South Sydney’s chance to prove they’re contenders: Anthony Griffin
They have left their run late, but South Sydney are far from a spent premiership force. ANTHONY GRIFFIN reveals why the Sydney Roosters should fear the Rabbitohs.
Opinion
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DON’T write off the Rabbitohs just yet.
Tonight’s top-four blockbuster will give Souths and the Roosters their final tune-up before the playoffs, but a win holds more importance for the Rabbits. Timing is everything in an NRL season.
Souths won 10 of their first 11 games, which ultimately has earned them a top-four spot.
However, they have stumbled and fumbled their way through the second half of the year, reaching a crisis point after the loss to the Bulldogs a month ago.
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Wayne Bennett said after the game he had given his team a message: “I’ve just told them in there it’s not terminal yet, but it’s getting close.”
What better way for the coach to bring his team back to life than beating the Broncos in Brisbane on a Friday night?
It was an early final for both clubs — one of the best games of the season.
A week later, Sam Burgess and Alex Johnston returned as they put on a clinical display in Auckland against the Warriors.
Next week in Melbourne, James Roberts and George Burgess return from suspension and Tom Burgess is a chance to be fit. Everything might just be falling into place — but first the Roosters.
In round one, Souths did everything faster and better than their arch rivals to win 26-12. It wasn’t brilliant football, but it was intense.
Three tries came from grubber kicks — Adam Reynolds hit the goalpost pads for Cameron Murray and Cody Walker to score and Damien Cook threaded a short-side kick for Sam Burgess.
Tonight’s encounter is shaping up to look very similar. It should be a high-intensity contest between two quality teams on their way to the playoffs.
Don’t expect a lot of ball movement. Both sides are in the bottom half of the competition for passes thrown.
Trent Robinson’s men are the second-best defensive team in the league, conceding only 15 points a game. Souths have been patchy in the back half of the year but are starting to show signs that they can win without the ball.
This is the area that Bennett will be desperate to get right. He will want to see them defend out a solid 80 minutes.
The playmakers are back in form. Cook, Reynolds and Walker are a lethal combination with great long and short kicking games.
The outside backs in Roberts, Dane Gagai and Alex Johnston have the speed and class to score tries and the forwards led by Sam Burgess and John Sutton have the strength and experience to win finals.
They have left their run a little late, though. Or have they? This is why a victory is more important for the Rabbitohs than the Roosters.
There is still that bit of doubt about where they are at, not just from the outside but internally as well.
A loss tonight and they end the season without a great deal of momentum and confidence.
Win with a tough, desperate defensive effort and the world will be a beautiful place.
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They will have beaten the reigning premiers and competition favourites in the first and last games of the regular season and go into the finals at close to full strength.
If they were to lose in week one of the finals in Melbourne, they could face the Roosters again in a preliminary final.
Tonight’s match won’t affect where Souths finish. They have almost certainly earned fourth spot. But it will provide some answers about whether they can win the competition.
Bennett has been here more than any other coach in the NRL. More often than not his timing has been impeccable.