The Rabbitohs left it late with an admirable comeback against the Dragons in the NSW Cup trial game at Glen Willow stadium at Mudgee on Saturday evening
The formidable Red V outfit led by, NRL veteran Josh McGuire outclassed the Bunnies in the first half running away to a 22-6 lead.
The young NSW Cup side dug in deep in the second with an impressive four try comeback in the second half.
However this was not enough as the Dragons’ first half lead proved to be the difference maker as the Saints came away with a 30-22 win, in the first hit-out of the NSW Cup since mid-2021.
It was a tale of two halves, as the Rabbitohs showed plenty of improvement in the second and will take lots of positives from the performance as they prepare for the season opener in two weeks’ time.
The Dragons’ showed out in the opening period with a flurry of tries, capitalising on the back of some disappointing errors and penalties conceded by South Sydney.
Tallis Angianga gave the Rabbitohs a sign of life before the break, as he crashed over the for the sides’ first try of the half.
It was the Rabbitohs’ half in the second, as they came out with a point to prove and showcased the flashes of potential this young side has.
Club debutant, Hugo Patterson showed out in the second, on the back of some notable team-play.
Patterson found himself a try in his first game, as the Rabbitohs began to match the impressive Dragons’ side.
Jacob Gagai continued to apply the pressure as notched a double in the second half for the Rabbitohs.
Ultimately it was too little too late as the first half errors came back to haunt the Rabbitohs, with Dragons edging them out for an eight point victory.
With the result aside, there was plenty of positive performances coming from the game that will give coach Dane Dorahy plenty of hope heading into the 2022 season.
Tallis Duncan and Ben Lovett turned heads in their NSW Cup debut, the forward pairing excelled against an experienced Dragons pack.
It was an incredibly bitter end to Lovett’s day as he was taken off with what looked to be a serious injury, as the club awaits the results of scans to confirm the severity of the injury.
Off-season recruit, Jake Tago showed to many why he is so highly touted with an impressive performance on debut for the club.
The experienced pair of Shannon Gardiner and Trent Peoples, led from the front with their experience and may prove to be two key members of the Cup side going forward.
Head of Pathways, Joe O’Callaghan noted there was plenty of positives to take from this game as the young NSW Cup side prepares for the season opener.
“We’re a pretty young cup team this year… this is where you want to learn, you don’t want to learn in competition fixtures, you want them to learn in trials,” he said.
“Hopefully the boys take some lessons from that first-half, at this level of football you just can’t be producing those types of schoolboy errors and penalties”.
The cup side will now prepare during their week off for the first round of the season, on March 12 at Ironmark High Performance centre against the Bulldogs.
