made four changes to his back five on Friday night, one of which was uncapped youngster Jason Saab. At 199 cm, the lanky winger is one of the tallest players in the competition.
The debutant took the ball from the kick-off and rather than find one of his forwards, he fittingly took the first hit-up of the match and scored two tries in the second half.
SOUTH SYDNEY 20 (D Gagai 2 C Graham C Walker tries A Reynolds 2 goals) bt ST GEORGE ILLAWARRA 16 (J Saab 2 tries G Widdop 4 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Referee: Gerard Sutton, Matt Noyen
Originally published as Gareth Widdop’s magic moment buried by Bunnies miracle
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