From the makers of South Sydney’s blockbuster 2007 season comes the highly anticipated sequel.

The Rabbitohs’ 2008 premiership odyssey has a new leading man, Craig Wing, but only time will tell whether the scriptwriters can deliver the foundation club a dream 21st premiership in rugby league’s centenary year.

In their first full season under the ownership of Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court, Souths exceeded expectations, making the finals for the first time in 18 years.

They wore Armani suits and starred in a fly-on-the-wall documentary, South Side Story, in which coach Jason Taylor’s blue tongue was revealed as one of the motivating forces behind the team’s revival.

Taylor has led a charmed life as a coach, taking the reins at Parramatta in mid 2006 and guiding a troubled club to the finals before jumping on board the Crowe and Holmes a Court juggernaut.

This year, though, the critics and box office have big expectations.

“I really don’t subscribe to the theory that now that means that there’s going to be a heap more pressure on, it just means that people are expecting us to do well which is great,” Taylor says.

“If we work hard, we train hard and play with the intensity that we need to, and work together, then we’ll be the best team we can be and wherever that gets us, that will be good enough I think.”

If Souths had a problem in 2007, it was their attack. The Rabbitohs averaged just 17 points per game.

But, just when you thought it was safe to score three converted tries against them, the Bunnies have spent the off-season sharpening their teeth.

“Last year there was no secret about the fact that we really worked hard defensively, so this year we’ve gone the other way a bit in that we want to get more going when we’ve got the ball in our hand and create more options and be harder to defend against,” Taylor says.

“Teams who played us last year knew that it was going to be a tough game but they probably knew they didn’t have to score a heap of points to beat us.

“The thing last year was (attack) was just something that we didn’t work that much on in the pre-season and it’s hard to get a lot going once the season starts because week-in week-out it’s tough. And the thing was that we were all new to each other.

“We could have easily done much better with our attack last year if we worked on it for three months before the season started.

“It’s not an area where we’re going: what are we going to do, how are we going to fix it? It was just that it needed more time.”

Wing’s return to play in the halves after eight years at the Sydney Roosters, during which he won a premiership and played State of Origin and Test football, should boost the Rabbitohs’ attack too.

“He’s going to play a massive part in it because one of the things in that area last year was the experience in the halves,” says Taylor.

“That experience, his understanding of what it takes to win those sort of games is going to make a massive difference in that area.”

South Sydney

Year entered premiership: 1908

Home ground: ANZ Stadium

Premierships: 20 – 1908, 1909, 1914, 1918, 1925, 1926, 1927, 1928, 1929, 1931, 1932, 1950, 1951, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971

Finishes over the past three years: 2007 – Qualifying finalist; 2006 – 15th (last); 2005 – 13th

Coach: Jason Taylor

Captain: Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell

Gains: Ben Lowe (Cowboys), Craig Wing (Roosters)

Losses: Peter Cusack (Hull), Joe Galuvao (Eels), Daniel Irvine (retired), Paul Mellor (retired), David Peachey (retired), Shane Rigon (retired), Reece Simmonds (retired), Stuart Webb (Dragons), Joe Williams (Panthers)

Money Man: Craig Wing – The Rabbitohs struggled in attack in 07 as they shuffled their halves around looking for a combination that would gel. Wing will bring experience, skill and leadership to their troubled creative department.

One to watch: Eddy Pettybourne – A strapping young back-rower and Souths junior with big raps around the club. Big, skillful and ready to join the likes of Asotasi, Kidwell and Fa’alogo.

Best team: Nathan Merritt, Shannon Hegarty, Yileen Gordon, Nigel Vagana, Fetuli Talanoa, Ben Rogers, Craig Wing, Roy Asotasi, Issac Luke, Scott Geddes, David Kidwell, David Fa’alogo, John Sutton. Interchange: Eddie Paea, Manase Manuokafoa, Jaiman Lowe, Luke Stuart.

Premiership odds: Centrebet $23, SportsBet $26.

© AAP 2012

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