A close match but the Rabbitohs just ran out of legs in the end. It's time to break down the performance with 'By The Numbers.'
SOUTHS’ ‘BOGEY’ TEAM
The Melbourne Storm are no doubt the Rabbitohs ‘Bogey’ team. Tonight marked Melbourne’s ninth win in the last 10 games played against South Sydney. They have also won 20 of their last 21 interstate matches as a favourite.
KEEPING THE BIG NAMES QUIET
The Playmakers for Melbourne (6, 7 and 9) were nullified by South Sydney early on. We know when the Storm are playing their best football it’s off the back of Smith and Munster leading the way. Their three playmakers (Munster, Hughes and Smith) only ran for 145 metres while Damien Cook and Cody Walker took the game by the scruff of the neck and asserted their dominance through their explosive running game; particularly in the first half.
The Souths halves fell away in the second half however, and like all champion players do, the big names step up in the big moments and that’s precisely what Munster did when he sliced over late to give the Storm their first lead of the game and essentially the win.
POSSESSION IN THE WET
While completions weren’t up in the high 80 and 90 percent range like in recent weeks South Sydney dominated possession for three quarters of the game and was in the 60% mark until the Storm scored back-to-back tries. What let Souths down though was their amount of dropped ball. Execution was slightly off and the Rabbitohs didn’t see those fluent sweeping backline plays that they had in recent weeks. Yes there are new combinations that are still gelling but it was the drop ball in the more simple plays that let the foot off Melbourne’s neck and got the visitors back in the game.
BACK LEADING THE COMPETITION POINTS
The Milestone Man, Adam Reynolds brought up his 200th game today; only the sixth Rabbitoh in history to do so. It was only fitting that he also regained his position as the competition’s leading point scorer, overtaking Kyle Flanagan with yet another perfect night with the boot.
REYNO’S MILESTONE GAMES AND PERFORMANCES
- 50th game: Rd 25, 2013 vs Wests Tigers Reynolds kicked 6/6
- 100th game: Rd 8 2016 vs Brisbane Broncos Reynolds had 1 Try Assist, 1 Line Break assist and kicks 1/1
- 150th game: Rd 1 2018 vs New Zealand Warriors Reynolds scored 1 try, had 2 Line Break assists and kicked 2/4
- 200th game: Rd 17 vs Melbourne Storm kicked 4/4
