NRL 2021: Adam Reynolds says Rabbitohs ready to snap Storm streak

South Sydney can steal the mantle of 2021 title favourites after just 80 minutes of the new season — but have to overcome two ominous records.

South Sydney are on a mission to end all debate and ratify Wayne Bennett as the greatest coach of the modern-era by sending him out of Redfern with his eighth premiership.

And the focused Rabbitohs can steal the mantle of 2021 title favourites after just 80 minutes of the new season by breaking one of the NRL’s longest losing streaks.

In a case of finally for footy-starved fans, Souths and the premiers Melbourne will launch the 2021 season on Thursday night at AAMI Park.

In an extraordinary hoodoo, the Bunnies have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne, dating back to the Victorian team’s competition inclusion in 1998.

Equally as remarkable, the Storm have also never lost a round one fixture under supercoach Craig Bellamy since he began in 2003.

“It’s a record and that’s all it is to us. It’s a number,’’ South Sydney halfback Adam Reynolds said.

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Adam Reynolds has only tasted defeat against the Storm in Melbourne. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

“We’re going down there to win, it’s as simple as that.

“They have a great record in round one but it means nothing to us.

“We’ve never won down there and they’ve never lost in round one so we’re looking forward to a tough challenge.

“There’d be no better way to start the season then against the defending premiers.’’

Australian, NSW State of Origin and Rabbitohs hooker Damien Cook added with a tone of defiance: “We’re confident we’ve done all the right things.

“I know they haven’t lost a round one game and we haven’t won down there for years. I’ve never won down there myself.

“So there’s two records there for us; one for us as a club and also Bellamy’s record.

“It’s always been a tough trip for us down there. There’d be no better way to start the season than knock off the premiers.

“It would give us a lot of confidence to start the season well.’’

Adam Reynolds and Cameron Munster will lock horns as the Rabbitohs and Storm clash.

The heavyweight clash is a promoter’s dream with not only two of the greatest coaches of the modern-era kicking-off the year in Bennett and Bellamy, but it’s also the first glimpse of life after Cameron Smith for the Storm.

Boasting a hardened pack, brilliant halves in Cody Walker and Reynolds, the elusive Cook and the devastating Latrell Mitchell, South Sydney are $5.50 second-favourites with bookies to win the 2021 NRL title.

Penrith are $5 premiership favourites with the TAB while the Storm have been installed at $6.50.

Cook has never played against a Storm side that didn’t feature Smith.

He has also never won a premiership, a feat that he and his South Sydney teammates are craving to achieve as a parting gift for Bennett.

The 71-year-old has publicly declared that 2021 is his final year in charge of Souths.

If Bennett can lead Souths to the premiership, he will become the first mentor in history to coach four different clubs to grand finals.

He would also secure an eighth premiership - a feat not achieved since Arthur Holloway in the 1940s.

“I think everyone is in agreement that he came down to coach us because he had a lot of belief in what we had here,’’ Cook said of Bennett.

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett is looking to go out a winner in 2021. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

“So we’ve got to repay him for that and put all this hard work that we’ve done over the last couple of years and actually get the job done.

“We’ve got some new players who are going to be great for us, Benji is very experienced, Sauce (Josh Mansour) is coming from a grand final side, I feel those guys will be really good for us as far as lifting the standards a bit more.

“The most rewarding part of the trial was the guys that came on in the second-half they just continued to play well and stay in the system of what we’ve been training

“It’s Wayne’s last year so things line up and so it’s up to us to perform as a side.

“Last year we got off to a slow start and it cost us a top four spot, so we’ll need to be consistent all year and earn the right to get the weekend off (in the finals).

“I think that’s where grand finals are won at the moment, with the weekend off.”

The AAMI Park clash is also a celebration for fans, with the Victorian government allowing the stadium to be at 50 per cent capacity.

Fans travelling to games in Sydney will attend stadiums with a 75 per cent capacity, while in Queensland and the ACT, venues have been approved for 100 per cent capacity.