On a roll...South Sydney's John Sutton is tackled by the Bulldogs' Chris Armit. Source: Getty Images
- Rabbitohs 38 Bulldogs 16
A rampaging South Sydney outfit has beaten the Bulldogs 38-16 in their NRL round four match tonight. Big-money signing Sam Burgess scored twice for the Rabbitohs.
Inspired by a dominant display from English import Sam Burgess, who scored a first half double as mother Julie watched on from owner Russell Crowe's private box, the Rabbitohs ambushed the Bulldogs with a first-half onslaught from which the visitors never recovered in front of a healthy 30,120 crowd.
After several listless displays to start the year, the seven tries to three romp was just what the Rabbitohs faithful needed to restore a belief that had been heightened by off-season acquisitions of Burgess and David Taylor.
Burgess' double was part of a five-try avalanche in an opening stanza - which started with a Bulldogs try in just the second minute - as the Rabbitohs pack matched the hype as they rumbled over a Bulldogs defence that had no answer to the relentless assault.
One who could attest to that was Bulldogs forward Jarrod Hickey, who lasted just five minutes before being taken to hospital for observation following a heavy tackle which left him with suspected a chest injury.
Halves Chris Sandow and John Sutton thrived on the platform - the pair combining from a scrum win to put Beau Champion over in the fourth minute before a Sutton bomb eventually ended up in Sandow's arms for a 12-6 lead after seven extraordinary minutes.
The Bulldogs had three straight sets camped on the Bunnies' line but failed to make it across the, an Issac Luke bust from inside his own half then leaving the visitors backpedalling as winger Nathan Merrit crossing on the next play in the opposite corner.
Burgess - in his best performance in the NRL - bagged his double with short-range runs before the break, the result put beyond doubt in the 57th minute when Luke scored next to the posts.
The Bulldogs restored some respectability with a pair of second half tries before Champion singled the start of the celebrations with his second right on fulltime.
SOUTH SYDNEY 38 (S Burgess 2 B Champion 2 I Luke N Merritt C Sandow tries I Luke 3 C Sandow 2 goals) bt BULLDOGS 16 (B Barba B Goodwin B Roberts tries B Goodwin 2 goals) at ANZ Stadium. Referees: Gavin Badger, Phil Haines. Crowd: 30,120.