Grand final Buzz: Has South Sydney’s NRL premiership window shut?

It was the new rule no NRL coach wanted – except for Wayne Bennett. And then, on the game’s biggest stage, it came back to haunt him.

So where to now for the poor old South Sydney Rabbitohs …

Has their premiership window closed?

Super coach Wayne Bennett, halfback, skipper and local hero Adam Reynolds are gone.

So too are State of Origin stars Dane Gagai and Jaydn Su’a, off to Newcastle and the Dragons.

For all that Bennett has achieved in rugby league, his clubs have a history of struggling the year after his departure. Rookie coach Jason Demetriou has huge shoes to fill.

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Wayne Bennett is gone — how will the Rabbitohs fare without him? Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

If Bennett and even Trent Robinson struggled to control the temperament of Latrell Mitchell, how will a first-year coach do it.

And Reynolds … no amount of money can buy the experience of a 231-game playmaker.

He’s been there since winning the Dally M rookie of the year award in 2012, just a marvellous player.

Who captains the team … Cody Walker, Damien Cook or Cameron Murray in a year where leadership will be so vital with a new halfback and chief playmaker?

Souths have just one premiership in 50 years in 2014.

They don’t appear to be as strong and steady as the more successful clubs of modern era like the Storm and Roosters.

Not that Sunday night was a poor performance. They tried their guts out.

Adam Reynolds is also moving on, leaving a huge hole in the Rabbitohs roster. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

The fans will talk about the 2021 NRL grand final in years to come as the game decided by one bad pass and one intercept.

Sure Cody Walker threw a long cut-out pass aimed at Alex Johnston and Stephen Crichton swooped to score a runaway intercept. And that was the football game, despite Alex Johnston’s late try.

This result was more about Nathan Cleary and a grand final kicking game that matched anything we’ve seen in the past from champions Andrew Johns, Johnathan Thurston, Ricky Stuart, Peter Sterling or Alfie Langer.

The pin-point forced line drop-outs that gave the Panthers the possession and the field position to win the grand final. That was the difference, not the intercept.

What a game. The first 20 minutes was as fierce, as fast and as frantic as any grand final or State of Origin match.

The Panthers had early control via Cleary’s boot in forcing three line dropout restarts in 15 minutes. Then they score from a six again call.

Nathan Cleary’s kicking game set the platform for Panthers. Picture: NRL Photos

You think back to the introduction of this controversial new rule on May 28 last year.

How no coach but Bennett wanted it. How the old super coach talked Peter V’landys into implementing it … and then it comes back to bite him on the biggest stage.

But then Walker strikes. Beautiful footwork, speed and a swerve through Cleary, Kurt Capewell and fullback Dylan Edwards. What a great player.

Then Cleary and Reynolds exchange penalty goals.

We’ve seen so many blowouts this year but this isn’t one of them. It’s another colossal contest.

Penrith had all the football and the most opportunities but Souths had the softer run into the game and fewer bumps and bruises.

Panthers players celebrate with the NRL premiership trophy. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

They played in only two semi-finals to Penrith’s three to make it to the decider.

They’d made only 628 tackles to Penrith 1167.

There were so many great players including centre Matt Burton in his final game in Penrith colours. He’s a massive buy for the Bulldogs.

For Penrith this victory ends a year of pain in the memory bank.

As Brad Fittler explained as they ran out: “They have been motivated for 12 months. It’s losing the game and sitting on the ground watching the other team that drives your whole off-season and every game leading up to this one. They have been building to this game since 12 months ago when they sat on ANZ Stadium and watched Cam Smith pick up the trophy. It has been a long 12 months.”

Originally published as Grand final Buzz: Has South Sydney’s NRL premiership window shut?