The Roosters move into first place and are in with a chance to claim the minor premiership with an 18-22 win against the Rabbitohs. Manly can still move into first place with a win on Saturday.
Souths finished the game strongly, scoring three consecutive tries and threatening to steal the match.
The Rabbitohs really missed Adam Reynolds and may have won the match had he played.
John Sutton looked like a player that hadn’t played in six weeks. He struggled for any fluidity and often stalled his side’s attack.
Luke Keary looks a lot more confident and relaxed with Reynolds in the side but Keary’s running game did challenge the Roosters’ line.
Mitchell Pearce had perhaps his best game of the season. His kicking game was spot on, he supported well and challenged the line.
His man of the match award was appropriate. It will be an interesting matchup next week should these two sides meet again. While the Roosters won, Souths will take plenty of confidence from the way they rallied late in the match.
Throw in Adam Reynolds and we could see a very expansive game next week.
FINAL SCORE
Rabbitohs 18
Roosters 22
The Sydney Roosters face the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a blockbuster Thursday night NRL clash which could see either team take out the minor premiership. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:30pm (AEST).
The Roosters were last-start winners over the Melbourne Storm in a close match, while Souths defeated the Canterbury Bulldogs in a spiteful clash.
Souths will be without halfback Adam Reynolds after he accepted a one-match ban for a dangerous throw. He’s replaced by Luke Keary, with John Sutton returning from injury at five-eighth.
Issac Luke has successfully challenged his dangerous contact charge and will be free to play in a massive boost for the Rabbitohs.
Jake Friend has been ruled out for the Roosters after he was hospitalised with hemothorax.
Mitchell Aubusson moves into hooker and Heath L’Estrange makes his return on the bench.
The major challenge for the Rabbitohs will be how they cope with the loss of their little general Reynolds, who has had a strong season and was particularly effective against the Bulldogs with the boot.
The Roosters will miss Friend. He’s been one of the form hookers this season and his service from dummy-half has been fantastic.
The battle of the forward packs will be big. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves and Sonny Bill Williams up against the Burgess brothers will provide plenty of entertainment.
The side that copes the best with the loss of their key player will likely win.
Top spot will be front and centre in the minds of all players tonight. With Manly facing a tough road-trip to face the Cowboys on Saturday night, the winner of this match is guaranteed second spot, with the potential to sneak to first due to both sides’ superior for and against records.
Whenever two premiership contenders face off, it is a recipe for high quality footy. Tonight’s match should be no exception.
Prediction
Roosters by 6.
Join The Roar live scores and coverage from 7:30pm (AEST).
If you are following the action live, be sure to share your thoughts on the match in the comments below.
just a fan
Guest
Totally agree happy to see the professional foul put in and used but how was SBW penalty in the first half when souths were on a roll any different to Auva’a? I think the sin bin is a great tool but needs to be consistent. But I guess thats the key, if the calls are bad be bad all game etc
Brendan
Guest
Or Teo, an injured Sammy and GI and an underdone Sutton Excuses can be made for both
john badseed
Guest
Welcome to the National Rorters League.
Realist 1975
Guest
Not a fan, but geez its the best performance display I have ever seen from Mitchell Pearce.
parrafan
Guest
I agree spectator but would surprised with anymore than 2 weeks. We are up to finals and we can't have players out for that.
Johnno
Guest
Good stuff Jonathan, go Brook. Im no Bunnies fan by the way Picket, i'm a Storm fan.
Jonathan
Guest
I'm in Johnno's camp - Cranbrook old boy and devout Rabbitohs fan!
john badseed
Guest
Cronulla would have beat em both. Second rate stuff. Refs did the rorters no favours lol. Manly can take it easy against cows neither team on show tonight pose a threat. When's $hame back?
steveng
Guest
Sorry that should be JayBob, cheers mate
steveng
Guest
Yes Steve I totally agree with you and Cecchin affected the game by calling a "Professional Foul" and by sending Kirisome Auva into the bin for 10 minutes and by his actions in tonight’s game referee Cecchin and the NRL have now set a very low bar and standard for the sin bin. His refereeing in this game was absolutely unbelievable and atrocious with head high tackles let go for the Roosters, lifting, barging and you name it and it was there in tackling that was let go throughout the game. It's going to be very interesting to see how many of these sin binning offences will be enforced by the referees and how many games in the playoffs will be ruined by incidents that initialised tonight's sin bin which should have only been a free kick and especially when there were so many other improprieties of the rules allowed and nothing was done about them
JayBob
Guest
Exactly Steve, the SBW one was a sin bin, and the Roosters continue to get away with holding down deliberately when close to their line. Even when they do it 3+ times consecutively there is no binning, and it's been happening for 2 years. To then get a player sin binned themselves (rightfully so) must have been hard to watch for a Bunnies supporter. I'm all for the 5 min sin bin because maybe then the refs will have the balls to stop these tactics.
The spectator
Guest
Guerra in the motion appeared to use his knees to apply extra pressure on the head and neck when he could of easily seen and felt it was wrong to do so, IMO 3-4 weeks for reckless or dangerous, take your pick.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
There wasn't a lot of dropped ball at all, high quality game on the wet. Johnno I think the Rabbits can take away a fair bit from that game. Sure they were pretty average for 60 minutes and still nearly snatched the game. If you take away your halfback and goal kicker from any team and you will struggle. The Rabbits simply must start better. If they can do that and get the fluidity in the backs they're in this.
The spectator
Guest
How did m Scott get away with his shoulder charge of the tackle against the sharks in extra time off the kick off, no penalty no comment from the broadcasters either! It was lazy of napa and looked more like he pulled out of it then went through with it. I was at the game and the roosters dominated until they thought it was over and a mistake lead to a bit of momentum and a 4 point difference. It was a good game to be at even if it took bloody 7 hours all up to get in and out but neither side can blame anyone for anything as there were equal calls and and a dominating performance by the roosters. One annoyining aspect was triple m's commentary praising ordinary performances from some as to earn a living. Strong performance from the rorters and good to see they will clock off for the rest of the top8.
Matthew Edwards
Guest
Struggle to see how you think the roosters attack isn't up to scratch. They are the best attacking side in the NRL by almost every possible metric.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
can't argue with you about T'eo mate. I just find the inconsistencies baffling. The Napa shoulder charge should have been a penalty, clear cut. However the chooks get a penalty and end up scoring at the other end. Look the Chooks were very good and deserved the win. The officiating blunders in the big games is what the fans need to take issue with.
Matthew Edwards
Guest
Professional foul like that gets sent off 11 times out of ten. Just ask gillette. I'm a roosters supporter and think a penalty and suspension will be justified but a 10 minute send off would have been insane seeing as from memory no one has been sent off for stuff like that? As for the suspensions though. All I can say is that I hope guerra's tackle was accidental. I have only seen it in slow motion and things always look worse in slow mo. But 3 or 4 weeks would seem justified here. If he did it on purpose 3 or 4 weeks wouldn't be enough.
Pickett
Guest
Did either side drop the ball throughout the entire match? Despite the rain, I can't remember once. Amazing.
Pickett
Guest
Johnno, How can you have attended Cranbrook and follow Souths? That is not just an expellable offence, it's also worthy of six of the best.
Pickett
Guest
Mate, I agree with you on Napa. And I hate it when other people bring up the past, but I'm going to do it anyways: Your Ben Teo is one of the worst shoulder charge merchants in the NRL. he did it all throughout SOO and he does it consistently in the NRL. So there. I've just done something which I hate seeing others do!