The South Sydney Rabbitohs have secured a very convincing 40-24 victory against the Manly Sea Eagles in the opening match of the 2014 NRL finals.
Manly scored four tries in 20 minutes to make the scoreboard respectable but were disappointing tonight.
The Rabbitohs switched off late but were at their rampaging best for the first 60 minutes.
South Sydney will move into their third consecutive preliminary final.
For the Sea Eagles, they will have to re-group and face the winner of the Melbourne Storm and Canterbury Bulldogs clash.
FINAL SCORE:
Sea Eagles 24
Rabbitohs 40
The 2014 NRL finals kick off with the Manly Sea Eagles taking on the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Allianz Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and coverage from 7:50pm (AEST).
With both sides carrying a number of injuries, a win is vital for both teams as they look to gain a week off which could provide them with the upper hand come week 3 of the finals.
For the “home side”, Brett Stewart and Brenton Lawrence have been named to return for the match. This means Jason King has moved back to the bench and Clinton Gutherson and Michael Chee Kam will drop out of the squad.
For the Rabbitohs, Adam Reynolds returns from his suspension that forces Luke Keary to five-eighth and John Sutton to the second row. As a result, Chris McQueen moves to the bench along with the trio of Bryson Goodwin, Ben Lowe and Joe Picker who make up the latter half of an extended bench.
This match has an added sense of anticipation with the two sides meeting only recently at the SCG in which Manly received a thumping which seemed to kick start their recent poor form.
With recent losses to Parramatta and the Cowboys as well as close and scrappy wins against the Titans and Penrith, the Sea Eagles have barely had an ideal run to the finals but expect a big performance from a side that is accustom to playing finals football.
Similarly to this, the Rabbitohs have had an uncomfortable run to the finals. Losing to the Cowboys and Roosters dented their chances of a top two finish but they will surely fancy their chances of winning this Friday night against a depleted Sea Eagles outfit.
So where will the game be won?
Both Brett Stewart and Greg Inglis come into the Finals with injuries which have limited their recent participation or effectiveness during matches.
Stewart missed the Sea Eagles Round 26 match against the Cowboys with an ankle injury while Greg Inglis struggled with a hip injury that flared at multiple points in their loss to the Roosters.
The fitness and thus effectiveness of both players will prove extremely significant in this match.
Also keep an eye on the battle of the two number 9’s. With regular Manly hooker Matt Ballin out for several weeks with a leg injury, Jayden Hodges has replaced him in the side.
With Manly becoming extremely familiar with Ballin playing out of dummy half, last week they looked a little disjointed around the ruck.
This needs to change if Manly are to compete with one of the most consistent and effective hookers in the game.
Issac Luke is a battle-hardened hooker who knows his role within the Rabbitohs side and will look to pick holes in the Manly defensive line.
Hodges must rise to the next level to give his side every chance of winning the match and earning the week off.
With a number of Manly players either on the sideline or carrying injuries, the Rabbitohs should have too much class and progress to earn next weekend off.
Tip: Rabbitohs by 8
Can the Sea Eagles overcome their injury concerns and grind out a win, or will the Rabbitohs take a huge step towards ending their premiership drought?
Join me from 7:50pm (AEST) for live scores, updates and discussion.
davey
Guest
20k Souths fans, 0 Manly fans, and you still want to criticise the Bunny fans? Nah mate.
davey
Guest
Oh lordy, and honest Manly fan! Quick someone snap a photo before he disappears!!
davey
Guest
Good god almighty. "Good luck to every team that’s not under the wings of the Nrl. So dogs cowboys penrith all.the best" What a childish thing to say. Manly fans are absolutely pathetic. Drop the tin foil hat stuff, you lost fair and square. Was Manly under the NRLs wings in 2011? You know, that year that the Warriors managed to dud their way to an undeserved GF appearance which Manly went on to win? Should I make conspiracy theories about how the NRL made sure Warriors got through to give Manly an easy ride? Grow the F up and stop being so damn pathetic.
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Toovs is part of the problem. According to him they never lose because they weren't good enough or the other side was better but because they were robbed. He has instilled the wrong attitude in the club, it is their right to win and if they don't they were robbed and there needs to be an investigation into it.
Kris
Guest
Feel really sorry for Jayden Hodges :(
Muzz
Guest
You should be worried if you support Souths.Clearly Roadkill was concerned and lost it after the game.Manlys pack was depleted last night.The team is also low on confidence but eventually got some good ball and made Souths look like a park footy team.
Luke M
Guest
I'm not a Souths fan, put down the glass. "This is our year" lol. Hear that a lot!
Jacks
Roar Guru
Still there was only 20k souths fans not a ringing endorsment for Souths fans
parrafan
Guest
Just to throw some petrol on the fire haven't the roosters played in 7 grand finals since the turn of the century. Not sure how bottom 8 is their natural territory. All these things go in cycles. That's how a salary cap works.
mon
Guest
It was Manly's home game. They knew at the start of the season, if they earned the appropriate finals spot, exactly where it would be played. The fact that South's song was played is of no relevance at all as both teams are based in Sydney playing at a neutral ground. The real shame is the bull***t boycott to not attend the game staged by *some* Manly fans because... Whatever.
mon
Guest
Disagree. Souths are a click away from where they need to be. They were dominant throughout the game. Disregard the final 20, it is clearly not South's achilles this year. Forward pass for Stuart's try whatever blah blah blah.. They took their lead for granted, foot off the gas, protected themselves in play and via subs etc. etc. Not unique. Roosters last week performed similarly in the second half with a smaller margin. Manly v Penrith.. Bulldogs v Titans.. It wasn't good footy and Madge has made that very clear. The week off will allow them to work on those combos with a full, healthy and MRP free squad. What I've been waiting for. Not worried.
steveng
Guest
Love it how all you Manly supporters are so picky and such sore Losers Losers Losers. Go the Bunnies its our YEAR 2014 and hold that sign up NICE AND HIGH son "THIS IS OUR YEAR"!
steveng
Guest
Well said, but we will still have the manly wingers brag on and on and on>>>Go the Bunnies!
Renegade
Guest
I'm still confused at how people believe Manly got dudded... stop reading the telegraph
Muzz
Guest
Te'o and ?
steveng
Guest
This was a real battering I predicted 20 points (disappointed that it was only 16 as Souths played better than that) but for a while there it looked like its going to be 100 points before Souths took their foot off the pedal. Souths weren't that perfect by any means, they were complacent in dropping the ball in crucial stages of the game and doing silly things again just like they did against the Roosters, getting in each other's way and that is not good enough at this stage of the season because if it would have been the Roosters or the Cowboys then they would have really punished them for it. But in the last 20 minutes they were atrocious irrespective if they eased off, if they want to win the big games coming up then they have to concentrate on these parts of their game otherwise its going to come back and haunt them. Go the Bunnies!
Arthur Beatsons Mum
Guest
Manly are yesterdays hero,s. Welcome to the new world order. Souths beat Manly 40 to 24. after beating them up a few weeks back. No whinging about refs being unfair, No NRL conspiracy theories, No illegal wrestling, No whinging about home ground advantage, No more excuses.No more lies and no more blaming everyone else. The parties over. Beaten Fair and square by a better team. Simple.Get used to it. Yes players were missing, from both sides, yes players are playing busted, from both sides. here is a sunny little fact to chew over. after 26 rounds both Manly and Souths conceded exactly the same amount of penalties per game, 6.1. Heres another interesting little fact from Last nights massacre, Manly have three players on report Foran, Lyons and Whatmo. Souths have nil. The point of all this is overall everything evens out in the wash and the best teams rise to the top and the not as good sink. Its just sport. After all is said and done we are not curing cancer here people.
Elma Dudd
Guest
Gotta love a manly fan sulking
Jack
Guest
Yeah, all that whinging and complaining from Manly that they shouldn't have to drive across the bridge seems to have further dissuaded Manly's already lazy fans from turning up.
jamesb
Guest
I don't follow Souths