After a slow start to their 32-22 NRL preliminary final victory over the Sydney Roosters it was a ferocious defensive effort that took the Rabbitohs to a first grand final in 43 years.
Trailing 12-0 after eight minutes it looked as if their long-suffering supporters were in for another season of heartache.
Defeats in their last two preliminary finals had come after strong starts for Michael Maguire’s side, but unlike previous seasons it was their opponents who capitulated as the Roosters found themselves physically pummelled by their oldest rivals.
Tries from the evergreen Lote Tuqiri and 19-year-old winger Alex Johnston – 15 years his junior – were a great response to early efforts from Mitchell Pearce and Anthony Minichiello to lock up the scores.
As Souths smelled blood, the Roosters were rocked by huge tackles from the Burgess brothers, Issac Luke and and Kyle Turner as the tide started to turn in the direction of the men in myrtle and cardinal.
But the reigning premiers showed they are a champion team by creating chances out of nothing to almost regain the lead just before halftime.
A fractional knock-on saw a Pearce effort chalked off by the video referee – and prop Sam Moa looked certain to power over the line five seconds before the siren to give his side a crucial halftime lead.
But just as he has so many times before – it was Sam Burgess who made the big play.
Heading back to England at the end of the season, Burgess held up the giant Kiwi millimetres from the line, and the backslapping that came his way as his teammates trooped off showed just how much it meant to them.
The second half was all one-way traffic as the Roosters wilted from the effects of their first-half battering.
Ben Te’o powered over after a Sonny Bill Williams mistake before Greg Inglis went over twice – with Adam Reynolds enjoying a perfect night with the boot with six goals from six efforts.
Tempers flared as Moa and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves went on report, with Luke joining them for a lifting tackle.
But even late consolation tries from Aidan Guerra and Minichiello weren’t enough to dampen the spirits of the delirious Rabbitohs faithful who are now 80 minutes away from their ultimate Glory, Glory.
The Barry
Guest
Aaaah ok thanks Dean. I was ready to organise an intervention.
Dean - Surry Hills
Guest
I don't have a wife currently Bazza. All references are for our good friends from the Eastern Suburbs, and their controlling wives who often have their hubbies on a very short leash.
Benny
Guest
The one call I'm a little unsure of is the fourth try for the rabbits. The roosters players all seemed to stop and I've watched the replay a few times and it seems as though it should have been a scrum to the roosters because the ball was not played backwards. Happy for it to be left but that's usually pulled up on when it's like that
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
Benny, no, just manly supporters in fact, just tooooooooves :)
Benny
Guest
I must say, as a fan of the roosters and frequent sitter in the chookpen, and after reading all these comments for a few years, I think the three sets of fans that complain about the refs the most are the roosters, rabbitohs and manly fans, the three best teams for the past two years...quite funny really
Benny
Guest
Yes but 50-50 penalties should always go with the attacking side. Not just pointing out last night, it's happened all year. There is too much ambiguity in the rules. Credit to souths, they kept the momentum for longer periods of the game and roosters couldn't get it back, deserved winners
Benny
Guest
mate cop it on the chin. The roosters have been bagged out for being the best side in the comp for the whole year. It's what comes with success. You do get the refs help because you receive the most penalties of any team but no one's doubting that you're deserved winners and would be deserved premiers. Hate always comes with success, and you're gonna get a lot more of it over the next year
Banana man
Guest
I wasn't bagging the refs and I don't have a dog in this fight slats I don't follow either side!! It was a terrible call and was wondering if it was my ears playing tricks on me. Geez get off your high horse pretty sure I made it clear in my other post about what happened!!!!!
Statler and Waldorf
Roar Guru
you should've heard the roosters supporter sitting behind me at the game - definate conspiracy theorist.
Nate
Guest
Think you missed the fact my tongue was planted firmly in my cheek. I personally thought the refs were fine last night despite a couple of things on both sides of the ball. Frankly I don't think it would have mattered if those calls went the other way. Still, some will shout conspiracy against the Roosters despite the fact that there were obvious blown calls against the Rabbits too.
Muzz
Guest
I found it last night steven... you have to admit, it's pretty funny. Do you think he'll go on Souths end of season trip?
Bunger
Guest
Rabbits played out of their skins and deserved the win. Must be said though that the Chooks I'll discipline cost them dearly when they were on top early in the match. Whether or not the penalties were justified, it got souths into their rhythm and they were hard to stop. From then on, the rub of the green went their way and Chooks had no answers. Next weeks opponents need to find a way to upset their rhythm to stand any chance....Souths will go in as overwhelming favourites and the weight of expectation on their shoulders.....Des and Ivan are clever coaches....1969 repeat?
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
He wants to be Paul Gallen when he grows up
Pedro the Maroon
Guest
As a Queenslander it's my Christmas wish that Laurie Daley selects Mitchell Pearce at halfback next year.
Worlds Biggest
Guest
Barry, it's been around a long time mate !
Slatibardfast
Guest
It's always the refs fault never the players. Here we go again. It all evens out over the course of a game /season. Both sides get some decisions they shouldn't and both sides concede penalties that are not deserved. There is no bias, no conspiracy just paranoid passionate irrational fans. Time to accept the fact you will NEVER get it 100% correct all the time! never has been, never will be. Souths won that game through the forwards one of the most powerful forward displays of the season, they tackled in packs drove Easts backwards and Easts got frustrated. I never liked SBW but I think he tried hard last night have more respect for the guy now. He and the other Easts forwards were totally out muscled and totally dominated by Souths. Sam Burgess is the best forward of the season. His brothers were equally powerful last night. Teo was brilliant. The shot by Moa was bad and JWH coming in after the shot was the act of a gutless grub and jump about like he achieved something, just pathetic. JWH took it up 7 times according to fox stats SB hit it up approx 20+ times. JWH is not a shadow of Burgess.
Banana man
Guest
Thanks glad it wasn't the beer talking when I heard that! Don't want to bash the refs at all but those decisions really boggle the mind.
JayBob
Guest
Yeah that was a bad call, I don't understand what happened. It clearly touched the Roosters and should have been play on. What made it worse was that the Souths player running through in an offside position wouldn't have tried to get involved in the play, but he heard the ref say "touched by Roosters". Then the ref penalised him when he got involved. Refs are now baiting players into penalties.
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Agree with that. Also the hunger of the players is a little less. Even if they think they want it just as much, in reality the mind only has to be a percent off, and that can make all the difference. Which is why I think Melbourne and Manly's reign at the top over the past decade has been all the more impressive. Week in, week out they have played finals like football. They have both been the hunted for years but continue to perform.
Slatibardfast
Guest
Cannot stand the petty arguments between Gould and Warren over such trite nonsense as where Kensington is in relation to which end of the ground or why did you say that when it's this, then they argue about it for the next 5 minutes before starting another argument over some other rubbish. In between telling me who has the best toilet on the Block it's a disgrace .They have completely screwed the commentary both of them should be sacked. Give the job to Morrow and sterling. Flick Fiddler, keep Johns. Better still flick channel Nine altogether.