South Sydney need to overturn 36 years of history to down the Roosters and earn a top four spot
South Sydney will have to overcome the might of the Sydney Roosters and a 36-year curse if they’re to down their bitter rivals and sneak into the top four.
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South Sydney will have to overcome a 36-year final-round hoodoo against arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters if they are to cement themselves a finish in the top four.
On Thursday night, the bitter opponents will come face-to-face for the first time since their dramatic round-one clash earlier this year.
The ugly fallout of led to pushing and shoving between Roosters players Cooper Cronk, Angus Crichton and Luke Keary with South Sydney’s Cody Walker in a match the Rabbitohs won 26-16.
Walker was criticised by the Roosters players for labelling Crichton a traitor in what was the Roosters’ back-rowers first match against his former club.
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Walker launched a verbal tirade against Crichton before Cronk leapt to the defence of his new teammate.
Keary labelled Walker “disrespectful” to only ignite further hostilities between the already simmering clubs.
“Everyone who plays the game knows that’s how he plays it,” Keary said at the time. “That’s fine. If he wants to go around doing that, it should come back to him.”
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Walker later played down the incident, saying he had reached out to Crichton via Instagram before the pair were reunited for the Blues in the opening Origin match. They both said there was no ill will in camp.
While the Roosters are ensured a top-two finish, the Rabbitohs need to win to be any hope of sitting inside the crucial top-four before the finals.
The Roosters have dominated the final-round match-up between the two sides in the past three decades.
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The Rabbitohs have lost their past five final-round encounters against the Roosters, including a 30-0 drubbing in 2015 when the sides last met to complete the regular season.
You have to go as far back as 1983 when a South Sydney side led by Ziggy Niszczot last beat a Roosters side in the final round of the competition.
The two sides played in final game of the regular season between 2013-2015, with the Roosters winning each of those encounters. Their 2013 match-up was a minor premiership shootout in front of a 59,780 people — the Roosters won 24-12 before going on to win the grand final.
The Roosters are expected to be boosted for the clash by the return of co-skipper Boyd Cordner and Cronk, but they will be without hooker Jake Friend.
Recent last round match-ups
2015: Roosters 30 Rabbitohs 0
2014: Roosters 22 Rabbitohs 18
2013: Roosters 24 Rabbitohs 12
2007: Roosters 26 Rabbitohs 12
1992: Roosters 56 Rabbitohs 16
1983 Rabbitohs 33 Roosters 12
Originally published as South Sydney need to overturn 36 years of history to down the Roosters and earn a top four spot
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