The Elimination Final between the Sydney Roosters and South Sydney has kicked off in bizarre fashion with Latrell Mitchell kicking downfield on the first tackle and Victor Radley sin-binned for a phantom punch.
Mitchell turned back the clock three decades when he fielded a kick in his own territory and then booted it downfield to hand possession straight back to the Roosters.
He nearly paid for it on the scoreboard on the next set when centre Drew Hutchison was disallowed a try after the last pass was ruled forward.
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A minute later, several players from each side were involved in a scuffle and the bunker uncovered a sneaky little punch from Victor Radley on Taane Milne, which looked like nothing more than a slight shove on replay.
“These are two players who don’t mind a bit of niggle,” Billy Slater said on Nine commentary.
Referee Ashley Klein was about to let play continue after the scuffle but was tipped off by the bunker: “It has been identified that a punch has been thrown.”
Immortal halfback Andrew Johns let out a “no, no, no” to voice his displeasure when Klein marched the fiery lock.
Victor Radley is sent to the sin bin. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
Alex Johnston opened the scoring in the fifth minute when he touched down out wide but the Roosters responded inside 10 minutes when, despite being a man down, Hutchison spun out of a couple of tackles to put a try on a platter for Angus Crichton to cut the deficit it 6-4.
Crichton produced an offload a few minutes later and Sam Walker spiralled a pass to Daniel Tupou to score in the corner and put the Tricolours up 8-6.
Tom Burgess was sin-binned for a high tackle on James Tedesco in the 18th minute and when Milne suffered the same fate for a hit on opposing winger Joseph Suaalii at the mid-point of a crazy first half, the Roosters were playing against 11 Rabbitohs.
Tedesco was ruled out of a return late in the first half after failing his HIA.
And true to fashion in this bizarre playoff, Souths scored despite being two players down with Mitchell crashing over off a Cody Walker pass, combined with poor Sam Walker defence, and converting to make it 12-8 to the Bunnies.
The South Sydney First XI thought they had struck again when Campbell Graham touched down out wide but a Keaon Koloamatangi fumble in the lead-up saved the Roosters’ skin.
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