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Classic Match: Round 16 2010

Check out the highlights from the South Sydney Rabbitohs' stirring win in 2010 over the Melbourne Storm in Perth.

 

Match Report Supplied by Michael Curin.

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After four previous losses by one or two points this season, the South Sydney Rabbitohs finally win a close game. They defeated the Melbourne Storm by 16-to-14 at Perth's Members Equity Stadium in front of a healthy crowd of 13,164 as both sides scored three tries and Issac Luke's boot making the difference on the scoreboard.

The win was their first over the Storm since 2004 and enables them to stay in equal fifth spot along with Brisbane, Manly and Sydney Roosters, who are all on 18 points on the ladder. The local fans were kept entertained by a lively contest that was always close and the outcome in doubt until the final whistle. Rabbitohs winger Fetuli Talanoa scored the first of his two tries in the 15th minute after Colin Best beat his opposite man and off-loaded to Talanoa, who stepped past two defenders to score. Five minutes later the Storm levelled the scores when winger Justin O'Neill scored from a Cameron Smith grubber kick.

Both sides were denied tries by the video referee, and the first half was all locked up at 4-all. The Storm edged ahead early in the second half when Greg Inglis scored a try in the 43rd minute after a miracle offload from Justin O'Neill, which their captain Cameron Smith converted to give them a 10-4 lead. Then in the 52nd minute, Souths halfback Chris Sandow scored a nice try after some desperation play from Dave Taylor.

The Rabbitohs turned the ball inside a couple of times before the ball landed in the hands of the giant Queenslander. As he passed the ball it was knocked down by a Storm defender, and then Taylor then toed the ball through into the in-goal area. Melbourne halfback Cooper Cronk could not ground the ball for a goal line drop out, and Sandow scooted through and scored the try. Issac Luke converted to level the scores at 10-all.

In the 57th minute, a Storm indiscretion led to Issac Luke slotting a penalty goal to give the home side a two-point advantage. Three minutes later, some clever play from Taylor when he stripped the ball from his Storm opponent, gave the Rabbitohs good field position, and ultimately it led to Talanoa's second try when Best attracted two defenders to give Talanoa a clear run down the left side to score. The Storm struck again with ten minutes left on the clock when Justin O'Neill scored his second try, but Smith missed the conversion attempt leaving South Sydney with a two-point advantage.

Beau Champion was denied a try by the video referee with three minutes remaining, and the Storm blew an excellent chance to steal the win soon after when Billy Slater made the extra man before an inside pass by O'Neill was ruled forward.

High-profile back-rowers Sam Burgess and Dave Taylor were prominent for the Rabbitohs while Colin Best produced two important plays on the left fringe that resulted in tries for winger Fetuli Talanoa. The Storm had several chances to win the game, one was when winger Justin O'Neill failed to latch onto a Brett Finch cross-field kick that would have resulted in a try in the 50th minute.

South Sydney 16 (F.Talanoa 2, C.Sandow tries; I.Luke 2 goals)

defeated

Melbourne 14 (J.O'Neill 2, G.Inglis tries; C.Smith goal)

 

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