It's time to breakdown the big 38-0 win with By the Numbers.
FIRST TRY = VICTORY
When the Rabbitohs score the first try this year; they win. It’s as simple as that. Wayne Bennett has stressed that their start has been a real focus of late and hasn’t it what?! A combined score of 60-0 over the last two games’ first halves. 38-0 last week and 22-0 this week. The combined completions for both rounds 15 and 16’s first halves was also 46 from 50… 92%! Round 15 vs Sea Eagles - 24/25; Round 16 vs Eels- 22/25.
WELL DONE ROOKS
Both edges of the Rabbitohs found plenty of success but the match up of particular interest would be the Rabbitohs right up against the Eels left. Why this was so interesting heading into the game was that the Rabbitohs had a total of 7 first grade games experience between centre and wing (Paulo and Marsters), while the Eels right had 335 games experience combined with Michael Jennings and Maika Sivo. It’s a total of 188 tries against just one.
That one try would double during the game when the rookies combined in the first half with Jaxson Paulo crossing for his first NRL Try thanks to a brilliant flick pass by Steven Marsters. The Rabbitohs rookies held their own against the veterans all night and found space especially with the ball facilitation of Latrell Mitchell. Yes the veterans outran the rookies with ball in hand but there were promising signs with Steven Marsters who looked rock solid in defence; while Jaxson Paulo looks to grow in confidence after putting the ball on the toe for a repeat set of six and setting up a brilliant try for his Captain!
“WRAP UP THE OFFLOAD!”
Junior Paulo has caused defensive lines havoc all year with his ability to generate second-phase football. Junior is equal first in offloads in the competition with a whopping 40 to his name! It would’ve been on the Rabbitohs tick sheet to shut the enforcer down as he only got one offload away during the game.
NRL’S LEADING POINT-SCORER
Tonight Adam Reynolds overtook Roosters Halfback Kyle Flanagan as the competitions’ leading point-scorer. In the last three games alone, Adam Reynolds has notched up a staggering 47 points! These points have been spread across everything; tries, penalty goals, conversions and one crucial field goal against the Cowboys!
ON THE RUN - VERSATILE IN THE BACKS
Due to injuries in recent weeks the Rabbitohs have been forced to shuffle the backline around whether it be from right to left or edge forward to centre.
Whatever the combination is the Rabbitohs don’t miss a beat! Campbell Graham has proven he’s just as comfortable on the left wing as he is at right centre. In fact, in the two weeks Graham has been forced to move mid-game, he crossed for a try within the first two minutes of the change; in both games!
- Since reshuffling the backline, the Rabbitohs have scored a combined score of 50-16.
- 40-16 vs Sea Eagles after Alex Johnston was forced from the field at 16-0.
- 10-0 vs Eels after Latrell Mitchell was forced from the field at 28-0.
