Souths star put his hand up after goalkicking debacle costs team

The Rabbitohs may need to find a new goalkicker but are adamant their finals push isn’t over despite Thursday night’s loss.

Jye Gray was awarded a penalty try. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

South Sydney playmaker Cody Walker is adamant his team can get on another winning run and make the finals after he took “full responsibility” for the goalkicking horror show that contributed to his team’s loss to the Dolphins on Thursday night.

Between them, Walker and Taane Milne missed five of six conversion attempts, kicking in the absence of injured Latrell Mitchell, which proved the difference in the eight-point loss as Dolphins kicker Jamayne Isaako slotted all six conversions.

While caretaker Rabbitohs coach Ben Hornby said the missed conversions weren’t the reason his side’s five-game winning streak came to an end, Walker said it absolutely mattered.

“You probably underestimate the importance of goalkicking and I have a new-found respect for all the goalkickers in the NRL,” Walker said.

“It is a tough ask, especially at Kayo (Stadium) where the crowd is so close. Obviously, Trell is a wonderful kicker and slots them from everywhere, so you are going to miss a guy like Trell’s goalkicking ability.”

But running in six tries at Redcliffe against the home side, who themselves ended a three-game losing streak to keep finals chances alive, gave Walker confidence the Rabbitohs could keep winning.

“I think so. We have got the confidence we can beat anyone on our day but we probably took a step back in terms of our discipline,” Walker said.

Gagai in space 👨‍🚀 #NRLDolphinsSouths@Telstra Moment of the Match pic.twitter.com/5lERTxt52P

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“We love our effort but our kicking game and our scramble on a couple of their tries in the first half probably took a step back, so there are a couple of things we need to improve on moving forward to even worry about going on another run.

“Our important game is always our next game.

“I put my hand up. I take full responsibility, It just wasn’t good enough.”

Hornby though praised Walker and said the loss was not on him.

“It shouldn’t come down to goalkicking,” Hornby said.

“We had a couple of opportunities to score points in the second half that we should have put away. That’s not the reason we lost the game.

“Cody has been outstanding. To go on the other side of the field and have no drop in his performance, and do that for this team, says what this team is about.”

Souths will have to keep wining without forward Jai Arrow, who played against the Dolphins but will now undergo delayed shoulder surgery that will keep him out for the rest of the season.

Originally published as Souths star put his hand up after goalkicking debacle costs team