The South Sydney Rabbitohs have come out convincing 58-0 victors in the Group 20 Trial Match tonight at Solar Mad Stadium, Griffith. It was a night for the young guns with six of the 10 tries being scored by players eligible for Jersey Flegg.
Playing in an 80-minute trial broken up into four quarters, both teams can admit being guilty to a bit of rust. Once the Rabbitohs held onto the ball however, their class shone through.
Group 20 matched it with the Rabbitohs early, looking to assert their dominance through physicality in the middle of the field.
Souths crossed first through Jacob Gagai who beat two defenders before planting the ball down in the corner within the first five minutes. This came from the set directly following a 40-20. That was the only score of the first quarter.
Maila Chanfoon got on the score-sheet after both Dean Hawkins and Troy Dargan combined, who then found Chanfoon backing up on the inside.
There was more to come from our youngsters when Zane Bijorac scored a double in just as many minutes. Bijorac, still eligible for Jersey Flegg, finished off a play with ease in the right corner for his first, then received a freakish flick pass by Steven Marsters for his second. Blake Taaffe looked solid with the boot from out-wide, slotting both conversion attempts.
With the score at 22-0 at half time, the visitors were firmly in the driver's seat.
The pressure continued to build and Souths started off the second half just as they finished the first, with points. Peter Mamouzelos was rewarded for his work in the middle, scoring a try by simple support play off the back of a Tautau Moga break, and Jacob Host assist.
Then CJ Mundine showed his wheels when he picked up a loose ball to run the best part of 60 metres straight through the middle, untouched.
Jacob Gagai was the second Rabbitoh to pick up his double for the night when Steven Marsters put his Winger over untouched, while Trent Peoples brought up the half century when his un-intentional dummy fooled everyone - himself included!
With only minutes remaining, Davvy Moale capped off a brilliant performance to bring the final score to 58-0 after hitting a short-ball close to the line.
