Pack mentality: South Sydney veteran John Sutton reveals the secret to Rabbitohs’ success
VETERAN Rabbitoh John Sutton says the South Sydney forward pack’s weekly coffee club has strengthened the camaraderie among the big men at Redfern.
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VETERAN Rabbitoh John Sutton has revealed South Sydney’s forward pack has been having weekly coffee catch-ups to discuss each player’s role before every game.
The weekly debriefs have helped strengthen the camaraderie among the big men at Redfern, Sutton says.
According to Fox Sports Lab, the Bunnies have run for 16,006m so far this year — second only to St George-Illawarra. Sutton, Angus Crichton, Damien Cook and all three Burgess brothers have averaged 90m or more a game.
“The forwards, the pack, get together every week and have a coffee and talk about stuff we really want to do in that game, and how we just want to focus on working really hard for each other,” Sutton said.
“We want to play for each other. We just really want to work hard for each other and try to get the best footy out of each other.
“It’s going well at the moment.”
The pack was planning to get together in Auckland ahead of their clash with the Warriors at Mt Smart Stadium.
Former Rabbitoh Issac Luke, one of the men credited for helping South Sydney get to a grand final, is certainly someone the players will be looking to shut down.
Sutton says the Kiwis hooker has been in the rare form he displayed for the Rabbitohs in their premiership drought-breaking season of 2014.
“Bully has been playing really good football, when the forwards go forward and he’s running off of the back of that ... he’s a great runner of the ball,” said Sutton.
“He’s very strong and I think he’s scored a few tries already this year from quick play-the-balls and him jumping out from dummy half.
“We have to keep an eye on him.”
Sutton, 33, is part of the furniture at Redfern.
The Maroubra local is into his 15th year of NRL football and says he feels like he still has plenty to offer the club.
The off-contract backrower says he wants to go around for at least one more year.
“I’m taking it week by week, day by day ... these things sort themselves out,” he said.
“I’ve had a bit of a think about it and I do [want to keep playing], but all I can do is make sure I keep playing good football.”
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