SuperCoach study guide: Rabbitohs welcome back Sam Burgess in a season of change

THE return of Bunnies messiah Sam Burgess is just one of the changes which will see a new-look South Sydney line-up take the field in 2016. Get the lowdown here.

THE Rabbitohs will be undergoing some big changes in 2016.

And to the delight of SuperCoaches, one of those changes will be the reintroduction of star player Sam Burgess.

The forward will provide another “must-have” option this season, while South Sydney adjust to their changing backline and forward pack.

The return of Sam Burgess is bound to have a big impact for South Sydney. Picture: Phil Hillyard

PLAYER MOVEMENT

Ins: Sam Burgess (English rugby union), Damien Cook (Canterbury Bulldogs), Hymel Hunt (Melbourne Storm), Dane Neilsen (Bradford Bulls), Michael Oldfield (Catalans Dragons)

Outs: Issac Luke (New Zealand Warriors), Ben Lowe (retirement), Glenn Stewart (Catalans Dragons), Chris McQueen (Gold Coast Titans), Dylan Walker (Manly Sea Eagles), Tim Grant (Wests Tigers)

PREDICTED BEST 17

Team: Greg Inglis (c), Alex Johnston, Bryson Goodwin, Kirisome Auva’a, Aaron Gray, Luke Keary, Adam Reynolds, George Burgess, Damien Cook, Dave Tyrell, Chris Grevsmuhl, John Sutton, Sam Burgess. Interchange: Cameron McInnes, Tom Burgess, Kyle Turner, Jason Clark.

There is no denying that the Rabbitohs have lost a lot of big names ahead of the 2016 season. From rep stars Issac Luke, Chris McQueen and Dylan Walker to veterans of the game Ben Lowe and Glenn Stewart, South Sydney have somewhat of a new-look team. The return of Sam Burgess is obviously a big boost while Damien Cook will come in to replace Luke. Kirisome Auva’a and Bryson Goodwin are expected to be the centre combination with no more Walker.

GUNS

Sam Burgess — $423,700

Here’s hoping that one season out of the game is not enough to turn Burgess from a SuperCoach stud into a SuperCoach dud. When the Rabbitohs star left for English rugby, he was one of the most popular players in the game with the SuperCoach stats to back it up. Now he is back and has the potential to play 80 minutes a game thanks to the new interchange rules. At $423,700, he should be worth an immediate buy from Round 1.

Greg Inglis will be looking to get back to his very best. Picture: Getty Images

Greg Inglis — $413,300

GI has been far from his SuperCoach best of late. But within the South Sydney line-up he is still very much a gun player and has the potential to wake from his SuperCoach slumber. On average, GI was still the best player Souths had in SuperCoach last year, with an average of 65.37 points. He finished on a total of 1242 but only managed to play 19 games. Hopefully he gets a bit more time this year and ups the ante.

CHEAPIES

Kirisome Auva’a — $170,700

Auva’a will be back this year for his first full season since his nine-month suspension. Given he stays injury free and in form, he could be a great SuperCoach buy at $170,700. He is expected to earn a centre starting spot straight off the bat. In the four games he did play last year, he only managed an average of 27 points a match, but with a bit of consistency this could easily improve.

John Olive faces a tough task breaking into the Rabbitohs line-up. Picture: Brett Costello

John Olive — $133,300

Young winger Olive made his NRL debut last year and could be the best chance at a cheapie breaking through the ranks at South Sydney. The only thing stopping him is the talent in front of him. Hymel Hunt ($178,300), Michael Oldfield ($191,200) and now Dane Neilsen are those lining up behind Auva’a, Aaron Gray, Bryson Goodwin and Alex Johnston in the backline. Keep an eye on South Sydney’s team lists throughout the year in case he gets a chance, particularly through the Origin period when GI is missing.

VALUE PICKS

The prospect of a starting spot and more minutes means Chris Grevsmuhl is priced to move. Picture: Colleen Petch.

Chris Grevsmuhl — $235,800

He was a SuperCoach favourite in early 2015 but could prove to be a year-rounder this season. Grevsmuhl is expected to benefit greatly from the new interchange rules and could even be pushing for a permanent starting spot with the likes of Glenn Stewart and Chris McQueen out of the club. He is worth his price tag and could become a nifty point-of-difference player in the early stages of the season.

NO GO ZONE: PLAYERS TO AVOID

His high asking price is a huge red flag for Bunnies recruit Damien Cook. Picture: Mark Evans

Damien Cook — $321,200

The former Bulldog has come to his new club priced rather highly after earning a 84.67 average last season. The problem is, he earned this amazing average across just three games. While there is no doubt Cook has a lot of potential, it is a fair bit of money to splash out on someone who has played a total of nine NRL games over the past three years. Wait for this price to come down and also to see whether the looming figures of Paul Carter and Cameron McInnes affect his time on the field.

HOLDEN CUP ANALYSIS

The Rabbitohs have a host of young faces in their first grade squad this year, including three players who are still eligible for under-20s — Angus Crichton, Brock Gray and Zane Musgrove. Of the trio, Crichton is the one pushing hardest for an NRL debut, with Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire admitting earlier this week that the former schoolboy rugby star had caught his eye. Maguire said Crichton would probably “bobble up” throughout the season so keep an eye on his progress.

First Name	Last Name	Pos 1	Pos2	Price
Kirisome	Auva'a	CTW		170,700
Nathan	Brown	FRF	2RF	168,000
George	Burgess	FRF		354,400
Sam	Burgess	2RF	FRF	423,700
Thomas	Burgess	FRF		306,100
Paul	Carter	2RF	HOK	164,400
Jason	Clark	2RF	FRF	251,100
Damien	Cook	HOK		321,200
Angus	Crichton	CTW	2RF	113,800
Bryson	Goodwin	CTW		264,000
Jack	Gosiewski	2RF		113,800
Aaron	Gray	CTW		262,400
Brock	Gray	2RF	FRF	113,800
Chris	Grevsmuhl	2RF	FRF	235,800
Tom	Hughes	CTW		113,800
Hymel	Hunt	CTW		178,300
Greg	Inglis	FLB		413,300
Alex	Johnston	FLB	CTW	296,900
Luke	Keary	HFB	FE	247,700
Cameron	McInnes	HOK		228,200
Zane	Musgrove	FRF		113,800
Michael	Oldfield	CTW		191,200
John	Olive	CTW		133,300
Adam	Reynolds	HFB		345,900
John	Sutton	FE	2RF	329,500
Riley	Travers	HFB		113,800
Kyle	Turner	2RF		181,100
David	Tyrrell	FRF		202,600
Cheyne	Whitelaw	2RF		113,800
Cody	Walker	FE	HFB	122,600

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Originally published as SuperCoach study guide: Rabbitohs welcome back Sam Burgess in a season of change