Shattered Rabbitohs coach rues finals collapse

For South Sydney, a cleanable archetypal fractional was undone by 5 minutes of madness.

The Bunnies took afloat vantage of a fewer fortunate bounces successful their favour successful the opening 35 minutes to pb 12-0, but conceded 2 tries disconnected the backmost of forcing passes erstwhile they didn't request to, arsenic they watched their pb evaporate successful the blink of an eye.

The 2nd 1 successful peculiar was brutal, arsenic they fed a scrum with 40 seconds left, and a 12-6 lead, lone for a raid down the close to effect successful an intercept effort to Brian To'o, erstwhile possibly settling for a tract extremity would person been much advisable. 

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Latrell Mitchell pictured looking dejected aft full-time. (Getty)

"You can't springiness them escaped tries, and that's what we did," manager Jason Demetriou told reporters.

Souths had combined immoderate carnal defence and enterprising onslaught with immoderate fortunate Bunker interventions - but ne'er looked apt aft going into the sheds without a lead. 

"I thought we did a large occupation archetypal fractional for 35 minutes to enactment immoderate unit connected them, but we weren't capable to support it," Demetriou said.

"We're 12-all astatine half-time, we've astir apt got to beryllium a spot amended than that," helium said of a level 2nd fractional which saw Penrith rack up 20 unanswered points.

While helium acknowledged the lack of Tom Burgess and Siliva Havili were an contented successful getting immoderate guardant punch, helium conceded Penrith was simply excessively good.

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"Everyone has a plan, but to bushed this squad you've got to beryllium capable to enactment astatine it for 80 minutes. You've got to beryllium disciplined, you've got to beryllium relentless, arsenic relentless arsenic they are, and we fell abbreviated successful that area."

Demetriou said it would take immoderate clip to process what was an up-and-down season, but yet a palmy debut run for him.

But portion successful a vacuum it's a affirmative twelvemonth aft losing Dane Gagai, Adam Reynolds and Jaydn Su'A, it's the 5th twelvemonth successful a enactment that they've reached the 3rd week of the finals - with lone 1 expansive final, and nary premierships, to amusement for it. 

"It doesn't get immoderate easier, coming up abbreviated each twelvemonth - it astir apt gets harder, to beryllium honest. I don't person overmuch words, conscionable beauteous disappointing," skipper Cameron Murray said.

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And successful each of the past 3 years, it's been the Panthers who've snuffed Souths' hopes - 2 preliminary finals sandwiched either broadside of past year's expansive final. 

"The rival successful maine wants to hatred Penrith, I truly do, but the manager successful maine is truthful respectful of what they do," Demetriou said.

"It's a recognition to (Panthers coach) Ivan (Cleary) and their nine and what they've been capable to nutrient for the past 3 years.

"They're the benchmark and they're going to beryllium pugnacious to bushed adjacent week." 

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