South Sydney fail to fire a shot as their brilliant attack malfunctions in preliminary final
SOUTH Sydney shredded opposition defences all season but in the game it mattered most the vaunted Rabbitohs backline couldn’t fire a shot.
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SOUTH Sydney’s 2018 season will be remembered for their relentless attacking exploits.
On Saturday night, the unit that’s amassed the most tries of any team in the game failed to deliver a four pointer.
It was a bitter grudge match between old foes pitting the NRL’s best attacking outfit against the competition’s most resilient defensive line.
By fulltime, it was the impenetrable red, white and blue wall that scored a resounding victory.
But for 80 dismal minutes against their archrivals the Sydney Roosters they couldn’t cross the white stripe.
Coach Anthony Seibold said he disappointed in their efforts with the ball.
“We were a little bit off with our execution and attention to detail in attack,” Seibold said.
“We didn’t get to the right areas, we ran our shapes wrong.
“We’ve been a really big transition side this year and our transition in attack was poor.
“Whether it was on kick returns or if it was when we hit a sideline, we just didn’t get to position quick enough. We just weren’t good enough in those areas.”
While Seibold admitted his side were beaten by a better team on the night, he said there a few minor margins that proved the difference.
“It was a real game of inches,” he said.
“If you think about their two tries in the second half, Ferguson was an inch away from having his foot on the line. Then Momirovski’s try from the kick was a bit suspect whether it went forward or not. Again, a little inch there.
“Again in the first half, when Rob Jennings went over for the try they called the forward pass, there was probably an inch in it there.
“So there’s three really big plays you talk about that represent inches in a game.”
Aside from a late hit from enforcer Junior Tatola, the Rabbitohs failed to target a clearly injury-stricken Cooper Cronk.
“Spend your life targeting Cooper?” Seibold laughed.
“I don’t understand, he was making his tackles.
“We didn’t necessarily look to chase him. We wanted to put him under pressure when he kicked the footy. (Targeting Cronk) Didn’t have any impact on the game.”
Despite being fully aware of it leading into the preliminary final, Seibold said the Roosters ruck defence was the difference.
“Everyone’s seen it, the Roosters won the tackle all night. The Roosters said they were going to do it all week and they did it.”