Souths started the stronger in the second half with prop Tom Burgess barging over form close range to extend Souths’ lead to 24-16. Walker capped a brilliant return to form with a try in the corner to mark his 150th game in style and make it 30-16. Daly Cherry-Evans kept his side in the contest with a try to cut the lead to 30-22 and set up a grandstand finish. However, Souths skipper Cameron Murray ran a superb line to score under the posts to all but put the result beyond doubt at 36-22 and Blake Taaffe put the icing on the cake with a last minute try to seal a 40-22 win. Here are the key takeaways from the match. LAWTON FACES BIG BAN AFTER BEING SENT OFF FOR BRAIN SNAPManly forward Karl Lawton faces a lengthy ban after he was sent off in the ninth minute for an ugly lifting tackle on Souths skipper Cameron Murray.
Brave Manly shoot themselves in foot after send-off, Walker stars in milestone match: 3 Big HitsThe Rabbitohs have beaten a plucky Manly outfit 40-22 on the back of a masterclass from Cody Walker in his 150th match after Karl Lawton was sent off for an ugly tackle. In the ninth minute Lawton was sent off for an ugly lifting tackle on Souths skipper Cameron Murray with the Sea Eagles down to 12 men for the remainder of the game. MATCH CENTRE: Rabbitohs vs Sea Eagles teams, SuperCoach scores, videos, updatesStream every game of every round of the 2022 NRL Telstra Premiership Season Live & Ad-Break Free During Play on Kayo.
“A couple of try assists tonight then he picks up one of his own. ” KFC SuperCoach is back! You could win the Holy Grail of Fantasy Footy plus $50k cash. Play nowSCHUSTER STARS AS BRAVE MANLY SHOOT THEMESELVES IN FOOTIf Manly stop shooting themselves in the foot they can be a contender this year after they nearly pulled off a miracle with 12 men for 71 minutes. A week after they gave up a 32-0 halftime lead to the Sharks only to come home and lose 34-22, Manly pushed Souths all the way, but ultimately playing with 12 men for the majority of the match saw them run out of gas.
“The big guns starting to fire for Souths, ” Ennis said. “Cook threatening, Murray ball playing and that is great vision there. “On a big night for Cody Walker one of their absolute stars, the red and green faithful they rise out of their seats. “He is one of their favourite sons. Over in the corner Walker extends the lead. “Cody Walker in game 150 that’s a lovely moment. What a player. “He certainly never gives up on the play does he? He is always around whenever there is an opportunity. “Whenever there is a moment when others give up on the play, Cody doesn’t. He is always sniffing around. ” Ennis commended Walker for his special performance in such an emotional week for a man who only debuted at the age of 26. “His father came down during the week to present him with his jersey, ” Ennis said. “It has been an emotional week for Cody and he is really starting to deliver now in the second half.
Greg Alexander believes Lawton deserved to be sent off and could be in strife with the match review committee. “I thought it was a send-off offence, ” Greg Alexander said. “We have had players get players in positions and this is the tackle that we want to stamp out. “Players that get a player up in an awkward position don’t go on with it like that. “And Karl Lawton drove him into the ground head first. Cameron Murray twisted his head and landed on his shoulder, but it could have been a little different. “I’ve got no argument with it being a send-off. “I don’t know what will happen to Lawton at the judiciary but he is in a bit of strife. ” Benji Marshall also backed the decision to send Lawton off for what he believes was a spear tackle.
“You wouldn’t know which team went down to 12 players, ” Benji Marshall said. “Manly as soon as they went to 12 stepped up a notch. “The old fella Kieran Foran showed his running game. It was a little bit of debate whether he got it down but the referees agreed in the end. “I thought Daly Cherry-Evans’ kicking game was outstanding. He put it on a dime for Saab to go over in the corner. “It was all Manly until Koloamatangi got Souths back in the game. ” Greg Alexander lauded the influence of Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans and returning star Schuster in keeping Manly in a game they never should have been in. “Daly Cherry-Evans kicked a fantastic 40/20, ” Alexander said. “His kicking game has been amazing this year whether it is short or long. “Josh Schuster we spoke about him pregame, but that is the sort of stuff that he can do.
“I agree Brandy and it is an old school spear tackle that we used to see back in the day, ” Marshall said. “And you are right it is the tackle we are trying to rub out of the game. “Lawton is a good guy and he would have had no intentions of trying to hurt Cameron Murray but he got it wrong. The technique he got it completely wrong. “I agree with the referee’s send-off decision.
Souths finally took the lead again when Alex Johnston scored his sixth try of the year to make it 12-10. Manly thought they had the last laugh of the first half with Josh Schuster setting up Christian Tuipulotu to make it 16-12 to Sea Eagles just before the break. However, Souths finished off the first half in style with Walker setting up rookie Isaiah Tass for his second NRL try to make it 18-16 to the Rabbitohs at the break.
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