Round 18 RABBITOHS V DRAGONS

[TITAN PETE]

RABBITOHS V DRAGONS - 22ND JULY, 7:00PM, ANZ STADIUM | #NRLSOUSGI

Rabbitohs

1 Greg Inglis
2 Nathan Merritt
3 Bryson Goodwin
4 Dylan Walker
5 Andrew Everingham
6 John Sutton
7 Adam Reynolds
8 Dave Tyrrell
9 Issac Luke
10 Roy Asotasi
11 Chris McQueen
12 Ben Te'o
13 Sam Burgess

Interchange
14 Nathan Peats
15 Ben Lowe
16 Jeff Lima
17 George Burgess
18 Tom Burgess
19 Justin Hunt
22 Luke Keary

Dragons

1 Josh Dugan
2 Brett Morris
3 Chase Stanley
4 Matt Cooper
5 Jason Nightingale
6 Adam Quinlan
7 Nathan Fien
8 Jack de Belin
9 Mitch Rein
10 Michael Weyman
11 Bronson Harrison
12 Ben Creagh (c)
13 Trent Merrin

Interchange
14 Cameron King
15 Leeson Ah Mau
16 Tyson Frizell
17 Jack Stockwell
19 Matt Prior
21 Daniel Vidot

Coach: Steve Price

[TITAN PETE]

Injured Inglis set to miss six NRL weeks
By Ian McCullough
AAP
Thu 18th July, 7:10am


South Sydney's NRL premiership hopes have been handed a huge blow with superstar fullback Greg Inglis set to miss six to eight weeks of NRL action after damaging a posterior cruciate ligament.

Inglis sustained the knee injury in the first half of Queensland's State of Origin series-clinching 12-10 victory over NSW on Wednesday night.

He played the whole of the second half with the problem as the Maroons held off a dominant Blues side who failed to turn possession into points at ANZ Stadium.

Queensland doctor Roy Saunders examined Inglis after the game and confirmed the injury, although he will undergo scans on Friday to determine the full extent of the damage.

Inglis will miss South Sydney's clash with St George Illawarra on Monday and the ladder leaders could be without the 26-year-old until the start of the NRL finals campaign.

[DIEHARD]

Shame about Inglis, I hope he is right for the Finals.

[TITAN PETE]

Shame about Inglis, I hope he is right for the Finals.

Me too mate , the Bunnys will need him for the big games

[DIEHARD]

Rabbitohs v Dragons
ANZ Stadium Monday, 7pm

The Rabbitohs are four-point leaders on the competition table, having won 14 of their 16 games. Their only losses have come against the Storm (17-10) and Sharks (14-12). They are on their second five-game winning streak this season, having opened the season with five straight wins as well. They also won four straight at another stage. There is no doubting the Rabbitohs' consistency.

The Rabbitohs' current run of wins has come against the Knights (25-18), Titans (30-24), Eels (30-10), Raiders (32-2) and Warriors (30-13). They trailed the Warriors 13-6 at halftime of that game, in Perth, but lifted to win the second half 24-0 and take the game comfortably in the end. Maybe they're getting closer to another loss, but you wouldn't bet on it against the Dragons – even allowing for the loss of star fullback Greg Inglis, who is expected to be sidelined until the finals with a knee ligament strain suffered in Origin III.

The Dragons continue to be awful in attack, and it was understandable that against the competition's top team for defence, the Roosters, they were kept scoreless at their last start, while the Roosters racked up 36 points. It is going to be another big test for the Dragons to try to get anything going against the Rabbitohs' defence. It is also going to be hugely difficult for the Dragons to stop their attack.

The Dragons' most recent win was against the Knights, four rounds back. They came from behind to win 14-8, with fullback Josh Dugan starring. Since then, they have lost to the Cowboys (22-16), Panthers (25-10) and Roosters. The Dragons, with just five wins and 11 losses, are second-last on the competition table. Only the hapless Eels are behind them.

The Rabbitohs will most likely shift Nathan Merritt to fullback to cover for Inglis, with a new addition to the backline yet to be announced. They have added Tom Burgess, Justin Hunt and Luke Keary to what is a seven-man bench.

Dugan returns at fullback for the Dragons, and Matt Cooper in the centres. Chase Stanley moves from five-eighth to centre, and Adam Quinlan from fullback to five-eighth. Charly Runciman and Nathan Green are gone from the centres. Bronson Harrison returns to the second row, with Matt Prior dropping to the bench. Will Matthews and Craig Garvey are gone from the bench. Cameron King, Tyson Frizell and Daniel Vidot have been added to what is a six-man bench.

Watch Out Rabbitohs: Dugan remains the Dragons' best bet of sparking something in attack. In his six games for the club he has run for more than 200 metres four times, with 152 and 103 his other totals. He has made six line-breaks and nine offloads, and scored four tries.

Watch Out Dragons: Where do you start? Nathan Merritt has scored 12 tries for the Rabbitohs, five-eighth John Sutton and halfback Adam Reynolds are killing them in the playmaking department, Sam Burgess brings the power game from the start and George Burgess brings the power game off the bench. And so it goes on. Even allowing for no Inglis.

Plays To Watch: Dylan Walker, the 18-year-old kid the Rabbitohs have got playing in the centres, is a revelation. He really could end up a big star. Walker plays the game very smart, and with a lot of aggression. He loves to take on defenders, and the Dragons are going to have to make their one-on-one tackles on him stick or they'll be in trouble.

Meanwhile the Dragons have got to try to get quality ball out wide to Cooper, Brett Morris, Stanley and Jason Nightingale, and also bring Dugan into the play, sweeping around. The Dragons can't possibly hope to defend a small total and win this game.

Key Match-Up: John Sutton v Adam Quinlan. Sutton is 28 and has played 198 first-grade games. He is among the most creative players in the competition and is at the top of his game. Quinlan is 20 and has played two first-grade games. It could be a mismatch made in heaven for one side and hell for the other.

Where It Will Be Won: The Dragons are going to have to produce a magnificent performance up front to give themselves any chance of winning. They have some big-name forwards, in Trent Merrin, Ben Creagh and Michael Weyman, but overall they face a massive task against the Rabbitohs' pack, which includes Ben Te'o, Chris McQueen and Roy Asotasi starting, and Jeff Lima and Ben Lowe coming off the bench. And, just repeating, the Burgess brothers.

The History: Played 20: Dragons 14, Rabbitohs 6. They have split the past 10 games five apiece, but the Rabbitohs have won the past three and also the most recent clash at this venue.

Match Officials: Referees – Gerard Sutton & Dave Munro; Sideline Officials – Steve Carrall & Shane Rehm; Video Referees – Luke Phillips & Justin Morgan.

NRL Live 2013 App: Gives you access to every NRL game this season on your iPhone, iPad or Android smartphone as it’s being broadcast on TV, with up to six live games each week, including the Rabbitohs v Dragons clash. Plus latest live scores, breaking news, comprehensive match highlights and full match replays.

Televised: Fox Sports – Live, 7pm.

The Way We See It: There is no other way to see it other than the Rabbitohs winning easily. Their biggest threat in this game is themselves. If they are off their game, and the opposition gets a sniff, well, anything can happen. But if they fire, then this game is there for the taking for them. Rabbitohs by 12 points.

*Statistics: NRL Stats.

http://www.nrl.com

[DIEHARD]

Souths look to find GI answer

South Sydney can't win an NRL title in the next month, but the crucial stretch without fullback Greg Inglis could say a lot about their chances of ending a long premiership drought in October.

Inglis suffered damage to his posterior cruciate ligament playing for Queensland in last week's State of Origin win, and is set to miss between four and eight weeks with the injury.

He will return in time for the finals, but starting on Monday night's meeting with St George Illawarra, the Rabbitohs will have to adjust to life without Inglis.

It's a different mindset to being without the brilliant custodian for a week here and a week there - Souths now need to conjure up points on a regular basis without their superstar at the back.

Coach Michael Maguire has yet to decide who will fill in, with either Nathan Merritt - who along with Inglis leads the Bunnies with 12 tries for the year - or Justin Hunt to get the nod.

Souths players expressed confidence in whoever got the nod, claiming the team structure would ensure a smooth progression.

"He's (the replacement) not going to score the tries like GI, but he'll do that job that's required by the coach and that's all we can ask for," veteran prop Jeff Lima said.

Inglis said on Thursday he hoped to miss just two to three games, with Maguire hoping for the best-case scenario.

"It's an injury that you have to wait and see a little bit, there's 4-8 weeks," Maguire said.

"It's really dependent on the stability of his knee - he's actually pulled up quite well, hopefully it's better news than the longer."

The clash against the struggling Dragons shouldn't prove too big a test, but away games against Gold Coast, North Queensland and premiers Melbourne follow.

The Dragons' desperation, on the back of three straight losses, flowed over to team selections this week.

Rookie Adam Quinlan - better known as a fullback - was named at five-eighth, though the return of NSW fullback Josh Dugan should be a boost.

http://www.nrl.com

[DIEHARD]

Backing Souths big time. A quality game for Monday night footy. Souths by 18.

[DIEHARD]

Nightingale hopeful in 150th game

Jason Nightingale couldn't pick a better night to score his first try since Round 7, playing his 150th first-grade game against the Rabbitohs

Unfortunately, when your team is losing regularly and is much closer to last than first on the competition table, personal milestones like the one Jason Nightingale achieves on Monday night aren't as loudly celebrated as when you are winning.

That is just the nature of the game: If you're losing, you keep your head down, don't make too much noise and work hard to try to find the way out. But that doesn't make the achievement any less – particularly when it involves a player like the St George Illawarra winger.

Nightingale has always been one of the most professional players in the NRL. He isn't what you would call a prolific tryscorer, but he is constantly dangerous with the ball in his hands and is a strong defender. And he has played well whenever needed in the key position of fullback.

Against the Rabbitohs at ANZ Stadium, Nightingale will play his 150th first-grade game. And, since he is only 26, he should have no problem reaching 200 games and could even top 250 if he can maintain his form and fitness.

Nightingale said he was proud to reach 150 games, but would readily swap the occasion for what would be a rare Dragons win this season. They are in second-last place on the competition table on 14 points, with just five wins and 11 losses.

"It feels like I haven't been around that long, but clearly I have," Nightingale said. "It's very exciting to play 150 games for the club and it's a special occasion for me on the weekend. It doesn't feel that long ago that I played my first game.

"The little milestones you reach along the way are always very nice, but you have it to treat as just another game. You've got to concentrate on the normal stuff. To play 150 games is a big thing, but winning is better."

Nightingale, a one-club man, made his debut for St George Illawarra against Penrith at WIN Jubilee Oval in Round 8 of the 2007 season. He has scored 63 tries in his 149 games, including seven this season.

But, in a statistic that is indicative of how much of a struggle it has become for the Dragons in attack, Nightingale scored those seven tries in his first seven games and has not registered another in nine games since. Furthermore, he racked up four line-breaks in his first five games of the season, but has added only one since.

Nightingale is still ploughing out plenty of metres. He has run for more than 100 metres 11 times this season, and also has three games in the 90s. Plus, he has typically used his size and strength well to get 21 offloads away. But he just isn't getting a lot of tryscoring opportunities.

The Dragons are on a three-game losing streak. They lost their first three games of the season, won their next three, and have lost eight of 10 since. They are the lowest-scoring team in the competition, with 218 points at an average of just 13.6 per game. Less of a threat than even Parramatta.

"Yeah, it's tough times at the moment," Nightingale said. "It isn't the best situation. We're going to have to fight our way out of it."

Fighting your way out of it against any opposition represents enough of a challenge when you are experiencing the Dragons' struggles, but against Souths it becomes a mammoth task. The Rabbitohs are leading the competition on 32 points, with 14 wins and just two losses.

Souths also have the best attacking record in the competition, having scored 424 points at an average of 26.5 points per game.

Asked if the thought of playing against the Rabbitohs had at least sharpened the Dragons' focus, Nightingale replied: "Definitely. Obviously, it's a daunting task to come up against a team that is going as well as they are. I've watched a lot of them this year and they're outstanding.

"We played them in the Charity Shield in the pre-season and they were good that night, and they've kept going since then. They're good to test us. It's a big challenge, and we need to get past it if we're going to give ourselves a chance going forward."

The Dragons would need to win at least seven, and possibly all eight, of their remaining games to make the finals. It looks a forlorn hope, but a massive upset win over the Rabbitohs would at least give them a big shot of confidence.

The worry is that Souths, even without injured superstar Greg Inglis, are capable of cutting loose and making it a horror night for the Red V.

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