- Video
-
Club Roar
Captured a great grassroots sporting moment? We want to see it!Content Collections
The Roar Community
- Join
- Login
We all know it is the biggest rivalry in the NRL. South Sydney and their fierce local rivals the Roosters both had a shot at a minor premiership, and knew that a premiership tilt could be built off the back of this hotly contested affair.
A tremendous Thursday night crowd at SFS and millions of television footy lovers built it up to be the biggest spectacle of the season so far, and the match blew open shortly into the second half with one of the tries of the season. Simple but telling.
To read more Brian Smith, outside The Roar, check out his website SmithySpeaks.
We viewers came back from that compulsory ad-at-a-try to Ray ‘Rabbits’ Warren talking to ‘Freddie’ Fittler about biscuits. Apparently ‘Fred’ and Ray have a thing for ‘Fred’s’ desire and ability to suss out a spare biscuit. It’s of great amusement to them obviously. What I felt great about was that they both wanted to share it with me and you in such detail.
Not!
In case you missed it here is what happened before the sensational play that led to Anthony Minichiello scoring an awesome team try for the Roosters.
The unsung front rower in the defending premiers’ pack, Isaac Liu, took a tough carry in his own half on a yardage set by running the good line, short off the dummy half. It was a tougher than usual play as he was confronted by Sam Burgess, marauding from first marker coming out at him to hit from side on. From the front he was faced with Ben Lowe at A – first defender off the ruck on that open side. Lowe may not be as physically scary as Burgess but it was not going to be an easy task. This scenario often ends as mince-meat for opponents of the Rabbits’ famed middle defenders.
Instead Liu, who rarely rates a mention by many more than just the equally famed Channel Nine team, blew it all away. In just a few seconds he capitalised on what his team mates had set up for him over the previous 45 minutes.
He smashed his way through that double contact, left both defenders on the ground behind him, bounced to his feet, before other defenders could get to the scene of this attacking atrocity.
Down and up before any defender could rectify the speed of the play the ball, Isaac Liu had performed with courage, skill and awareness that most other NRL players dream about.
He cracked the team with the best defence in the comp, winning the battle in the middle against the game’s best wrestlers with sheer power based on timing, catch, footwork, foot speed and technique to get the ball back into play.
Others apparently didn’t rate what happened in those few seconds. Sonny Bill Williams and Pearce certainly did, as they recognised the winning of that ruck perfectly as did the dummy half who got the ball to them precisely as they raced over the advantage line as the rest of the fractured Rabbits tried to regain their line to make amends.
They had no chance, as the Roosters skipper arrived right on cue for the inside pass to celebrate game 299 for his only club.
This was just one of approximately 300 plays in this exciting footy match. Plenty of them had real quality about them. The last 15 minutes, when we were listening to what could occur if a, b and c did x, y and z, Souths put together a great fightback. In fact they almost snatched it. But that’s another story missed.
The Roosters looked great for most of this contest. THe Rabbitohs will be looking closely at what didn’t work early, but what did later as they prepare for next week.
The rest of us apparently can look forward to more of the same. Working it out for ourselves as usual, trying to cut through to the footy match. It really could have been far more enjoyable.
Like the Rabbits we can tell ourselves, may be next time. South’s chances are far better than ours I reckon what do you think?
Reckon you can pick the winning team? Build your own dream team with Draftstars daily fantasy and compete on any match. For great odds on the NRL head on over to PlayUp. Imagine what you could be buying instead. Set a deposit limit.