Late Storm surge breaks Rabbitohs
THE Melbourne hoodoo is real for a gallant South Sydney side who again had their hearts broken in the Victorian capital.
A Cameron Munster 35- metre field goal with just three minutes remaining gave the Storm a 29- 28 win in front of 17306 people at AAMI Park last night.
The match had it all. It was played at a cracking and bruising pace with the lead changing seven times.
The loss – which was South Sydney’s 15th consecutive in Melbourne – now means the Rabbitohs will play for their season against either Brisbane or St George Illawarra in Sydney next Saturday.
The Storm are just now one win away from getting the chance to defend their title.
Felise Kaufuasi led the defensive change for the Storm in a game which saw Greg Inglis seek treatment twice from trainers in the opening 20 minutes, while Cameron Smith and Dam- ien Cook also attended to.
The Rabbitohs showed their hand early bombing three times to Josh Addo- Carr in the opening ninth minutes targeting the much taller Campbell Graham. It was third time a charm for the Rabbitohs when Dane Gagai scooped a fumbled Addo- Carr bomb to score.
The Storm eventually hit back through Curtis Scott in the 23rd minute and snatched the lead for the first time in the game when Suli Vunivalu scored nine minutes later.
Billy Slater laid on the points when he took a on a short- side with his dummy pass attacking the Rabbitohs defence before he threw an over- head ball for his winger.
The Rabbitohs looked to have se- spent time getting cured a two point half- time lead courtesy of an Inglis try, but some Brodie Croft magic had the Storm up 16- 12.
Croft sliced through Burgess and John Sutton before kicking the ball for Vunivalu to cross in the corner.
Adam Reynolds’ boot provided another Inglis try to draw the scores level after 56 minutes.
Robbie Jennings had his 19th try of the season in the corner before the Storm struck back just one minute later via Cheyse Blair to have the scores level at 22 with 14 minutes left.
South Sydney went ahead late when Cameron Murray sliced through flimsy Joe Stimson defence to score. But again Blair returned serve after a remarkable Addo- Carr cross field kick to draw the scores level before Munster’s one- pointer.