Final thoughts
Well, well, well. Talk about jumping out of the blocks. Souths were simply sensational from the first whistle this afternoon as they shrugged aside a lightweight and inexperienced Roosters side. Sam Burgess looked comfortable on his return, although it will take a further few weeks for him to reach the level he wants to be at, Adam Reynolds delivered a masterclass of kicking in the first half and the Rabbits’ defence looked back to its 2014-vintage meanest.
Victory did not come without a cost though, and a series of injuries – some serious looking – will dampen any celebrations in Redfern. Reynolds’ jaw appears to be broken, Greg Inglis’ knee might not be as problem-free as first thought, John Sutton seemed to tear his pectoral muscle, and there was some concern for Kyle Turner. The knock-on effects of that lengthy list remain to be seen.
As for the Roosters, they will probably want to forget this afternoon and look towards the future. The one bright spot? A brace of tries for debutant Joe Burgess, whose speed look likely to terrorise NRL defences all season long.
That’s all for today. Thanks for joining me, and until next next time.
Updated
Full-time: Roosters 10-42 Rabbitohs
80 min: There it is! All over at Allianz Stadium and you could call that a comprehensive win for Souths!
79 min: Oh dear, this victory may well come at a cost for Souths, with John Sutton the latest to pull up. He’s clutching his chest, and it could well be a torn pectoral muscle.
78 min: The Roosters, and Ferguson, are desperately trying to get something else from the dying embers of this game, but there’s nothing doing.
76 min: Joe Burgess goes close to a debut hat-trick but the Souths defence is just as keen as it was 76 minutes ago, and he’s forced out of play at the tryline.
74 min: Some Roosters fans have seen enough and are heading for the exits to beat the traffic. You can’t blame them – this has been a torturous afternoon for them.
71 min: There’s no cherry on the cake from the boot of Goodwin and Souths may yet not reach a half century.
Try! Roosters 10-42 Rabbitohs
70 min: The Bunnies aren’t settling for a mere 38 points here as Hunt receives the ball from Sutton and the former Titans and Storm player rolls and spins to the tryline, despite the attentions of three Chooks players! It’s an absolute massacre at Allianz.
67 min: Reynolds is now sitting on the Rabbitohs’ bench – he’s not in the back of an ambulance on his way to hospital, which might well be good news. Of course, he might still have a broken jaw, and just be riding it out until full-time, but still it’s clearly not a dire situation.
65 min: Mitchell can’t add the extras from a difficult angle.
Try! Roosters 10-38 Rabbitohs
64 min: Another one for Burgess-No-Relation, who bags his second on debut! He shows his exceptional pace as he bursts down the wing to finish off a neat Roosters move.
63 min: Cody Walker attempts a dink over the last line of the Roosters’ defence, but he’s inches too short and Kenny-Dowall, on the stretch, is able to pluck the ball out of the air.
62 min: So, for all the positives for Souths today, the fitness of Reynolds, Inglis (even if he’s still out there) and Turner present themselves as dark clouds.
Updated
Conversion! Roosters 6-38 Rabbitohs
60 min: No problems for Goodwin in the absence of Reynolds, who is utterly dejected back in the sheds. There are reports of he has sustained a suspected broken jaw. If true, that is awful news for Reynolds and Souths. He was the standout player in the first half.
Updated
Try! Roosters 6-36 Rabbitohs
59 min: Goodwin scores for Souths! It’s messy, but they won’t care. Goodwin emerges from a pack of players after Turner offloads the ball out of the back of his hand to dive over and put the Rabbitohs 30 ahead once again.
58 min: Inglis nearly makes a hash of a catch, and only a last-ditch readjustment spares his blushes. No matter, he recovers and goes on to produce a bullocking run.
Adam Reynolds heads off the pitch and into the sheds, with blood pouring from his mouth. Not sure what happened to him.
Conversion: Roosters 6-32 Rabbitohs
56 min: Latrell Mitchell also gets on the scoresheet on debut, nailing the conversion.
Try! Roosters 4-32 Rabbitohs
55 min: Burgess-No-Relation scores on debut for the Roosters! They’re finally on the board as the 21-year-old from Wigan is released on the wing and he gratefully accepts his chance!
54 min: Kyle Turner received some medical attention after that earlier try, but Souths have just confirmed his replacement on the field, was purely precautionary, given the disk replacement surgery he underwent recently.
52 min: Sutton looks like he takes a high shot as he’s stopped in his tracks by three Roosters players. He looks slightly aggrieved, but play goes on and the incident is soon forgotten about.
Conversion: Roosters 0-32 Rabbitohs
50 min: No mistake from Reynolds, as today’s official attendance is announced: 25,125. Not a bad start to the season. That figure won’t break any records, but decent enough.
Updated
Try! Roosters 0-30 Rabbitohs
49 min: But there’s no stopping Kyle Turner moments later as he gets on the end of a short pass that fools both Guerra and Nikorima! And Souths open out an incredible 30-point lead.
48 min: And here go Souths again, this time with John Sutton. He’s stopped just in time...
46 min: Kenny-Dowall runs into trouble as he’s monstered by a posse of green and white shirts. He’s pushed back, and back, and back, which is fairly indicative of the way this match has gone so far – Souths on the attack, even in defence, and the Roosters not really knowing how to deal with the aggression they’re faced with.
44 min: Joe Burgess, whose surname may well today be triple-barrelled (Burgess-No-Relation), takes a high kick but he then offloads out the back of his hand to... no one in particular. He gets away with the mistake this time though.
43 min: Some sloppy play from the Roosters, first from Nikorima, and then from Ferguson, who spills the ball, leads to Souths regaining possession.
42 min: Zane Musgrove, off the bench, features heavily in the opening exchanges of this half. He’s a big fella, Zane.
In case you were wondering, Inglis is on the pitch. One of his knees is strapped, but that’s nothing unusual and he seems to be moving without impediment.
41 min: Here we go again, back under way at a steamy Moore Park!
Thrilling stuff over the past 40 minutes from Souths. They’ve looked exceptional in most departments. Adam Reynolds’ kicking has been masterful, Sam Burgess has looked comfortable on his return, their defence was huge at the end there, and Greg Inglis has showed signs of his former self (although, worryingly, he limped off at the end of the half – surely not that knee again?). Anyway, we’ll be back shortly with the second half.
Updated
Half-time: Roosters 0-26 Rabbitohs
40 min: And there goes the siren to cap an incredible opening to Souths’ season. They’re the dominant force in this one, no doubt, and the Roosters have a mountain to climb in the second half if they are to get something out of this game.
39 min: As the half draws to a close, Roosters’ pressure increases, but the Rabbitohs’ defence is big and strong and there won’t be a breakthrough for the Chooks, for now.
38 min: Kenny-Dowall hares off on a run towards the line and the Kiwi shows remarkable strength to get as far as he does, but still it’s not enough and he’s hauled down before too long as Souths’ defence stands firm with half-time approaching.
36 min: Nikorima shows his potential here with a neat kick that Kenny-Dowall leaps to take, but on his return to Earth, the Kiwi is forced onto his back by Goodwin and can’t get the ball down. No try and the search for a point continues for the Bondi club.
34 min: Here come the Roosters, pretty much for the first time all game, but Moa is frustrated by a wall of Rabbitohs defenders at the line. Moments later Alex Johnston does well to tip a grubber kick out of play as the Roosters again threaten the scoreboard, and the Chooks will get another set of six.
32 min: Reality check: this is a young, inexperienced and much-changed Roosters team. Let’s not get too carried away.
31 min: Ahem, weren’t some people writing off Souths this season? It’s just one game, and we’re only half an hour into it, but the intensity they’re playing with so far suggests this is a team that means serious business this season.
Conversion! Roosters 0-26 Rabbitohs
28 min: Reynolds is on target this time, and already there seems to be little way back into this contest for the Roosters. Thrilling, dominant play from the Rabbitohs.
Updated
Try! Roosters 0-24 Rabbitohs
27 min: Inglis is utterly dominant here. He receives the ball at a standing start and there’s nothing on until he decides to take on the Roosters defence single-handedly. It’s a good decision as he shrugs off two, three, then four attempted tackles on his way to the line!
23 min: Reynolds’ mastery of the footy today doesn’t extend to this conversion, and it’ remains ‘just’ 20-zip.
Updated
Try! Roosters 0-20 Rabbitohs
22 min: Alex Johnston! Souths make it look so easy! Reynolds is again central, this time with an inch-perfect chip over the Roosters’ defence which finds Johnston all alone. All he has to do is catch the ball and put it down. He does just that and the Rabbitohs are rampant!
21 min: And the Bunnies are so nearly away again here. Greg Inglis slams into Aiden Guerra and puts him onto the deck before an outstretched Mitchell hand denies the Rabbits what would surely have been another try.
Updated
20 min: Well, halfway through the first half, it’s probably a good time to take stock of what has been a thrilling opening 20 minutes. Souths, quite simply, have been electric. Reynolds’ kicking game is on fire and the Roosters haven’t really come to terms with what they’re up against.
Conversion! Roosters 0-16 Rabbitohs
19 min: This time Reynolds nails the conversion, straight and true. Time for a drinks break and, of course, another ad break on the telly.
Updated
Try! Roosters 0-14 Rabbitohs
18 min: Another! Unbelievable! Carter plucks a high Reynolds kick out of the air with one hand and in the blink of an eye he’s over! A sensational try and Souths are rampant!
Updated
15 min: Reynolds fails to covert this time, pulling the ball wide of the posts.
Try! Roosters 0-10 Rabbitohs
14 min: Aaron Gray scores for the Rabbits! Youngster Nikorima puts in a weak tackle on Sutton, who offloads before it’s slung out to Gray on the wing. He does the rest, gleefully diving over the line to put Souths in a commanding position early on.
11 min: Ferguson, playing just his third game in the fullback position, scoops up a kick underneath his own posts, but he’s soon pounced. The Bunnies are looking strong today.
10 min: It’s been all Rabbitohs so far – 61% of the ball has so far been in Souths’ hands.
8 min: A bullocking run by Aaron Gray puts Souths in an advanced position, seven metres from the Roosters line. And again the Bunnies fashion a scoring chance, this time for Burgess! Only Nikorima’s despairing hand, which bats the ball away from the Englishman just as he looks like pouncing on it, saves the Roosters this time.
Roosters 0-6 Rabbitohs
7 min: Reynolds makes the conversion without any fuss and Souths have drawn first blood in this derby.
Updated
Try! Roosters 0-4 Rabbitohs
6 min: Another Burgess run sees him hauled down at the three-metre mark as Souths threaten the Roosters tryline for the first real time. And the pressure eventually pays off as the ball comes to McInnes, who muscles his way over! The decision goes upstairs with a whiff of a knock-on, but there’s nothing in it.
Updated
5 min: There seems to be a bit of backlash on social media about the return of Sam Burgess. The People aren’t happy that Channel Nine is excited about welcoming back one of the league’s biggest stars in recent times. But why wouldn’t they be? And why shouldn’t we be? The guy’s a genuine star of the game. His return can only be good for the game.
HAS SAM BURGESS COME BACK? CHANNEL 9 HAVE ONLY MENTIONED IT 7,348 TIMES SO FAR... #NRLRoostersSouths #shutupshutupshutup
— Lauren (@ohmyloz) March 6, 2016
3 min: Burgess has his first carry back in the NRL! It’s a regulation kind of rumble forward from the Yorkshireman, but he’ll be pleased to have got that one out of the way.
2 min: Souths kick off and the Roosters make some decent ground on their first set, helped along the way by an infringement by Dave Tyrell. The kick comes and runs out of play behind the in-goal.
1 min: And finally, corporate pockets satisfactorily lined with advertising booty, the TV people say it’s OK to get under way and so we do, just the 14 minutes late today.
The adverts on Channel Nine are seemingly interminable. Already we’re 10 minutes late for kick-off, but at least the TV execs are happy, eh?
It’s hot out there today, so there will be a drinks break after 20 minutes in each half. The Roosters are back out on the pitch, but still no sign of the Rabbits. Pop quiz: when was the last time an Australian sporting event started at its advertised time?
OK, very nearly at kick-off. Given the hype all week long ahead of this one, a turgid game is fully expected. We will see. But not quite yet. The clock hits four and in tried and trusted fashion, the players head back into the sheds.
Updated
And a quick word from Trent Robinson, with a blunt assessment of the Roosters’ new acquisition from England, Joe Burgess.
He’s a winger from Wigan, no relation. Very talented, he has lot of instinct in this play, very fast.
Off-field has been difficult but we’ve trained really well.
Updated
Just under 10 minutes to go to kick-off.
Here’s Madge Maguire, on how the returning Burgess is travelling:
Really good. Sam’s had a lot of experience now, he’s really looking forward to the game.
"I'm so glad he's back in the @NRL" - Gus. #NRLRoostersSouths #9WWOS pic.twitter.com/zWk0pjksm4
— Wide World of Sports (@wwos) March 6, 2016
The last time these two rivals mets, in round 26 in 2015, there was a bit of one-way traffic in this very same venue. Remember this?
Sydney Roosters
1. Blake Ferguson 2. Daniel Tupou 3. Dale Copley 4. Shaun Kenny-Dowall 5. Latrell Mitchell6. Jayden Nikorima 7. Jackson Hastings 8. Kane Evans 9. Jake Friend 10. Dylan Napa 11.Aidan Guerra 12. Mitchell Aubusson 13. Isaac Liu
Interchange: 14. Sio Siua Taukeiaho 15. Sam Moa 16. Ian Henderson 17. Vincent Leuluai 18.Mitchell Frei 19. Joe Burgess
South Sydney Rabbitohs
1. Greg Inglis 2. Alex Johnston 3. Bryson Goodwin 4. Hymel Hunt 5. Aaron Gray 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Sam Burgess 9. Cameron McInnes 10. David Tyrrell 11. Paul Carter 12. John Sutton 13. Kyle Turner
Interchange: 14. Damien Cook 15. Jason Clark 16. Chris Grevsmuhl 17. Zane Musgrove 18.Kirisome Auva’a 19. Nathan Brown
Greg Inglis and Jake Friend have tossed up in the sheds – Souths will kick off, with the Roosters kicking from left to right at a baking Allianz Stadium. It’s nearly 30 degrees in Sydney today, and sure to be even hotter on the pitch.
A quick word on today’s officials:
Referees: Jared Maxwell, Adam Gee;
Sideline Officials: Nick Beashel, Jeff Younis;
Video Referees: Ben Galea, Jason Robinson, Bernard Sutton.
And, as an aside, Brad Fittler has just entered the ground on a Harley. Without a helmet, but he hasn’t forgotten his shades. But it’s all for a good cause, apparently, so good on him.
Team news
Pearce’s enforced absence – he has been banned for eight games – and a couple of injuries (Boyd Cordner and Jared Waerea-Hargreaves) and departed big names (James Maloney and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck) mean we will be watching a rather unfamiliar Roosters’ lineup today. There are a number of debutants for the Chooks today, most notably, Jayden Nikorima, who comes in in place of Pearce. Jackson Hastings and Latrell Mitchell on the wing also play from the start.
For Souths, Cody Walker takes the reins at five-eighth with Luke Keary suspended while Zane Musgrove is on the bench with the other Burgess boys, twins George (suspension) and Tom (ankle) unavailable.
Preamble
Welcome back one and all. It’s been a long off-season (not really, it’s been just a long/short as usual, but certainly the perception has been that we’ve been waiting ages for this moment), but here we find ourselves, and not just with any old game to enjoy – it’s a veritable opening weekend blockbuster we’ve got on our hands here.
It’s not just fans who are eager for this one to get started – one of these two clubs in particular should be delighted to finally be able to let their football do the talking, after having endured a torrid time over the summer during which Roosters’ duo Mitchell Pearce and Shaun Kenny-Dowall took up far too many column inches for anyone’s liking.
Pearce has paid the price for his drunken Australia Day dalliances with a bucketload of booze, some mates and a poor, innocent dog and we won’t be seeing much, if anything, of him until at least round nine. Kenny-Dowall, meanwhile, has also paid some kind of price, albeit a far less tangible one, after being dragged through an emotionally testing court appearance on domestic violence charges. Trent Robinson has said the Kiwi international is ready to go this weekend, but only time will tell just how much the sorry affair has taken out of him. We’ll get an early indication later today.
Souths’ off-season has been relatively drama-free and the main talking point in Redfern has been the impending return to competitive rugby league of Sam Burgess. Despite all the talk of expectation management from South Sydney, the Englishman’s return to the NRL is undoubtedly an exciting prospect. Souths were, er, uninspired, to put it politely, last season with Burgess chancing his arm in union, but his absence was not the only factor to blame for the Rabbitohs’ exit from the finals in week one. The form and fitness of Greg Inglis is always crucial; he starts 2016 fit and healthy, so perhaps there is cause for optimism this season.
Anyway, enough rambling for now. You can get in touch at any point this afternoon on email (mike.hytner@theguardian.com) or via Twitter (@mike_hytner). Please do.
Mike will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a snippet from Paul Connolly’s season preview:
What with losing Tuivasa-Sheck, James Maloney and Michael Jennings, the Roosters look to be outside of this grouping, as do the Rabbitohs who, despite Sam Burgess’ return, may struggle without Issac Luke, Glenn Stewart, Chris McQueen and Dylan Walker. They and the Roosters could find themselves fighting for seventh and eighth alongside Canberra, Penrith, Canterbury and Parramatta, with St George Illawarra a chance too if their key players stay healthy.
Read the full article here.
