NRL 2024: Injury crisis forces Rabbitohs to blood Dion Teaupa, stats underlying horror South Sydney season

As South Sydney’s horror season continues, their injury crisis has opened the door for the NRL debut of a youngster who was left in a coma after being hit by a car when he was a teenager. Hear his story.

South Sydney are facing a player shortage that has left coach Ben Hornby scouring the club’s lower grades to flesh out his side as they stare down the worst defensive crisis in their storied history.

The Rabbitohs’ injury list is so long even the return of superstar Latrell Mitchell has failed to ease the pressure as the club prepares to face bitter rivals - and Hornby’s former club - St George Illawarra next weekend.

Mitchell’s return has been tempered by the loss of young fullback Jye Gray (ankle) and the likely absence of back rower Jacob Host (suspension).

So dire is the situation, Hornby will be forced to hand a debut to Tongan international Dion Teaupa against the Dragons with his side battling to avoid the wooden spoon.

Souths are in a hole, their season summed up by an ugly moment in Thursday night’s loss to Penrith that starkly illustrated why the club has laboured through the opening two months of the season.

Pundits were unanimous in their criticism of Souths players after Dylan Edwards took a quick tap and sent Taylan May racing away midway through the second half, leaving a handful of Souths players in his wake.

The lack of desperation was clear for all. Hornby now faces a mammoth job to turn things around, having been thrust into the head coaching job and handed the task of saving the club’s season with the club’s playing stocks at an all-time low.

Jye Gray is the latest injury casualty for the Rabbitohs. Picture: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images

PLAYER CRISIS

South Sydney have just 18 fit players to choose from ahead of their clash against St George Illawarra and Hornby has been left with no choice but to consider handing Teaupa an NRL debut alongside Cody Walker in the halves as he tries to piece together a squad hit by injury and suspension.

Mitchell will be welcomed back from suspension with open arms while Tallis Duncan is likely to come into the 17.

Duncan was the only top 30 contracted player for South Sydney to play in their 30-10 NSW Cup loss to Penrith on Thursday night.

Teaupa came off the bench in two matches for Tonga in their end of season Tests against England last year. He is only on a supplementary contract for the Rabbitohs this season.

The 22-year-old can also kick goals and has emerged as the most likely replacement for the injured Dean Hawkins (thigh) with Jack Wighton remaining in the centres.

Teaupa has been part of the South Sydney set-up since he was 15 and recently told the club’s website he had suffered a fractured skull as a youngster, as seen in the above video.

Rabbitohs legend John Sutton with youngsters Tallis Duncan (left) and Dion Teaupa (right). Picture: Richard Dobson

“When I was in year seven I got into a car crash,” he said.

“I was in a coma and when I was awake I couldn’t remember anything that day except for playing footy.”

Aside from Hawkins the Rabbitohs are also without Gray for about the next two months while Host has been hit with a two-game ban for a late tackle on Brad Schneider.

The trio join the likes of Alex Johnston, Shaq Mitchell, Campbell Graham, Tevita Tatola, Taane Milne, Richie Kennar, Lachie Ilias and Tyrone Munroe on the sidelines.

The Rabbitohs also allowed Braidon Burns to take up an immediate deal with North Queensland. Burns was only on a part-time contract with South Sydney’s NSW Cup team.

All told, around $4 million of their salary cap is on the sidelines. It’s the sort of loss that would hit any side hard.

The Panthers take advantage of some lacklustre defence from the Rabbitohs!

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THAT TRY

Edwards has been in eye-catching form all season but there was no excuse for the ease with which he created a try for May on Thursday night.

Walker’s kick wasn’t all that bad. The chase though was poor. Souths players ambled after the ball and Edwards was able to shadow it over the dead ball line with ease.

Edwards then showed the urgency that was sadly lacking from the Rabbitohs players as he raced to the 20 metre line and took a quick tap. Souths players committed the cardinal sin.

They turned their back on the play and had no idea what Edwards was up to. As the Panthers fullback set off, Rabbitohs players were dawdling behind play. Eight Souths players still hadn’t made it back to the 20-metre line.

Only one Rabbitohs player made it back onside for Taylan May’s try during Thursday’s shellacking at the hands of Penrith.

Only Jai Arrow, one of the few Souths players to emerge from Thursday night with his reputation intact, stood between Edwards and the South Sydney try line.

Meanwhile, May was looming in support. As May raced to back up Edwards, he ran between two Souths players - Keaon Koloamatangi and Michael Chee Kam. Edwards drew Arrow, shuffled on the ball and the game was over.

By the time May had reached the halfway line, all but Arrow had given up.

“Taylan May makes South Sydney look pretty silly with one effort,” Cooper Crank said in commentary on Fox League

“There’s only two reasons why South Sydney would be unable to do that effort; one, they may not be fit enough. Or two, their care factor for their team and their jersey is not where it needs to be.”

“Cody Walker just turns and doesn’t even put in an effort. Jai Arrow is there. That whole side that put in a half-effort chase.”

Hornby went into bat for his players.

“The boys were trying to get back as quick as they can,” he said

“Fatigue is going to get you at some point.”

It shouldn’t get you only 23 minutes in into the second half, even allowing for the injury crisis that has rocked the Rabbitohs.

THE STATS

Souths are in the midst of a defensive crisis unlike any other in their history. Through eight games they are the sixth worst team in premiership history.

Not since the North Queensland Cowboys in 2002 has the side started the season leaking as many points as the Rabbitohs.

If they continue at this rate, they will finish the season conceding 876 points - only the 1999 Magpies have conceded more. It is a slice not history the Rabbitohs will be desperate to avoid.

Defence, they say, is an attitude and if the stats are any indication, South Sydney’s attitude stinks.

The Rabbitohs have been particularly bad in the back end of halves, the statistics lending credence to the theory that Souths are not fit enough to match their opponents.

In the last 20 minutes of each half this year, they have been out-scored by more than 180 points. Souths have scored 26 points and conceded more than 200.

Through eight games, the Rabbitohs are the sixth worst defensive team in premiership history. Picture: NRL Images

They have seemingly run out of gas, a remarkable thought given we are only nine rounds into the season and the club had the entire pre-season to prepare for the start of the competition.

In the short-term, Hornby’s greatest challenge may be finding a way to get his side mentally and physically fit enough to compete with the other clubs.

So too Wayne Bennett, if and when he arrives next season. Bennett is a master at motivating but Souths in their current state may be his greatest challenge.

“It’s been a really tough week and it was hard to look at that score line but … there was a lot of fight there,” hooker Damien Cook said.

“There was a lot of fight out there and a lot of boys fighting hard for each other. I know it doesn’t look like it but out there it felt like the boys were out there fighting for us.”

BENNETT AND THE ROSTER OVERHAUL

Bennett addressed the South Sydney situation on Friday at his regular press conference and gave every indication he is committed to thrashing out a deal with the club.

He retains strong relationships at the Rabbitohs and the likelihood is that they will be able to knock over a deal relatively quicker given the goodwill on both sides.

Souths have been approached by other coaches but Bennett remains their priority given his reputation and rapport with some of Souths’ most influential players.

There seems little doubt a roster overhaul will be carried out before Bennett arrives, although once he formally agrees to join the club he will have a decisive say in the make-up of his playing group.

Cody Walker, coach Wayne Bennett and Latrell Mitchell during South Sydney NRL training during Bennett’s previous stint at the Rabbitohs. Picture: Brett Costello

Change is on the way. A handful of the Souths squad are playing for their futures over the remainder of the season and there is every chance a cleanup will come with some of the club’s biggest names clinging to their jobs.

Cook and Walker are both at the back end of their careers and could be farmed out as part of the roster rebuild, although Bennett has good relationships with both men.

The one certainty is that St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd will join the club and give them an on-field general to steer the ship and allow Walker the freedom to pick and choose his moments.

The search for some front-rowers has begun in earnest and the hope is that head of football Mark Ellison can uncover some gems in England. Bennett will be a key plank in the rebuild given he remains a powerful lure for players. Cronk claimed on Friday that Souths should do everything in their power to get Bennett to the club straight away.

“If Blake Solly, Russell Crowe think there is one person that can turn this around and they believe it to be Wayne Bennett, why not go get him now.” Cronk said.

“Why not dangle the carrot of whatever dollars he wants, dangle the carrot that no team after nine rounds has won one game and made the finals.

“This is a list that has Latrell Mitchell, Damien Cook, Cody Walker, Keaon Koloamatangi, Cameron Murray. If I am involved with South Sydney, I am looking to get it done now because if at the moment, if they continue on the path the way they played last night, their brand is going to be damaged.

“Why wait 20 weeks, why not do it now?”

Originally published as NRL 2024: Injury crisis forces Rabbitohs to blood Dion Teaupa, stats underlying horror South Sydney season