NRL 2022: South Sydney Rabbitohs season preview, roster analysis, predicted finish, round 1 best 17
His aggression inspired Souths’ grand final surge, but Jai Arrow’s 2021 was soured by his Origin camp antics. Departures have handed him a huge opportunity in 2022. Will he take it?
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Can the next wave of South Sydney talent make up for the enormous hole left by an off-season exodus of stars? And how will Jason Demetriou handle the step up as head coach after the departure of Wayne Bennett?
Peter Badel breaks down the Rabbitohs’ issues heading into the 2022 NRL season.
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FINISHES THE PAST FIVE YEARS
2021: 3rd (runners-up)
2020: 6th (eliminated preliminary final)
2019: 3rd (eliminated preliminary final)
2018: 3rd (eliminated preliminary final)
2017: 12th
2022 ODDS
Premiership: $9
Top four: $2
Top 8: $1.22
Most losses: $51
2022 SQUAD
Jai Arrow, Zane Bijorac, Tom Burgess, Jed Cartwright, Michael Chee Kam, Damien Cook, Campbell Graham, Siliva Havili, Jacob Host, Lachlan Ilias, Alex Johnston, Terrell Kalo Kalo, Liam Knight, Keaon Koloamatangi, Peter Mamouzelos, Josh Mansour, Taane Milne, Latrell Mitchell, Davvy Moale, Cameron Murray, Mark Nicholls, Jaxson Paulo, Hame Sele, Blake Taaffe, Isaiah Tass, Tevita Tatola, Cody Walker.
INS: Anthony Milford, Isaiah Tass (Broncos), Michael Chee Kam (Wests Tigers), Siliva Havili (Raiders).
OUTS: Adam Reynolds (Broncos), Jaydn Su’A, Tautau Moga (Dragons), Dane Gagai (Knights), Josh Cook, Braidon Burns (Bulldogs), Patrick Mago (Wigan), Troy Dargan, Brock Gardner, Steven Marsters, Dean Hawkins (released), Benji Marshall (retirement).
SQUAD STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES
The Bunnies have an excellent spine driven by five-eighth Walker, hooker Cook and the superbly gifted Mitchell, who is getting better and better at fullback. Souths have a nice fusion of power and skill in the forwards, with Murray’s all-energy efforts complemented by the muscle and aggression of Tom Burgess, Keaon Koloamatangi and Jai Arrow. But they will sorely miss the attacking potency of Dane Gagai, who was superb in the centres last season. There are concerns about how quickly they can replace Reynolds in the No.7 jumper.
PLAYERS IN 2021 RICH LIST: Nine
9. Adam Reynolds $1 million
35. Dane Gagai $750,000
37. Latrell Mitchell $750,000
45. Jai Arrow $700,000
46. Tom Burgess $700,000
47. Damien Cook $700,000
61. Cameron Murray $650,000
65. Cody Walker $650,000
99. Josh Mansour $432,000
COACH STATUS AND SAFETY RATING
Talk about batting after Bradman. Is there a more daunting proposition for a rookie NRL coach than taking the baton from the greatest mentor of them all, seven-time premiership winner Wayne Bennett?
Jason Demetriou accepts he is no Bennett, but after spending five years as an assistant to the super coach at the Broncos and South Sydney, the man affectionately known as ‘JD’ has served a pretty handy apprenticeship. The 45-year-old knows all eyes will be on him at Redfern in 2022. It’s one thing to impress as a right-hand man to Bennett. It’s an entirely more onerous scenario taking charge of the most famous club in the league, having lost big-name quartet Adam Reynolds, Jaydn Su’A, Dane Gagai and Benji Marshall, who played key roles in Souths’ charge to last season’s grand final.
There is no question Demetriou deserves his shot as an NRL head coach. He has won premierships in the second tier with Northern Pride and Illawarra Cutters and was an assistant to Paul Green when the Cowboys won their maiden title in 2015.
Demetriou has a brilliant tactical mind and is renowned for his strong relationships with players. He will be expected to steer Souths to a fifth consecutive finals series in 2022, but if they miss out, club bosses won’t be hitting the panic button. Demetriou is contracted for 2023 with an option in the club’s favour for 2024.
Safety rating: B
WHAT THEY NEED TO TWEAK
Clubs cannot win the premiership without a strong playmaking spine and the jury is out on Souths’ halfback in 2022 following Adam Reynolds’ departure to the Broncos. Cody Walker is a class act at five-eighth, but there is pressure on young guns Blake Taaffe and Lachlan Ilias and new recruit Anthony Milford, pending his contract being registered following his police charge, to fill the Reynolds void.
The Rabbitohs’ entire season could hinge on Latrell Mitchell. The NSW Origin star’s campaign ended prematurely last season with his sickening high shot on Joseph Manu and Mitchell must control his emotions to ensure he remains on the park. Souths’ gutsy defence was the cornerstone of their grand final surge in 2021.
FREE AGENCY WRAP
The Rabbitohs have lost far more quality than they have attracted for the 2022 season. The jury is out on Milford, who lost his way at the Broncos and whose future at Redfern hinges on an off-field assault charge hanging over his head. Former Tiger Michael Chee Kam is a handy utility, but the loss of Reynolds, Gagai, Su’A and Marshall is enormous. Reynolds was the brains of the Bunnies’ offence and Su’A provided some hard-hitting mongrel.
Rating: C
WHICH PLAYER CAN THEY REINVENT?Anthony Milford
He is Souths’ key off-season recruit and if he can overcome his registration dramas with the NRL, Milford can play a crucial role for the Bunnies. At the Broncos, Milford struggled to cope with the expectation of a $1 million player, but Souths will be hoping to revive his form of 2015, when he ripped teams apart in Brisbane’s march to the grand final. That’s a long time ago, but if Milford rediscovers his confidence, he has the talent to be a matchwinner.
WILL DEVELOPMENT CONTRACT UPGRADED KIDS MAKE AN IMPACT?
Blake Taaffe, Peter Mamouzelos and Lachlan Ilias made their NRL debut last season and the promising trio represent the next wave of South Sydney stars. Mamouzelos looked sharp in his stints at hooker, while Ilias has a huge future in the halves. Then there’s Keaon Koloamatangi, who was outstanding in the back row last season and has the skill set to become a NSW Origin forward.
WHO TAKES THE NEXT STEP?Cameron Murray
What a natural born leader. What a player. Last month Souths confirmed Murray as the successor to Reynolds as captain in 2022. At 23, the NSW Origin star is entering his prime years and he sets the standard for Souths with his courage, workrate and brilliant footwork in midfield. He is the type of player who would go to the next level with the captaincy.
IT’S A BIG YEAR FOR …Jai Arrow
The Queensland Origin forward had a strong debut season at Redfern in 2021 and he has the workrate and mental toughness to become the spiritual leader of Souths’ forward pack. Arrow chalked up his 100th game late last season, so it’s time for him to become a senior player at Souths. His aggression off interchange inspired Souths’ surge to the grand final, but his year was tainted by his State of Origin Covid breach drama. Arrow turns 27 next year. It’s time to grow up.
WHERE THEY WILL FINISH IN 2022 — 5th
Any team with Mitchell, Walker and Cook in their spine has to be a sure-fire bet to play finals football. But the departure of halfback champion Reynolds will be significant and it will be a major setback to Souths’ hopes of going all the way. The Rabbitohs have the attacking class to be top-four material but how rookie coach Demetriou handles the ups and downs of a gruelling NRL season is the great unknown.
CAPTAINCY CONTENDERS
Cameron Murray has been locked in as Souths captain, while Cody Walker and Damien Cook both have the experience, pedigree and respect to thrive in a leadership role.
FOX SPORTS LAB’S AARON WALLACE SAYS …
2021 saw the Rabbitohs win their most-ever games and score easily their most-ever points in a season, but they fell just short in the Grand Final. All up they lost just five games all season, three to Penrith and two against Storm.
2022 will certainly seem strange without Adam Reynolds in the Rabbitohs’ No.7 jersey. Reynolds missed just 26 of Souths’ 257 games since making his debut in 2012 and his departure along with Wayne Bennett could severely hamper the Rabbitohs’ title chances. Only one of Bennett’s teams has made the top four the season after his departure – and that was Canberra in 1988.
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