Rookie stand-in Apisai Koroisau proved a point in the NRL grand final – hooker is the most important position in the modern game.
Koroisau darted out of dummy half, confusing the Canterbury defence before dishing off to George Burgess who beat four defenders on a bullocking 15m run to put South Sydney ahead 10-6 in the most telling moment of the 30-6 win.
When Souths won their last premiership in 1971, hookers were nowhere near the vital players they are today.
Then it was about pushing and hooking for the ball in scrums that were contests, now they are playmakers.
With Rabbitohs rake Issac Luke missing due to suspension and Bulldogs hooker and captain Michael Ennis out with a fractured foot, one of the biggest questions before the match was which team would cope best without their highly influential dummy half.
The Dogs fought with typical grit but they missed Ennis far more than the Rabbitohs missed Luke.
Koroisau was a ready-made replacement for Luke.
Moses Mbye, filling in for Ennis, played like a rookie who had only eight NRL games to his credit, none at hooker.
Mbye was thrown in the deep end and tried hard but the Dogs attack lacked polish, continuity and finish without Ennis.
Souths hardly missed a beat with Koroisau, completing an incredible 21 of 22 sets in the first half at 95 per cent, against the Dogs’ 14 of 19.
That possession told late in the game as the Rabbitohs scored four tries in the last 23 minutes to blow away the plucky Bulldogs.
And it all started with George Burgess’ try.
Koroisau turned Dogs stand-in skipper and best player James Burgess inside out and the rugged Englishman missed Burgess as he surged away to score his signature try.
Canterbury’s only try came through Tony Williams from a Josh Reynolds kick.
Melbourne were smashed 40-0 in the 2008 grand final by Manly when without captain and hooker Cameron Smith.
With Smith struggling with an injury in the first week of this year’s finals, the Storm were hammered by the Dogs 28-4.
Manly struggled to make an impact in the playoffs without their hooker Matt Ballin and the premiers the Sydney Roosters battled too in September after rake Jake Friend’s lung problem.
Koroisau demonstrated yet again that quality back up hookers are a must.
