As it happened: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs New Zealand Warriors - NRL

RABBITOHS 36 - 18 WARRIORS

If I was Stephen Kearney, I wouldn;t play Kieran Foran again in 2017 - no point and he is not looking good. Ata Hingano is showing promise while Simon Mannering continues to come up big. RTS played well, but the Warriors need to recruit a leader who can be the captain in 2018. Plenty more talking points but they can wait until the end of the season. 

FULLTIME: Seven straight losses for the Warriors who are crushed in the second half, going down 36-18 in Sydney. 

79mins: One minute to play in Sydney.

78mins: Ken Maumalo has just been smashed by Angus Crichton and the winger is down for the count. 

77mins: Mason Lino forces a repeat set. But it won't mean much. 

76mins: The Warriors have some rare ball and win a penalty right in front of the posts. 

74mins: Another missed conversion by Adam Reynolds. 

73mins: Kieran Foran is finally off the field and if I was coach I wouldn't play him again in 2017.

72mins: TRY RABBITOHS: Alex Johnston has got his third try of the game. What a run that was. He spots a hole and gets through but just before the line, it looks like he hurts his hamstring. 

71mins: Sloppy play by the Warriors and the Bunnies have the ball back. Then the home side wins another penalty to rub more salt and pepper into the massive Warriors wounds. 

70mins: The Warriors get some ball after a Bunnies mistake. Once again the Warriors have a solid completion rate but a lack of ball hav hurt them again. 

69mins: The conversion goes over and the Bunnies lead 32-18. 

67mins: TRY RABBITOHS: The run on the last and the ball goes to ground. The Bunnies get a good bounce and some good offloads and Cody Walker goes over under the posts. That would be the game now 

66mins: Kieran Foran is walking around like a 110-year-old man. He looks tired and is limping around. Even though he was just smashed by Jack Gosiewsk.

65mins: The Bunnies kick high and the Warriors finally get the ball back. 

64mins: No mistake this time and the Bunnies lead by 8 with 15 minutes to play. 

63mins: Guess what? ANOTHER PENALTY!!! This one is 10 out and right in front and the Bunnies are going for goal again. 

62mins: Another penalty to the Bunnies.... I can't remeber the last time the Warriors ahd the ball. 

62mins: It goes wide and it will be a 20-metre dropout. 

61mins: 40 metres out and the Bunnies are going for goal to make it an eight-point game. 

60mins: Nothing going the Warriors way now as Jazz Tevaga gives away another penalty. Damien Cook is having a great game. 

59mins: Issac Luke is heading off the field for a concussion Test. 

59mins: No mistake by Adam Reynolds and the Bunnies lead by six points. 

58mins: TRY RABBITOHS: Alex Johnston goes over for try 21 of 2017 and the Bunnies are in the lead. A quick play-the-ball and the Bunnies make a break down the middle and Johnston runs over. 

57mins: Issac Luke comes out of a tackle not looking good. 

56mins: The game is tied up once more. 18-all with 23 minutes to go in Sydney. 

55mins: TRY RABBITOHS: Adam Reynolds goes over and it was a lucky try. He kicks the ball and it deflects off Kieran Foran an the bounce goes the wrong way for RTS and the halfback dives over. 

54mins: Cameron Murray nearly goes over again but a Ryan Hoffman tackle saves the day. But the former captain is penalised right in front of the posts. 

53mins: Foran kicks looking for a 40/20 but the wind brings the ball back infield. 

52mins: Good set by the Bunnies who run on the last and eventually kick and RTS just manages to get to the ball. 

50mins: Issac Luke lands the conversion and the Warriors lead 18-12. 

49mins: TRY WARRIORS: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck has a double in Sydney. They spread the ball left and RTS runs over and the Warriors are back in front. That is is his first double for the Warriors. 

48mins: Penalty to the Warriors late in the set. They take the tap 35 out from the line. 

48mins: NO TRY RABBITOHS: Kyle Turner dropped the ball. Great defence by the Warriors who had to come up with a massive play. 

47mins: BUNKER RABBITOHS: Kyle Turner crashes over the line, but the referee thinks he drops the ball. 

46mins: A poor kick by the Warriors and the Bunnies are hot on the attack once more. 

45mins: The Bunnies have started the second half strong. The Warriors kick on the last inside their 30. 

43mins: Tyrell Fuimaono throws the ball into touch and all he had to do is run forward and he would have had scored. Foran is back on. 

42mins: And the Bunnies have an attacking scrum after Jazz Tevaga makes a mistake with the ball. 

41mins: Blow for the Warriors as Kieran Foran and Jacob Lillyman are both off the field injured. 

40mins: The second half is underway in Sydney. It should be a cracking 40 as both teams are currently locked up. 

HALFTIME: Tie ball game at the break as the Warriors and Bunnies are all squares at 12-all. The Warriors looked better in the opening 40, but a few sloppy defensive lapses let the home side back into the match. 

39mins: PENALTY GOAL RABBITOHS: Tie ball game in Sydney as Adam Reynolds kicks the penalty goal. 

38mins: Penalty to the Bunnies in front of the posts. And they decide to go for two! Poor decision. They would have likely got a try if they decided to take the tap. 

37mins: Jazz Tevaga is on for the away side and it looks like he is playing prop. The Bunnies kick on the last and get the ball back and kick again. Ken Maumalo takes his eyes off the ball and makes a mistake. The Bunnies have a golden chance to score here. 

35mins: The conversion goes over, but the Warriors lead 12-10. 

33mins: TRY RABBITOHS: Cameron Murray spots a massive hole in the Warriors defence and goes over under the sticks. Damian Cook gets a quick play-the-ball and he finds Muray who bursts over the line. 

32mins: Ata Hingano with another good run and he finds Bunty Afoa who is tackled five out. But another poor kick on the last and the Bunnies have another seven-tackle set. 

31mins: The Bunnies make another mistake just inside their half. Warriors scrum. 

30mins: Another good run by the captain and he gets the offload away.  Last tackle Hingano kicks high and it goes too deep. Seven tackle set for the Bunnies. 

28mins: The Warriors complete the set following the try and they get the kick away. 

27mins: Straight over the black dot for Issac Luke and the away side lead 12-4. 

26mins: TRY WARRIORS: Simon Mannering runs straight at the line and he powers his way over the line. He nearly lost control but retains possession. It went to the Bunker but they couldn't find enough evidence to overturn the call.

25mins: Ata Hingano turns the defence inside out and is tackled five from the line. And the Bunnies give away another penalty. 

25mins: And another penalty goes to the Warriors. They start the set 40 out from the line. 

24mins: Warriors first play and the ball is stripped. They away side now wins a penalty. 

23mins: The Bunnoes drop the ball metres from the line and the Warriors are let off the hook. 

22mins:  Crichton plays the ball and nobody is there at marker and Blake Ayshford dives on the ball and the referees say he knocked the ball forward. On the next play, the Warriors give away another penalty. 

21mins: Roger Tuivasa-Sheck makes a break through the middle and is tackled/slipped on the halfway line. The away side get to the last tackle 12 out from the line. 
A poor kick is charged by Angus Crichton and he away, but Issac Luke tackles the powerful forward. 

20mins: The Warriors throw the ball around but the ball gets stripped and that is their first incomplete set of the game. 

19mins: 30 out on the last tackle and Cody Walker chips the ball over the top and RTS watches the ball roll dead... just. Seven tackle set for the Warriors. 

17mins: The try has rejuvenated the home side who put p an attacking kick but it goes way too deep and Ken Maumalo takes the catch with no pressure at all.

16mins: The conversion attempt goes wide. Warriors still lead 6-4. 

14mins: TRY RABBITOHS: Alex Johnston goes over once more. The Bunnies run a perfect play and the fullback is put into a massive hole and the home side goes over. 

13mins: Sam Lisone gives away another penalty. Back-to-back sets for the home side. This is will be their first real attacking set of the match. 

12mins: The Warriors are hot on attack and Kieran Foran kicks on the last and the ball goes missing. It bounces of the post and Alex Johnston is away. He is tackled and the Bunnies win a penalty. 

11mins: Ata Hingano puts in a perfect kick and Alex Johnston is forced to bat the bat dead. Goalline dropout and the Warriors will get a new set of six. 

10mins: They start the set just inside their half.

9mins: Angus Crichton tries to get some go-forward for the home side and they get inside the Warriors half. They kick high in the swirling wind. On the second tackle, the Warriors win the first penalty of the game. 

8mins: Kieran Foran gets the kick away and no mistake this time by the Rabbitohs back three. 

7mins: Issac Luke lands the conversion and the Warriors lead 6-0 early in Sydney. 

6mins: TRY WARRIORS: The away side score first. They attack towards the left and the ball is nearly picked off, but RTS uses his foot skills and gets himself over the line. 

5mins: They put in another attacking kick on the last and Alex Johnston makes a mistake. Warriors have a scrum 10 out from the line.

4mins: Another kick inside the Bunnies half on the last for the home side. 

3mins: Once again the Warriors kick low and Alex Johnston just gets back in the field of play.

2mins: The Rabbitohs kick inside their half and Warriors captain Roger Tuivasa-Sheck runs the ball back hard, and after two tackles they are inside Bunnies territory once more. 

1mins: Good first set by the Warriors who get inside Bunnies territory. They kick low down to rookie Campbell Graham

KICKOFF: We are underway in Sydney. The Bunnies get the match started on Friday night. 

Hello and welcome to live updates of the South Sydney Rabbitohs hosting the New Zealand Warriors at ANZ Stadium in Sydney, Australia.

We bring you live streaming written commentary, video highlights (be sure to refresh your browser) and all the action. VIDEO will be available as soon as the final whistle goes.

Commentary will start from around 8:00 pm (NZT). In the meantime check out the video above as Stephen Kearney talks about the prospect of Shaun Johnson making his return from injury next week against the Manly Sea Eagles. 

Lineups

Rabbitohs

1. Alex Johnston, 2. Bryson Goodwin, 3. Aaron Gray, 4. Tyrell Fuimaono, 5. Campbell Graham, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. Thomas Burgess, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Sam Burgess, 11. John Sutton, 12. Angus Crichton, 13. Cameron Murray

Interchange: 14. Robbie Farrah, 15.George Burgess, 16. Kyle Turner, 18 Jack Gosiewsk

Warriors

1. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, 2. David Fusitu'a, 3. Blake Ayshford, 4. Solomone Kata, 5. Ken Maumalo, 6. Kieran Foran, 7. Ata Hingano, 8. Jacob Lillyman, 14. Issac Luke, 10. Sam Lisone, 11. Bunty Afoa, 12. Ryan Hoffman, 13. Simon Mannering

Interchange: 15. Chris Satae, 17. Charlie Gubb, 18. Mason Lino, 23. Jazz Tevaga

Match facts and stats

Referees: Chris Sutton and Chris Butler

Sideline Officials: Nick Morel and Rickey McFarlane

Review Officials:  Bryan Norrie and Ashley Klien

Past meetings

*Head to head: Played 30, Rabbitohs 12, Warriors 18

At ANZ Stadium: Played 5, Rabbitohs 2, Warriors 3

Last time played: Rabbitohs 41 def Warriors 22, August 13, 2016

Last time played in Australia: Rabbitohs 36 def Warriors 4, June 6, 2015

Head-to-head: Rabbitohs $1.35 Warriors - $3.00

 *Stats from NRL.com

Pre-match banter - Warriors' halfback Shaun Johnson expected to be fit for next weeks' clash against Sea Eagles

Warriors' halfback Shaun Johnson is expected to make an early return from injury, a week ahead of schedule according to coach Stephen Kearney.

Johnson has not played for the club since the round 19 loss against the Penrith Panthers where he ruptured his posterior cruciate ligament. 

The 26-year-old is already back training with the team and is currently on track to return for the final home game of the season next week.

"He is even closer now after this week," said Kearney.

"He's got to get through a bit of contact but he's moving pretty well.

"With a short week for us this week it probably hasn't quite worked out in his favour so we'll give him as much opportunity and hopefully he'll be right for next weekend."

The Warriors will be boosted by the return of Kieran Foran - who missed last weekend's 36-16 loss to Canberra due to a shoulder injury.

Foran will partner Ata Hingano in the halves for Friday night's clash against the South Sydney Rabbitohs - the Warriors' fifth starting halves combination of 2017.

With Hingano starting, Mason Lino drops out of the starting 17.

Kearney was very impressed with the 20-year-old's performance despite the loss and hopes he can carry that form into the clash against the Bunnies.

"I thought both Ata and Mason played well the other night," Kearney told reporters.

"I was pleased for Ata, he missed out when Mason got the jump on him a few weeks earlier and he has taken that in his stride and come back and put in a good performance.

"It's really important that he backs that up on Friday night.

"Last weekend we lacked a little bit of polish with a number of sets on the try line and we couldn't quite nail the opportunities we had - that's why Kieran comes back into the fold."

Off the field, talks about the club potentially being sold are heating up. 

Auckland businessman Paul Davys revealed on Sunday that he is in talks to buy the Warriors from Eric Watson and he has said he wants an answer by Friday. 

If a new owner comes in Kearney will be under immense pressure to perform after a woeful 2017 season - his first on a three-year deal with the club.

Kearney insists all the talks about the club possibly being sold are not distracting him coach the team on the field.

"I haven't even thought about that, to be honest, because there hasn't been a change of ownership as yet.

"What I've got control over is that we have training today and a game on Friday so that's all I'm focusing on.

"I'm sure Eric and Jim (Doyle, Warriors managing director) have the club's interests at heart and I'm sure whatever happens will happen for the right reasons and will be in the best interests of the footy club.

The Warriors head into the match on a six game losing streak and have not beaten the Rabbitohs since 2012.

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