The South Sydney Rabbitohs and Canterbury Bulldogs meet on their mutual home ground in a clash between two sides who have seriously frustrated their fans this season. Join The Roar for live scores and commentary from 7:40pm (AEST).
Week after week the blow torch is fired up on the Bulldogs and coach Des Hasler, and week after week the mentor doesn’t budge.
Consistency in team selection flies in the face of the poor form the blue and whites have shown. Ineffective combinations in the halves and the spine have plagued them, and a negative and impotent attack has been the result.
Over the past month, things have looked particularly awful and the debacle against the Eels last week, where schoolboy errors were commonplace, was the last straw for many in the kennel.
Contrastingly, the Rabbitohs pulled off the most unlikely of miracles against the Dragons in a last-gasp win that masked a far from polished performance.
However, a win is a win and with the Dragons having everything for which to play, their inability to put away a plucky Rabbitohs team reflected the latter’s grit and resilience.
Still, Souths come off one win in the last five, with their thrashing of the Panthers on July 2 the last time they had tasted victory prior to their Round 22 heroics.
Apart from an absurd win against the Knights in all the emotion of the Josh Reynolds farewell from Belmore, the Bulldogs haven’t tasted victory since June 12, when they too shocked the Dragons.
Certainly not inspiring form to write home about, but these two old foes will turn on the fireworks as they always do, meaning this could be a decent contest.
Prediction
Souths will start with energy and look the winner early, before the Dogs work into the grind and find a way to scrap points late in the game for an unlikely victory.
Catch all the action on The Roar live from 7:40pm (AEST).
steveng
Roar Rookie
This game was terrible at some stages, for both sides, more so for the Dogs but, Souths showed some heart and had a go, most of the game!!! The Souths spirit is still there but, its a pity that its taken so long for Madge to get some consistency into this side. The next 3 weeks will show how Souths are panning out (with their youngsters) and if this roster has any chance next year. Better days coming, that is what I said last year for this year. Hope I'm right for next year. lol
Stuart Thomas
Expert
It was painful. Well done to Souths though. At least they turned up to play.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
The Dogs are Dead After another insipid performance, the Dogs must surely look to other avenues. Des Hasler no longer has a team that is playing passionately and enthusiastically for him, or the Club and they were embarrassing once again. South Sydney were safe, clinical and committed and should be commended for tuning up in a late season game looking for victory. Adam Reynold's kicking game kept the Bulldogs in the back half and under immense pressure and the South's forwards worked hard in both attack and defence. Alex Johnston popped up for a duo of tries and Aaron Gray was as dangerous as he has ever been. Keeping errors to a minimum has been the key for the Rabbits over the last two weeks and they were able to embarrass the Dogs with another example of solid ball control and game management. The Dogs showed little or nothing once again. There appears to be no defensive commitment or structure in attack and it has been many years since a Bulldogs team has been labelled in this way. Des Hasler appears lost and the Club needs either a change in direction or clientele in order to attack 2018 with a new vigour. Considering the 'shopping' of players going on at the Club as we speak, it appears the Dogs might be stuck with a similar list for next year and a change in personnel might be in the distant future. If so, the Club seems doomed for a short term of pain based on their poor recruitment and retention. Souths can be proud that they are playing out the season with some vigour, something which surely can't be said of the Bulldogs. Thanks for tuning in to the Blog, hopefully I provided some entertainment in what was a rather poor and uninteresting encounter. Final Score Souths 28 Bulldogs 14
Big Daddy
Guest
LSD means long suffering dogs.
fix the scrums
Guest
Just to clarify that. The 2000 includes the players, coaches and staff, security and team mascots.
J.C.
Roar Pro
Deadset right Scott, terrible scrappy performance by both teams. 30 plus missed tackles combined by both teams, a poor discipline and bad performance by both teams and this is proof why these teams are not anywhere close to the top eight.
Rob
Guest
I actually thought the Dogs could get a win tonight. They're really struggling with the basics of catching and passing and they can't count the numbers with the ball or in defence. The moral of the team has hit rock bottom. To much uncertainty in the players and their coach I think.
Scott Pryde
Expert
Well, this has been something. Something I never want to watch again, even if I have been flicking back and forth. Cheers for sticking with it Stuart. Not an easy game to call. I'll stick to all the top four teams this weekend to bring up 500.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Game over for the Dogs and for the coach.NO team can play like that without repercussions. Match review to follow in ten minutes.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
In my life I never thought I would see the Dogs in this state. All credit to Souths for showing some class and dignity in fighting through till the end of the season. Cant say the same for the blue and whites.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
The Dogs look like an under tens team who chuck it back to the fattest kid because the opposition find him difficult to tackle.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
last tackle kick to nobody and Souths work it out.
XI
Roar Guru
Yes. They're attacking the concept of decent and entertaining sport.
Rob
Guest
Klemmer get the ball and put it over the stripe mate.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
penalty dogs
Nate
Guest
Are they though?
Stuart Thomas
Expert
six more tackles
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Dogs attacking
Nate
Guest
Never thought it could be so painful to watch your team win a game of football.
Stuart Thomas
Expert
Open field madness and the Dogs get a scrum feed ready to 'attack' the line.