Burgess binned for biff1:00
NRL: Rabbitohs prop George Burgess was been sent to the sin bin for throwing punches and an elbow at Knights lock Mitchell Barnett.
George Burgess of the Rabbitohs is tackled by Sione MataÕutia of the Knights during the Round 3 NRL match between the Newcastle Knights and the South Sydney Rabbitohs at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle, Saturday, March 18, 2017. (AAP Image/Dan Himbrechts) NO ARCHIVING, EDITORIAL USE ONLY
NEWCASTLE captain Trent Hodkinson could face possible sanction after telling referee Dave Munro “you’ve just lost us the game” during his side’s 24-18 loss to South Sydney.
Hodkinson was sent to the sin bin with nine minutes left in the game and his side trialling 22-12 for the verbal attack that followed the Knights losing a crucial scrum against the feed.
Hodkinson remonstrated with Munro claiming Souths had intentionally interfered as the scrum was being fed.
“You can’t kick until the ball goes in,” Hodkinson said to Munro.
It was when his complaint fell on deaf ears that Hodkinson let fly.
Souths extended the lead to 24-12 with the penalty before Knights winger Ken Sio scored late.
Hodkinson was the second player in the game to be binned with Souths prop George Burgess sent for a stint in the opening half and also placed on report for lashing out with an elbow at Knights backrower Mitch Barnett.
In the end, it was the brilliance of the Bunnies halves Adam Reynolds and Cody Walker that got Souths home with the visitors dominant in the second half.
The Burgess sin-binning turned the momentum in an incident-packed first half that saw the Knights lead 12-10 at the break.
With the wind at their backs, the Bunnies looked in control with two tries in the opening 20 minutes to lead 10-0.
It was a back and forth clash in Newcastle.Source:Getty Images
Fullback Alex Johnston made it 10 tries in just his fifth game against the Knights when he crossed after a well worked set move seven minutes in.
When Cody Walker forced a defensive error out of Brock Lamb to put John Sutton over for a simple four pointer 20 minutes in, Souths appeared in control with the Knights battling to mount any significant pressure down the Bunnies end.
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But Burgess’ brain-snap after losing the ball in the tackle following the kick-out invited the home side back into the contest.
Just a minute later, with Souths a man short, Knights skipper Trent Hodkinson pushed out of a Kyle Turner tackle and just had enough pace to scoot over from close range.
Souths’ discipline problems continued with centre Hymel Hunt on report following a swinging arm that caught Brendan Elliot flush 11 minutes from halftime.
Soon after the penalty, the Knights took full toll with Peter Mata’utia over in the corner to level things up.
They snuck ahead two minutes from the break when Hodkinson kicked a penalty goal after Zane Musgrave was pinged for taking Lamb’s legs out after a clearing kick.
The Knights showed plenty of fight despite the loss.Source:AAP
Then right on halftime after a Jack Stockwell mistake, Burgess returned from the sin bin to claim a try only to find replays showed he knocked on trying to ground the ball.
A schoolboy error from the kick-off was the only invitation Souths needed to reclaim the lead.
Instead of catching the ball over the dead-ball line, the Knights kept it in play and were trapped in-goal.
In the next set, Walker found the Knights in-goal with a perfectly weighted kick for Bryson Goodwin to score for a 16-12 lead.
Some superb Reynolds vision extended the advantage to 22-12 when the halfback found his winger Braidon Burns unmarked with a brilliant floating cut-out pass.
Originally published as Souths outlast Knights in fiery clash
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