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In 1966 American pop group The Monkees had a world No. 1 hit with a song entitled ‘I’m a believer’ – a catchy tune composed by Neil Diamond that many of us sang along to in the age of transistor radios (and maybe even crystal sets).
It is now 2014 and I am a believer again. I believe, for the first time since 1971, this will be The Year of the Rabbit.
Last Friday night was really important for coach Michael Maguire and his red and green team.
His men recorded an emphatic 23-4 trouncing of title favourites Manly, and the score-line could have read a lot more than that in their favour.
The Rabbitohs gave the Eagles a physical hiding and showed that they have the team and the back-ups to go all the way in this competition.
They must overcome a finals hoodoo and shrug off what many are claiming to be a choker’s mentality, but what I saw last Friday was the type of football that wins premierships. This premiership.
Maguire’s men absolutely smashed the league leaders with a brand of football that had ‘premiers’ stamped all over it.
Steely defence, a precision kicking game, a rousing attack that kept asking questions, and an 80 minute momentum that screamed ‘beat us if you can’. But Manly couldn’t get anywhere near them on the scoreboard.
I have been waiting to see such a commanding performance from Souths all season. They smacked defending premiers Easts by 20 in the opening round but since then, they have been pretty good, not great.
They dropped games to some of the lesser lights, but none of those losses seemed to have done much harm.
Against Manly, they were definitely great. The Sea Eagles were made to look like sparrows in the face of the Bunnies’ relentless attack and brutal defence. Souths bashed and ultimately smashed them.
You come to expect some special stuff from superstar Greg Inglis in games of such magnitude. He delivered numerous plays of five-star quality, but there were superb cameos also from halves Adam Reynolds and Luke Keary, and their entire forward pack.
All up, Souths did not field a bad player – all looked to be at the peak of their powers. They will have to do it all again tomorrow night against the confident Brisbane Broncos at ANZ Stadium.
I am sold on South Sydney as potential premiers – not because it might be seen as fashionable, not because they have sorted out their halves dramas, not because they have superstar GI at fullback and boast a forward pack that can contain and then cream their opposite numbers.
I really like Souths’ chances because they are believers.
They seem to know they’ll be branded with the ‘chokers’ tag once they get to the finals but I’m tipping them to rise way above that.
Sam Burgess is their forward leader in the physical stakes and there isn’t another player going better in the NRL as you read this. Issac Luke at hooker is a dead-set colossus and if he keeps running and probing, the gaps will appear without a doubt.
I really like young Alex Johnston out on the left wing – what a player – and veteran Lote Tuqiri on the right flank is making every post a winner.
I was highly critical of Souths when they signed Lote but some egg smears on my face will be a small price to pay if he, and the Rabbits, go all the way.
This team has the depth to make a serious impact on the finals, and then there’s the special incentive of sending out their main man, Sammy Burgess, as a premiership winner.
Big things are certainly emerging from Redfern. They needed that emphatic win over Manly to light the wick of belief.
They certainly look as though they believe. I’m a believer too.
We will know a heck of a lot more about their chances after their next assignment against the Broncos.
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