2007 Round 16 vs South Sydney Rabbitohs:
South Sydney 28 defeated Newcastle 25.
Newcastle seemed to have the match in the bag, but it was South Sydney who emerged victors in the opening match of round 16. Newcastle had opened up a 12 point lead with 16 minutes remaining, but South showed plenty of spirit to score the matchwinner with four minute remaining - placing Newcastle’s top eight hopes in severe jeopardy.
It was the Rabbitohs who made the early running. Nigel Vagana scored in the fifth minute, and Roy Asotasi found a gaping gap in defence from short distance. Newcastle came back to lead at halftime with three tries, however.
Firstly Adam MacDougall dived over from a spread to the right - and sent up his axing from Souths with a post-try celebration (ringing up Russell Crowe then throwing the phone away). George Carmont scored in the 33rd minute after great passes by Luke Walsh and Cory Paterson found him, as Newcastle ran it on the last. Then two minutes before the break, a Jarrod Mullen short kick found Cooper Vuna who raced away - showing exceptional pace to get around David Peachey.
The tries continued after halftime - firstly Cory Paterson crossed from a short Luke Walsh pass that replays revealed was a metre forward, and then James McManus scored in the 56th minute thanks to a fine Adam MacDougall offload.
Although some tough conversions had meant the lead was only 12, it appeared as if Newcastle had the game in the bag. With 16 minutes to go however, Jeremy Smith took an intercept to score from 40 metres out, off an unsighted Jarrod Mullen pass. The Roy Asotasi took advantage of a Souths break to race 30 metres to score and level things up.
Newcastle found good field position in the 73rd minute, and Luke Walsh took the opportunity to regain the lead for the Knights with a field goal, but Souths scored the matchwinner in the 76th minute. From short distance, Adam MacDougall fell for a decoy run, and a big hole opened up which Ben Rogers raced through to score.
The best for Newcastle were Adam MacDougall, playing his 100th match for the Knights, plus Mitchell Sargent and Michael Young. Midweek signing Zeb Taia also impressed, making the most metres for both sides by a long way.
What they said:
Adam MacDougall:
"I don't have anything to prove to anyone there. I've done everything I have to do in the game. I'm just playing for enjoyment and enjoying the leadership role at this club."
[On his post-try celebration] "I don't think the coaching staff are happy about breaking protocol when it comes to post-try celebrations. But I think it's good for the game, it gives everyone a bit of a laugh."
"It was an artistic expression - any way you want to interpret it."