League: Souths go down in first preseason hitout

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An understrength South Sydney went down 34-28 to Warrington Wolves in their opening trial match of the 2012 NRL season at Redfern Oval on Saturday.

The Rabbitohs came back from a 24-0 deficit to claw their way back into the game with young halfback Adam Reynolds impressing.

Souths coach Michael Maguire left out most of his big names, fielding a side made up mostly of fringe players and youngsters against the English side who start their new Super League season against Hull next weekend.

New signing Matt King, facing his old team-mates, was the only one of the Rabbitohs' five co-captains to take the field.

King will skipper the side along with Michael Crocker, Sam Burgess, Roy Asotasi and John Sutton.

The sell-out home crowd of 5,000 were given the first look at Reynolds, who is widely expected to fill the shoes of the departed Chris Sandow.

The 21-year-old, who missed the whole of last season with a ruptured anterior cruciate ligament injury, had little chance to impress in the opening 15 minutes.

The English side ran the Souths defence ragged with three tries in quick succession from Rhys Evans, Simon Grix and Rhys Williams with Lee Briers converting all of them.

Despite not seeing much of the ball in the early exchanges, Reynolds delighted the with one of his first contributions, finding touch with a brilliant 40-20 kick.

Ryan Atkins extended the Wolves' lead after the quarter-time break, with the game being played in four periods, to stretch the score to 24-0.

Shaune Corrigan and Brendan McKinnon hit back for Souths just before halftime with Reynolds adding the extras as Souths got back into the game.

The third quarter began superbly for the hosts with Reynolds kicking another 40-20 and prop Ryan Carr rumbled his way to the line shortly after.

Nathan Peats then bulldozed his way over from dummy half with Reynolds' conversion cutting the deficit to 24-22.

Chris Bridge scored Warrington's fifth try of the night shortly after the start of the final quarter, but Lee Briers missed his first kick of the game to put six points between the teams.

Souths then hit back, with Corrigan going over again and Reynolds' conversion tying the scores.

However, Warrington sealed the win late in the game when Gareth O'Brien darted under the posts with Richie Myler adding the extras.

- AAP