Souths coach Jason Demetriou has pointed to a controversial try from Dylan Edwards in their 26-22 defeat by the Panthers.
The Rabbitohs led 22-20, before surrendering the lead with three minutes remaining after a Latrell Mitchell penalty and a Liam Martin try.
But it was the Bunker’s take on the build-up to Edwards’ first-half try that angered the Bunnies boss.
“I don’t know, honestly, I’m going to give up trying to figure out what that rule is,” Demetriou said.
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“He stops on the line and there’s no effort and no way Lachie (Ilias) can get out of that.
“But we conceded 26 points and we shouldn’t concede 26 points in a game when they’re missing their two most creative players, so some guys lost their jobs defensively tonight and that’s what it cost us.”
Demetriou said he was frustrated that his side were able to take the lead with a Mitchell wing conversion, before falling short.
“When we get to 22-20 we should put this game away,” Demetriou said.
“It’s probably three or four games this year that we’ve lost by a point or in the closing stages where we’ve found individual mistakes and then conceded those points, so we’ve got to fix it for the big games.”
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Jason Demetriou and Cameron Murray. Source: FOX SPORTS
South winger Jaxson Paulo had one of the all-time impacts with his handling, but Demetriou refused to blame the loss on the youngster, who will learn from the historic night at the office.
“We’ll sit and talk, but against the best teams is the level you have to get to,” Demetriou said of Paulo’s game.
“As a guy, you understand that every mistake makes a difference and has an impact on the game.
“But I still think we should have defended better. Liam Martin scores a barge to win the match. We have to get it right.
“This is an attack we should do and we don’t.”
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Edwards tries to raise his eyebrows! | 00:43
On a bright note, Demetriou was happy with his side’s attack, but that has never been in question for this Southern side and he acknowledged that their defense needs to improve drastically to challenge for the title.
“I was very happy with how we attacked,” Demetriou said.
“We ended up with more lineouts than them at the end of the game, but we gifted them two kicking tries and scrum tries.
“These are tests that we cannot concede when we play against a team that does not have the creativity that they normally have.
“We needed to get on the scoreboard and put pressure on them to play and we couldn’t do that until the last few minutes, but again we didn’t deal with what we needed to with three minutes to go. .”
Martin sealed the win after Latrell’s penalty | 01:05
Demetriou was not about to hit the panic button, but acknowledged that the Souths received a lesson in what is required to go all the way to the competition of the first defenders.
“I’m not worried because we’re playing against a team with some pretty good players,” Demetriou said.
“There were still four or five Origin players for Penrith and every one of them played well.
“I’m not discouraged, but it taught us a lesson about the level we have to reach if we want to be in the big ball at the end of the season.
“I thought we got a little bit away from our processes and what works for us.
“But we put ourselves in a position to win the game with three minutes to go and we didn’t freeze it.
“In the end it was defensive fouls and a mistake that cost us.”