Sydney Roosters secured home ground advantage for next weekend's sudden death final against South Sydney but the dramatic opening match at the new Allianz Stadium may have proved costly for both teams.
The Rabbitohs never recovered after losing captain Cameron Murray to a head knock in just the second tackle of the match and hooker Siliva Havili was also ruled out due to HIA protocols.
The Roosters also suffered significant casualties in their 26-16 victory, with Joey Manu (calf), Jared Waerea-Hargreaves (neck) and Sam Verrills (finger) all failing to finish the match.
Manu's injury is the most serious and there are concerns about his fitness for the finals series after he called to come off in the 60th minute of the match and was in obvious pain.
Manu has left the field with a calf injury
Souths superstar Latrell Mitchell was forced to watch end of the match from the sin-bin - much to the joy of Roosters fans in the 41,906 crowd - but he will be one of the big names guaranteed to play in next weekend's sequel.
The Roosters limited Mitchell's impact to 100 running metres with the ball but he was still able to lay on a stunning try to get the Rabbitohs back in the game in the first half and finished with nine tackle breaks.
Roosters fired up in their new home
Roosters captain and fullback James Tedesco carried the ball for a game high 268 metres and scored a try, while producing two spectacular line breaks.
"He has been foot to the floor from round one to round 25," Roosters coach Trent Robinson said. "There is a real pride in the way he goes about playing his game and it's at a high talent level but a really high care level about his role in the team and role in the game. It is quite remarkable to watch, to be honest."
The win ensured the Roosters finished the regular season in sixth place and the Rabbitohs seventh.
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Match snapshot
- The match started in dramatic fashion when Cameron Murray came reeling out of just the second tackle of the game after collecting the hip of Roosters winger Kevin Naiqama and was taken from the field.
- Roosters second-rower Angus Crichton created history when he scored the first NRL try at the new Allianz Stadium in the sixth minute after charging onto a short ball from Luke Keary.
Crichton crosses to make history
- Crichton then turned provider for the next try when he again split the defence and drew Latrell Mitchell before sending Roosters captain James Tedesco over to score in the 20th minute.
- However, the Rabbitohs hit back just minutes later after Tedesco put down a bomb and Mitchell took advantage to lay on a stunning try for interchange hooker Peter Mamouzelos.
Mamouzelos hits back for the Rabbitohs
- A piece of individual brilliance by Roosters halfback Sam Walker, who grubered behind the Rabbitohs defence and won the race for the ball to score in the 32nd minute, ensured the home side a 20-6 halftime lead.
- Second-rower Egan Butcher then put the Roosters further ahead just three minutes into the second half when he squeezed between Lachlan Ilias and Keaon Koloamatagi to score off a Keary pass.
Bustling Butcher can't be stopped
- However, Rabbitohs winger Taane Milne gave the club's supporters hope when he tip-toed down the touchline to score in the 50th minute and the Fiji international got a second try 10 minutes before fulltime.
- Souths lost Mitchell to the sinbin for a professional foul but the Rabbitohs scored while a man down after Cody Walker swooped on a dropped ball by Tedesco and raced away before Milne scored on the next tackle.
Milne gets his second
Play of the game
After adjusting to the loss of captain Cameron Murray in the opening minute the Rabbitohs were fighting their way back into the game after a 24th minute Peter Mamouzelos try. However, halfback Sam Walker regained momentum for the Roosters with a brilliant individual try and the home side were never really threatened again.
A bit of Walker wizardry
What they said
"I thought we were really good in the first half, and clear how we wanted to play, executed well, in a good space and then I thought with a few of the changes we just lost our way. We didn't execute well enough when we had field position and it just ended up being a stop-start game in that second half so there are some improvements from us to be had next week. That's all in the past, you create your future and we will create our week next week and how we want to play," - Roosters coach Trent Robinson.
Roosters: Round 25
“We started out on this journey a long time ago and we want to finish it the best possible way. Motivation is never going to be a problem in the finals. They would be sitting there thinking they’ve got one up on us and we would be thinking we came back in the second half so at the end of the day none of it is going to mean anything next week. We are going to have to go there and play the game next week and that is going to determine who goes through. We have just got to be better at the start, it’s as simple as that. We have got to be cleaner with the ball and not give the penalties away and we won’t be in our own end the whole time," - Rabbitohs assistant coach Ben Hornby.
Rabbitohs: Round 25
What's next
The Roosters and Rabbitohs will meet again next weekend at Allianz Stadium and both teams will have players racing the clock to be fit for the sudden-death finals clash.
The biggest concern is over Roosters centre Joey Manu who limped from the field with a calf injury in the 60th minute, while prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves lasted just 14 minutes before aggravating a neck injury.
Hooker Sam Verrills also came from the field in the 57th minute with an knuckle injury.
Roosters coach Trent Robinson will be hoping to have lock Victor Radley (HIA) and wingers Daniel Tupou (groin) and Joseph Suaali'i (shoulder) available after the trio missed the opening of the new Allianz Stadium.
Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook is due to return after missing the last two matches with COVID protocols, while rookie winger Izaak Thompson (hamstring) may also be available for selection.
Captain Cameron Murray is hopeful of being cleared to take his place after being ruled out of the match due to a head knock sustained in just the second tackle.
Siliva Havili, who started at hooker in place of Cook, will also have to pass HIA protocols to play after being taken from the field for testing twice, but assistant coach Ben Hornby insisted Jai Arrow (groin) would be fit.