A cold Saturday night at GIO saw a heated thriller with the South Sydney Rabbitohs defeating the Canberra Raiders 16-12 in front of 16,965.
With Canberra conceding the first two penalties of the game, South Sydney was on the board early with a successful penalty shot from Adam Reynolds.
A second effort penalty from Rabbitohs’ captain Sam Burgess sets up a successful shot from Raiders Co-captain Jarrod Croker for Canberra’s first points.
Raiders’ big man Josh Papalii gave the Green Machine some much-needed momentum with an electrifying 30 metre run falling just short of the line.
A crowding penalty from Sam Burgess gives the Raiders another two points with a successful conversion from Croker.
Croker puts through his third penalty goal of the match, the score came off the back of another penalty from Sam Burgess.
A ball stripping penalty from Raiders’ Co-captain Josh Hodgson gives Reynolds a second successful penalty conversion.
With no tries scored by either team, the Raiders go into the sheds with a 6-4 lead at halftime.
After going to the Bunker, South Sydney’s John Sutton was not rewarded with the first try of the game.
A linebreak from Rabbitohs’ Cody Walker gives him the first try of the match, coming in the 50th minute.
Halfbback Sam Williams scores Canberra’s first try, English international Elliot Whitehead set up the try with a pin-point offload from a linebreak.
Rabbitohs’ winger Mawene Hiroti dove into the corner for a spectacular try, South’s second of the night.
The Raiders came close on multiple possessions but were unable to score the go-ahead try for the win.
South Sydney Rabbitohs 16 (Tries: Walker 1, Hiroti 1, Goals: Reynolds 4/4) d Canberra Raiders 12 (Tries: Williams 1, Goals: Croker 3/4 )
