‘Very ordinary’: South Sydney fall to pieces in spectacular capitulation

South Sydney were on top of the ladder just six weeks ago but the NRL powerhouse has been left in ruins after another shock thrashing.

What has happened to South Sydney? Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

What a difference six weeks makes.

In round 11, South Sydney were top of the NRL, sitting equal with the Brisbane Broncos on 16 points but ahead on points differential.

Watch every game of every round of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership Season LIVE on Kayo Sports. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

But since then, just one win and a bye from the next six rounds has left the formerly high flying side on the cusp of dropping out of the top eight.

The Rabbitohs have come crashing back to earth in spectacular fashion, losing 31-6 against North Queensland in the side’s latest loss.

In its last five games since round 11, the Rabbitohs’ previously rock solid defence has abandoned them.

What has happened to South Sydney? Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

In round 11, the side was the second best defensive team in the competition behind the Panthers. After round 17, they’ve dropped to sixth, conceding more than double the points in the past five matches as they had in their first 11 of the season.

The Rabbitohs have conceded more than 30 points in four of those games — the one they didn’t, they won 46-28 over the Titans.

While the Rabbitohs still have two more byes to look forward to, the side’s season has flipped on its head.

Some of the blame could be the loss of the side’s star fullback Latrell Mitchell, who last played in South’s 36-16 loss to the Eels before being injured in Origin camp.

He hasn’t played since.

Latrell continues to watch on. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

Speaking on Fox League, Braith Anasta and Michael Ennis were scathing.

“As good as the Cowboys were Souths were very poor,” Anasta said.

“They had six wins in a row and now they have won only one of their last five.

“Latrell Mitchell out for a long time now and Cody Walker nowhere near his best tonight.

“The whole team were very ordinary. I would say their worst performance of the year.”

Ennis agreed.

“I thought their kicking game to start the game was dreadful and a number of misdirected passes particularly in the first half from their key playmakers,” Ennis said.

“Souths have been mesmerising at times over the last couple of seasons, but today they were anything but that.

“The attack was ordinary, but no Latrell Mitchell hurts that, but boy defensively they were really poor today.”

Cody Walker was seeing red against the Cowboys. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images

Speaking after Souths’ shock loss to the North Queensland Cowboys, coach Jason Demetriou said Latrell’s absence wasn’t to blame for the latest loss.

“Latrell is a world class player and one of the top players in the competition, so yeah we miss him there is no doubt about that,” Demetriou said.

“But he doesn’t stop six tries. He is not going to stop that out there. I can understand with our attack he is going to offer us plenty, but some of the long-range tries tonight were just poor.

“Individuals have got to aim up and own them. It is not on missing Latrell that’s for sure.”

He added: “We were just frustrated out of the game to be honest.

“I thought like they played like a team that was motivated and knows that they need to get results like this to keep their season alive and we played like a team that is probably comfortable to be honest.

“Just way too many dumb things in the game that put us under pressure and eventually that pressure told in points.”

Originally published as ‘Very ordinary’: South Sydney fall to pieces in spectacular capitulation