NRL SuperCoach scores: Bulldogs survive Rabbitohs scare after lightning halts play for 29 minute
The Bulldogs survived lightning strikes and a late South Sydney Rabbitohs’ rally to regain top spot on the NRL ladder. Sunday action is over and here are the SuperCoach winners and losers.
Sunday action is over and here are the SuperCoach winners and losers.
SUPERCOACH WINNERS
* Tallis Duncan (116 points): On the losing side and copped a poke in the eye but Duncan was enormous for Souths. A try, a try-assist, 36 tackles, 5 tackle busts and two line breaks for the Rabbitohs.
* Marcelo Montoya (112): The finisher for a lot of the Bulldogs hard work. The winger scored twice for Canterbury and looked to do it easy.
* Viliame Kikau (100): Brought up the ton with a great game. Kikau appeared every time the Bulldogs had something happening and had his own try disallowed.
* Jacob Kiraz (83): He had a try-assist and made 10 runs where he gained eight metres or more while he also had three offloads.
* Connor Tracey (70): The Bulldogs fullback scored a try and ran 261m on a night where he menaced the South Sydney defence.
* Keaon Koloamatangi (69): The Blues 19th man and SuperCoach stud was gunning for strong total before being forced off with for an HIA.
SUPERCOACH LOSERS
* Jayden Sullivan (26): The Souths playmaker failed to fire a shot and barely got his hands on the ball.
* Jake Turpin (4): Had a horror night out. He only played for 19 minutes after being sin-binned for a high shot and even poked Tallis Duncan in the eye.
* Siliva Havili (26): He had a single run with the ball in 43 minutes of footy on a quiet night out.
* Tevita Tatola (28): Came off the bench but struggled to make inroads for an under pressure Souths team. Ten runs in 32 minutes.
* Liam Le Blanc (6): Came on in the 69th minute due to a HIA for Keaon Koloamatangi but never really had an opportunity to get going.
LIGHTNING STRIKES FOR BULLDOGS
The Bulldogs have cemented their place at the top of the NRL ladder on a drama filled Sunday afternoon that saw play suspended for almost half an hour in the first half as lightning threatened Accor Stadium.
Playing without Origin-bound quartet Stephen Crichton, Matt Burton, Max King and Kurt Mann, Canterbury were too good for Souths, claiming their 11th win of the season, 24-18.
While the action on field was largely unremarkable, it was the severe weather event that was the headline act.
Play was sensationally stopped in the 32nd minute when the NRL ground manager entered the field of play and ordered referee Adam Gee to bring the players off the field due to lightning in proximity of the Sydney Olympic Park precinct.
“We’ve got to go in, the ground manager has said, because of the lightning,” Gee could be heard telling players.
Off the field security guards rushed to usher fans to areas under cover, while team and match officials, as well as camera operators and photographers were all forced to find safety.
Visible lightning and thunder followed before the storm front passed without further issue, play recommencing after a 28-minute hiatus.
The last time a NRL match was stopped in similar circumstances was on Anzac Day in 2015 when the Roosters and Dragons left the field when a massive thunderstorm hammered Allianz Stadium. On that occasion play was suspended for half an hour.
Earlier, Toby Sexton got things going for the Bulldogs in the seventh minute, feigning to kick on the last tackle before turning the ball inside to Jacob Kiraz, who in turn drew Jye Gray and shovelled it back to Sexton in support to cross over.
Tries soon followed to Marcelo Montoya and Connor Tracey and inside 16 minutes the Dogs were outscoring the clock before rain began teeming down and play slowed ahead of the delay.
Once the action restarted, Viliame Kikau crossed the line three times in five minutes for no points – twice held up and once called back for an obstruction, before Alex Johnston scored at the other end, grabbing a fortuitous bounce after Dogs winger Blake Wilson spilt a bomb.
Both teams scored tries in the third quarter of the game and when Souths took advantage of the sin binning of Bulldogs’ interchange forward Jake Turpin to score via Jack Wighton, they were within eight points with as many minutes remaining and the game was still there to be snatched.
Tyrone Munro then touched down in the 78th minute after Isaiah Tass kicked from a scrum 40 metres out to get even closer, but in the end they ran out of time.
The victory, following a 32-0 demolition in their annual Good Friday clash, ensured the Bulldogs won both regular season games against the Rabbitohs for the first time since 2011.
DOGS’ DILEMMA
The question of how the Bulldogs manage their options in the halves and at hooker for the rest of the season was no clearer following this game.
New Dog Lachlan Galvin started at five eighth after his fairytale debut coming off the bench on the King’s Birthday Monday and played steadily, without shining.
His halves partner Toby Sexton was the more impressive of the pair, illustrated by his opening try. It was a piece of class that reminded everyone that the young half has no intention of just handing over his jersey to Galvin when Cameron Ciraldo has his full roster at his disposal.
Ciraldo was happy with both parts of the new combination.
“I thought in particular in the first half, I thought they were both great,” Ciraldo said.
“Lachie’s a different style of player to what we’ve had and he just plays, plays with freedom.
“And I thought Toby had his best first half of the year as well. He was direct, he was challenging the line.
“I thought it was great signs for both of them. Great for them two to gel.
“There’s been a lot of talk about a lot of outside noise, but those guys just put the team first and worked really hard together as a unit.”
Adding to the dilemma were the contributions of Bailey Hayward and Reed Mahoney, with the former providing a consistent foil for Galvin and Sexton as first receiver, the latter working himself to a standstill with 56 tackles and providing solid service from dummy half.
CHASING KEN
Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston took another step towards history with his opportunist’s try late in the first half.
It was Johnston’s 202 four pointer of his career and leaves him just ten short of the great Ken Irvine’s NRL career record of 212.
Accor Stadium is Johnston's’s happiest hunting ground, today’s try his 91st at the venue, 21 more than any other player.
GRAY DAY
Ryan Gray made his debut off the bench for the Rabbitohs and acquitted himself well in 52 minutes playing dummy half.
With a return date for Peter Mamouzelos still unclear and Jamie Humphreys needed in the halves, Gray is in line for more time in the top grade.
The 24-year-old spent time in the Canterbury system, including four seasons in NSW Cup at the Dogs, before switching to Souths ahead of the 2024 season.
More Coverage
Originally published as NRL SuperCoach scores: Bulldogs survive Rabbitohs scare after lightning halts play for 29 minute
Analysis: Dragon’s reserve grade resurrection Flanagan can’t ignore
Something needs to change at the Dragons and the most obvious fix is another halves tinkering. It leaves Shane Flanagan with some big calls after exiled halfback Lachlan Ilias answered the coach’s challenge.
NRL star’s incredible $1m sacrifice for family
Adam Reynolds has foregone $1m to remain in Brisbane, but the halfback says the decision wasn’t due to his loyalty to his club but rather to his family.