Written off as easybeats when their coach and captain departed at the end of last season, South Sydney continue to defy the critics, marching into a fifth consecutive preliminary final with a red-hot 38-12 demolition of Cronulla at Allianz Stadium.
The Rabbitohs flew out of the blocks in this must-win final and were never truly challenged, as they delivered a six-try trouncing of the Sharks that sets up a rematch with Penrith, the team who pipped them by two points to win the 2021 premiership.
Souths were on the scoreboard within three minutes when a high tackle penalty gifted them field position and hooker Damien Cook fired a pass to veteran prop Mark Nicholls, starting in place of the suspended Tom Burgess, who blasted through Toby Rudolph and crashed over to ignite the scoreboard.
The Sharks swished from sideline to sideline, probing for panic, but were repelled. Cronulla had had the bulk of possession and Souths were making mistakes but charge after charge, the men from the Shire were held back by the red and green wall.
After 20 minutes, Cronulla were still pointless. With the South Sydney big men absorbing so much of the defensive pressure, it was their little men standing tall. Pint-size halfback Lachlan Ilias, filling the boots of former skipper Adam Reynolds, saved a try with a brave bootlaces tackle then rattled the ball loose by getting under the ribs of Wade Graham.
Defence may win premierships but South Sydney’s charge under first-year coach Jason Demetriou this year has been built on their attack. Every time Cody Walker and Cameron Murray combined, sparks flew. And when Damien Cook unleashed Latrell Mitchell down the sideline, the ‘Taree Ferrari’ was hitting high-revs when he was swamped by five defenders, only to still squirm loose and pop a pass inside.
While Cronulla squandered their possession, Souths made the most of every sniff. Mitchell plopped it onto his right foot to pin the Sharks in their own red zone and then crashed over himself in the next set but couldn’t get ball to ground.
The Rabbitohs were winning the ruck but playing too wide rather than charging through the channel that got them first points. Twice they lost the ball in contact on attack before they got it right. And how. On the half hour mark, Souths went right through Walker and Ilias at speed, spinning the ball through seven sets of hands and tapping it on twice to create space for Taane Milne to fly into the corner.
Souths were almost in again shortly after when Cody Walker seized on a loose ball and surged downfield but it fell apart one metre short of the line when Mitchell fumbled in contact despite two unmarked men outside. When Campbell Graham went close but didn’t come up with points either, Cameron Murray decided to go solo. With nothing on, the Bunnies skipper stepped and fended two defenders to make it 18-0.
Cronulla needed to score first after the break and they did, with Briton Nikora crossing and Nicho Hynes converting to make it a 12-point margin. But the men in cardinal and myrtle bounced straight back when some razzle-dazzle catch and release football sent Ilias scooting over to make it 24-6 and snuff any whiff of a comeback.
Despite the Roosters claiming dibs, South Sydney were playing the third straight game at the new Sydney Football Stadium and making it their own. But as they looked to deliver the killing blow, a long floating ball from Mitchell delivered a fresh twist – a 12-point turnaround when Sharks flier Ronaldo Mulitalo intercepted what seemed to be a certain try and raced 90-metres to bring it back to a 12-point ball game.
But Souths never lost their sizzle and they launched a fresh raid in the 61st minute that sent Cody Walker over the stripe. Five minutes later the magic hands of Walker and Mitchell dribbled a ball at Taane Milne’s feet and he stopped, surged, and scored his second try to put it out of reach. From the sideline, Mitchell split the sticks with another elegant conversion to make it 36-12 and send Rabbitohs fans into raptures.
A celebratory penalty made it 38-12 and sealed a convincing South Sydney win built on ironclad defence but made brilliant by scintillating attack. Cronulla depart the final series in straight sets while the Rabbitohs march into a preliminary final against their 2021 grand final nemeses Penrith and one step closer to a historic 22nd premiership.
