Sam cut out the niggle: Sutton

Sam Burgess of South Sydney. Source: Gregg Porteous / News Limited

SOUTH Sydney skipper John Sutton has called on Sam Burgess to "cut out all the niggley stuff" and lead the Rabbitohs into their first grand final in 42 years.

The pride of the league take on fierce rivals Manly in Friday night's preliminary final and many predict the battle up front will decide which team wins through to the decider. 

Burgess is the enforcer of the biggest and most aggressive pack in the NRL but in recent weeks he has come under fire for a spate of unsavoury incidents that has some questioning if the pressure is starting to get the better of him. 

Burgess copped a two-game ban for his squirrel grip on Will Chambers in the round 22 loss to Melbourne and he was lucky to escape more punishment in the round 26 loss to the Roosters when he was caught giving James Maloney a face massage and dropping a knee into Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. 

Sutton is convinced the week off has done the Rabbitohs the world of good — and he reckons big Sam showed in the win over Melbourne that he is now back to his best. 

Manly are a pack that pride themselves on making it personal and getting over their opposition pack in the battle of the big boys but how Burgess performs on Friday night will be crucial to which team makes it through to the decider. 

"He is the leader of our forwards," Sutton said.

"His runs are damaging, he hits very hard in defence and he has a big motor and he will go for 80 minutes.

"We just need Sammy to do that this week and cut out all that niggley stuff and lead the way for us.

"All the boys feed off his energy."

Everyone is anticipating Friday night's elimination final to be one of the most explosive and potentially fiery games of the year after Manly greats hinted that the Sea Eagles will be out for revenge. 

Former premiership-winning forward and current board member Peter Peters told The Sunday Telegraph that the Manly players still hadn't forgot Jeff Lima's nasty leg twist on Anthony Watmough the last time they played. 

"I was in the dressing room after the Souths game and it was the talk of the room," Peters said.

"They won't do anything outside the rules, but I can promise you he'll think he's been hit by the 190 bus to Palm Beach."

If the fireworks start you can bet Burgess will be in the thick of the action.

He went rushing to his younger brothers defence at Brookvale Oval earlier this year when Steve Matai ironed out George Burgess with one of the biggest hits of the season that also resulted in a suspension to Matai _ and in that same game Greg Inglis was bounced on his head several times resulting in a long ban for Richie Fa'aoso and post-match Michael Maguire called on the game to give its stars better protection. 

Sutton was playing down talk of fireworks yesterday but still made the point that you don't beat Manly by backing down.

"Look, that is the way they play and you've got to go with Manly," he explained.

"You've got to stick it to them or they will come over the top of you."

In both games they have played this year Souths have finished with the win and Sutton reckons the final scoreline comes back to the battle up front. 

"Especially the second time we played them we really got over the top of them. It was a tough game but I just put it down to our forwards getting over the top of them," he said. 

Asked if Souths will be out to make sure their superstar fullback is protected on Friday night, Sutton said: "I'm pretty sure whatever happens everyone is going to be looking after each other on the field, like any other game."

Anda sedang membaca artikel tentang

Sam cut out the niggle: Sutton

Dengan url

http://sportlanhealty.blogspot.com/2013/09/sam-cut-out-niggle-sutton.html

Anda boleh menyebar luaskannya atau mengcopy paste-nya

Sam cut out the niggle: Sutton

namun jangan lupa untuk meletakkan link

Sam cut out the niggle: Sutton

sebagai sumbernya