Sea Eagles 22 Rabbitohs 36
SYDNEY - Kiwis prop Roy Asotasi has been ruled out of the rest of the NRL season after injuring his knee in the Rabbitohs' 36-22 win over Manly at Brookvale Oval last night.
The South Sydney captain will also miss the Four Nations tournament in England in November after damaging his anterior cruciate ligament in the second half of the match.
He is expected to be sidelined for at least six months but should be fit for the 2010 NRL season.
The Rabbitohs overcame an early 12-point deficit to overpower the Sea Eagles on their home turf and move within a point of eighth spot with four matches to play.
The Bunnies have now won four of their last five games and their late season revival puts them firmly in the mid-table logjam for finals spots.
The Sea Eagles, meanwhile, are now in danger of falling into that battle after their second straight loss left them on the fringe of the top eight.
Souths had taken a shock 22-12 lead into halftime, despite trailing 12-0 after just 11 minutes.
The Sea Eagles threatened a comeback in the second half but Nathan Merritt and Beau Champion both enjoyed doubles inside the last 10 minutes to seal the win.
Things looked good early for Manly when winger Tony Williams opened the scoring in the second minute and the Sea Eagles looked unlucky when Jamie Lyon was denied a try by video referee Bill Harrigan two minutes later.
Manly were on the right side of Harrigan's next decision when Anthony Watmough crossed under the posts in the 11th minute.
Looking like they could be in for a tough night, the Bunnies then exploded into life with four tries in a 13-minute period.
Merritt kicked off the revival when he capitalised on a pin-point grubber kick from John Sutton in the 16th minute.
The Rabbitohs then got within two when Fetuli Talanoa planted the ball millimetres inside the touchline and they had the lead when 22-year-old winger Chris McQueen scored on debut.
McQueen, playing in place of injured winger Jamie Simpson, turned provider in the 29th minute when he caught a Sutton bomb and set up Beau Champion, after Souths had been gifted another attacking opportunity by a trademark David "Wolfman" Williams error.
Manly tried to launch a comeback after halftime, but the visitors defended gallantly and were the first to add to their total with a Chris Sandow penalty in the 57th minute.
But the Sea Eagles closed the margin when Tony Williams bagged his second with 20 minutes remaining.
Hopes of a comeback were short lived, however, as Merritt and Champion sealed their doubles inside the last ten minutes and Jason King got a consolation for the home side.
Sea Eagles 22 (T. Williams 2, A. Watmough, J. King tries; M. Orford 3 goals), Rabbitohs 36 (N. Merritt 2, F. Talanoa, C. McQueen, B. Champion 2 tries; C. Sandow 6 goals). Halftime: 12-22.
- AAP
