Super Saturday Wrap

The slim finals hopes of the Canberra Raiders and Sydney Roosters have been crushed within minutes of each other, both sides losing close encounters on Saturday night.

A Ben Walker field goal four minutes from full time has given the South Sydney Rabbitohs a nail-biting 17-16 victory over the Sydney Roosters while the North Queensland Cowboys held on for a vital 31-28 win over the Raiders in Townsville.

After thirteen straight losses to their more glamorous cross-town rivals, South Sydney fought back from an early 12-0 deficit to break the long drought and register a fifth win from their past six games. In a spiteful game that revived memories of the seventies, the era celebrated during this round of matches, three players were sin binned with two others placed on report.

Ben Walker was placed on report in the ninth minute for a high tackle on Roosters winger Joel Monaghan, the Roosters responding with two tries to Amos Roberts and Anthony Minichiello to shoot out to a 12-0 lead. Souths hit back on the half-hour through 2006 Rooster recruit Ashley Harrison and headed into the main break down 12-6.

An all-in brawl erupted soon after the second half commenced, resulting in Roosters prop David Shillington and Rabbitoh centre Shannon Hegarty being sent to the bin. Souths were penalised from the scuffle and Craig Fitzgibbon extended the lead to eight points with the penalty goal.

But the Rabbitohs scored the next ten points through a converted try to Scott Geddes and two penalty goals to grab a slender lead. A Michael Crocker indiscretion in the 68th minute saw the Roosters enforcer become the third player to spend time in the sin bin and handed Walker the go-ahead penalty goal.

Fitzgibbon tied the scores again with eight minutes remaining, setting the scene for Walker's winning field goal. A last ditch attack from Sydney could not save their season as the Rabbitohs celebrated a long-awaited victory over their inner-city rival. The Rabbitohs now rise above Penrith and the New Zealand Warriors to twelfth spot on the NRL ladder, one competition point behind the fading Raiders and Roosters.

In Townsville, both sides crossed for five tries each but it was Cowboys pivot Johnathon Thurston who capped a fine performance with a field goal to help sink the Raiders. Canberra threw everything at the locals, taking a 14-12 half time lead and stretching that out to 20-12 in the 43rd minute with the first of two tries to Matt Gafa. But the Cowboys replied with three tries in fifteen minutes to grab what appeared to be a match winning ten-point lead.

Veteran pivot Jason Smith set up winger Marshall Chalk with a wide kick to give the visitors a glimmer of hope at 30-24 down with 12 minutes to go. But Thurston struck a fatal blow with his 77th minute field goal, a late consolation try to Gafa not enough to save Canberra's season.

In the first game, Newcastle handed the New Zealand Warriors another defeat at home, 16-4 the final score line.

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