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It was a match that will live long in the history of rugby league as one of the more bizarre games but also one of the most intense.
Seven sin-binnings, three players ruled out due to failed HIAs, winger Daniel Tupou aggravating his groin injury, Latrell Mitchell getting a warm reception post-game after being booed relentlessly the week before, this one had it all.
The main drama among the many incidents will be the controversial decision to not send Souths prop Tom Burgess to the sin bin for his high tackle on Roosters skipper James Tedesco in the 18th minute which ruled him out of the game.
Burgess was marched a couple of minutes later for another hit on Matt Lodge, one of seven times referee Ashley Klein pointed a player to the sheds for a 10-minute breather.
“From the opening whistle it was just absolute chaos.” Michael Ennis said on Fox League. “They (Souths) were up and in the face of the Roosters. It felt like they owned the big moments.
“You just couldn’t take your eyes off the game, we don’t get games like this too often. It was an absolute beauty, a throwback, an absolute ripper.”
Fellow Fox League analyst Braith Anasta was critical of the decision to put Victor Radley in the sin bin early.
“They set the precedent so early in this game with that love tap from Radley that every other player that made contact with the head, like Magic Round (last year when there was an infamous crackdown), it turned into see ya later straight away.”
Cooper Cronk added: “That’s one of the craziest games I’ve seen in a long time.
“I have to take my hat off to South Sydney. They played 20 minutes with 11 players and the Roosters didn’t score a point. They deserve that victory, one, based on the physicality and commitment they delivered but, two, the ability to defend under immense pressure.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
“The issue with this one is that Burgess wasn’t sin-binned, Tedesco doesn’t come back and then the carnage happens and the Roosters can’t activate their reserve player,” he added in reference to the Burgess hit.
Trent Robinson did not want to criticise the match officials for not taking sterner action on the Tedesco incident.
“Where do I start? It was chaotic, it descended into a a non-rugby league game in the end. It got to the point where it was so stop start, not what we really want to see in our game and then there was footy periods and who was going to execute their opportunities and they did that better than us.
“I think as a spectacle it would’ve been interesting and different, and then the footy moments were won by Souths.”
On the Tedesco incident he said he wasn’t sure whether he failed the HIA or not but was just told that he wasn’t going to come back.
“That’s a critical moment but our team has to adapt to that. If we’re going to rely on one guy we’re not going to be the team we want to be.
“I thought they (the match officials) handled the game really well, I thought we descended the game as in both teams. I feel like we forced their hand and they played what was in front of them.
(Photo by Mark Kolbe/Getty Images)
“You want them to calm down. The game was on the line at 24-14, there was 20 minutes to go, there was so much time. That was the time for us to execute, to get back in tune with how we wanted to play but we didn’t and we missed those opportunities and they took it to 30-14 and the game was over.
“I didn’t expect that (Tupou injury) to happen otherwise I wouldn’t have played him. That was an error on our part.”
Roosters veteran Luke Keary: “We both took it to a place it probably shouldn’t have gone but we didn’t handle it well.
“Cody and Latrell executed on that left-hand side and that was probably the difference in the end.”
Souths coach Jason Demetriou: : “We came up with some pretty big try-saver tackles which were pretty special.
“Over the (past) 10 weeks we’ve been up there with the best team in the comp defensively and that’s why we came here today confident. If we can keep teams to under 14 points we’ll back ourselves to win most games.
“I’ve never seen anything like it, it was brutal. I was really proud of the way we fought hard, down to 11 men twice, we didn’t concede a point in that 20-minute period – that was the big difference and some absolute skill and class from Cody Walker.
(Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
“It was unbelievable when they went a man down I thought we’re on here and then we conceded two tries.
“I’m really proud of them, this game brings a lot of emotion. It’s a really intense week, we prepped well, training was as good as it could be and I’m just really happy we got the job done.
“Latrell is just one of those players that people come to watch. You’re on the edge of your seat every time he touches the ball, he’s an outstanding human, I’m really happy he got that reception and I’m sure a lot of the Roosters fans applauded him as well.”
Rabbitohs captain Cameron Murray: “That’s what finals footy is, emotions are high. Everyone’s trying to do their best for the team and sometimes it’s spills over. I thought we were down and out there a few times.
Latrell Mitchell appreciated getting a warm reception post-game a week after being booed relentlessly by Roosters fans.
“It’s an emotional one. I spent a few years with situations that went on but I worked really hard on myself to get myself to this moment. I’m really grateful for what’s happened and what’s about to happen, and thankful for the crowd staying back and doing what they’re doing.
“The hurdles I’ve had to jump, the resilience I’ve had to go through. I’ve been bashed down 10 times and I’ve got up 11. It’s all worth it when you’ve got the support and I know it’s there, it outweighs the bad. I’m very grateful.
“The emotion of that game was through the roof. Last week it started for the first 20 and this week it was the whole 80. Two proud clubs, you’re going to get those moments and it’s just about how you control it and lucky there was no serious injuries.
Rookie halfback Lachlan Ilias said “we played with 11 or 12 men for pretty much half the game”.
“It was pretty hectic. Never giving up – we let in a couple of tries early on and I think with our resilience, we bounced back from that really well.”
Player of the match Cody Walker found it hard to explain the bizarre scenes.
“Because the emotion was so high, the head highs and everything like that, you had to stay in check as much as possible.
“We played some of our best footy when we were down to 11.”
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