South Sydney out to end Roosters premiership hopes

Having watched their archrivals go back-to-back, South Sydney could put a fork in the Sydney Roosters’ dreams of an NRL premiership three-peat on Thursday night.

Murray has become one of the best forwards in the game. Picture by Phil Hillyard.

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South Sydney will get the chance to end the Sydney Roosters’ three-peat ambitions in just 80 minutes of football at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night.

The Rabbitohs have endured the pain of watching their arch rivals win back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019 but a win could put a line through the Bondi club’s title hopes in 2020.

According to Fox Sports Lab, since the compulsory grand final was introduced in 1954 only one team has lost the opening three games and gone on to win the title – the North Queensland Cowboys in 2015.

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The Rabbitohs will need no more motivation. Photo: AAP Image/Joel Carrett

After a winless start to 2020, a loss for Roosters coach Trent Robinson and his men leaves them facing an uphill battle to overcome a bit of rugby league history one team in 66 years has managed to overcome.

Other than the Cowboys, only two teams – the Warriors in 2011 and Roosters in 1980 – have played in a grand final after dropping the first three games since 1954. Both finished as runners up.

Fox League analyst and former Roosters playmaker Braith Anasta told The Daily Telegraph while the Roosters haven’t publicly hit the panic button, they desperately need a win to kick-start their campaign.

“They’re 0-2, the Roosters might be adamant they don’t need to start fast but I think they have too. This is a really important game for them and they would be pretty desperate already to get a win,” Anasta said.

“It was evident in rounds one and two that they need to improve significantly and it’s critical they win their first few games.

“They love a challenge and every time they set a challenge they rise to it. If any team can do it it’s them but the significance of this game for them is huge.”

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In 2018, the Roosters spine struggled to gel early after welcoming fullback James Tedesco and halfback Cooper Cronk. Despite only winning four from eight to start the season, once the spine clicked the Roosters only lost four other games and went on to win the title.

While Anasta isn’t willing to write-off the Roosters in 2020 if they lose, he believes without Cooper Cronk and centre Latrell Mitchell, a third-straight premiership might be a near impossible feat.

“Everyone was writing them off in 2018 when they failed to get to a quick start and they went on to win it. But they had Cronk and they had Latrell. But they don’t have Cronk now he’s retired and they don’t have Latrell now he’s at South Sydney. It was monumental to come back from that slow start in 2018, they have to do it this year and do it with a weakened squad,” Anasta said.

What difference will Latrell Mitchell make? Photo: AAP Image/Mark Evans

Coach Robinson is fully aware Mitchell’s highly publicised defection to Redfern and positional switch from centre to fullback will be the main draw card when the 22-year old takes on his former side for the first time.

Robinson insisted his side won’t have a specific game plan around Mitchell but he did take aim at Rabbitohs halfback Adam Reynolds.

Reynolds poured fuel on the already fiery rivalry between the two sides earlier this week labelling the Roosters as the most hated team in the NRL.

On Thursday, Robinson suggested Reynolds must be jealous of the Roosters recent success and fired back: “It’s good that he is thinking about us. If we’re in his head that way then that’s a positive for us. If he’s going to expend energy worrying about that then that’s a good thing,” he said.

Wayne Bennett works by his own rules. Photo: AAP Image/Mark Evans

SOUTHS TO FIGHT BENNETT FINE

South Sydney will fight the NRL’s $20,000 fine but won’t make coach Wayne Bennett dip into his own pocket to help pay if the penalty is upheld.

The Rabbitohs were whacked with the five figure fine last week for not disclosing Cody Walker’s altercation to the NRL when they became aware of it last December. Bennett was the only Rabbitohs official who knew about the incident but it was the club who were hit with a breach notice by the NRL. Bennett opted against telling other South Sydney officials.

Walker’s incident only came to light when the footage of the representative five-eighth fly-kicking a man leaked on social media earlier this month. Police are investigating claims Walker was blackmailed for the footage to be kept under wraps.

Bennett has had to steer his team through a tough period. Photo: Adam Yip

The Rabbitohs have decided to contest the fine, with the backing of owner Russell Crowe. Crowe told The Daily Telegraph this week Bennett is “the pre-eminent man manager in the game”.

There were suggestions Bennett could be forced by the club to cough up at least part of the fine but the Rabbitohs have ruled that out even if they are lumped with the $20,000. The Rabbitohs were fined the same amount for their mishandling of an incident in Arizona in 2015.

Walker nor the Rabbitohs will contest his two-match ban and suspended $15,000 fine he was handed down for the kung-fu kick. The suspension ruled Walker out of the Rabbitohs blockbuster clash against the Roosters and their round four game against Melbourne. Rabbitohs teammate Latrell Mitchell was fined $20,000 by the NRL for breaching social distancing rules this month.

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Murray has become one of the best forwards in the game. Picture by Phil Hillyard.

The Rabbitohs were given a huge boost before the season’s resumption by securing down Kangaroos and NSW lock Cameron Murray on a long-term deal.

Murray, 22, will be a Rabbitoh until at least the end of 2025. Only Manly’s Trbojevic brothers and North Queensland’s Jason Taumalolo have longer current deals.

“It’s very exciting for me and a great relief to have a large chunk of my future sorted now, and to know it will be at this blub that I love is very special for me and my family,” Murray said. “I’ve grown up in South Sydney, played my first rep games as a kid in a red and green jersey, and now I get to live my dream every day representing the Rabbitohs.

“I count my lucky stars at how everything has fallen into place and I have no intention of letting this go or slackening off. It means way too much to me, to play for this club and to represent it every day.”

The South Sydney junior has played 62 top grade games and has been earmarked as a future captain.

– Michael Carayannis

Originally published as South Sydney out to end Roosters premiership hopes