IT REMAINS to be seen if Sydney Roosters can keep South Sydney out of Allianz Stadium but the Rabbitohs failed miserably in keeping the tricolours out of the finals.
Well down the table and out of play-offs reckoning, the Bunnies had the opportunity to manifest their frustration at the battle for access to the inner-city stadium by costing their bitter rivals a spot in the final eight.
But they were rarely in the contest, the irrepressible Mark Nawaqanitawase posting a hat-trick in Sydney Roosters’ 36-6 victory.
Captain James Tedesco was in sparkling form with a slew of try assists as the Roosters built on a 10-6 halftime lead.
Rugby union convert Nawaqanitawase scored an early try and then posted the second of the match in the 22nd minute, before Ashton Ward backed up Jye Gray’s break to peg one back for the Rabbits.
But when Rabbitohs halfback Jamie Humphreys was sent to the sin bin for a hip drop in the 41st minute the Roosters punished their rivals with successive tries to Daniel Tupou and Conor Watson.
Nawaqanitawase’s hat-trick was completed when he soared high to claim Sam Walker’s crossfield kick on the right while Tedesco brilliantly offloaded for Angus Crichton’s score.
SYDNEY ROOSTERS 36 (Nawaqanitawase 3 Tupou Watson Crichton tries Walker 6 goals) bt SOUTH SYDNEY 6 (Ward try goal) at Allianz Stadium. Crowd: 41,604.
Embed from Getty Images Teams:
ROOSTERS: James Tedesco (c); Daniel Tupou, Billy Smith, Robert Toia, Mark Nawaqanitawase; Hugo Savala, Sam Walker; Spencer Leniu, Benaiah Ioelu, Lindsay Collins, Angus Crichton, Victor Radley, Naufahu Whyte. Res: Conor Watson, Egan Butcher, Blake Steep, Siua Wong. 18th man: Ethan King.
SOUTHS: Jye Gray; Alex Johnston, Isaiah Tass, Jack Wighton, Tyrone Munro; Ashton Ward, Jamie Humphreys; Sean Keppie, Saliva Havili, Keaon Kaloamatangi, Tallis Duncan, Jai Arrow, Lachlan Hubner. Res: Brandon Smith, Jacob Host, Cody Walker, Cameron Murray. 18th man: Euan Aitken.
Referee: Adam Gee.