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The Rabbitohs have overhauled their roster, bringing back Sam Burgess at the expense of Dylan Walker and Chris McQueen, in an attempt to be a premiership heavyweight again in 2016.
Only 12 players of their 2014 premiership-winning side remain, and the upcoming NRL season shapes as the Rabbitohs’ biggest challenge since Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes à Court’s 2007 takeover.
Michael Maguire’s side will be fighting to make the finals after only just scraping in last season, and will hope that their premiership hangover was a minor setback.
Rookie watch
The Rabbitohs have some strong players coming through the system, with Angus Crichton and Zane Musgrove shaping as future stars. Both are eligible to play in the Holden Cup for 2016 but are huge chances of landing a place in Maguire’s top 17.
Crichton is rated as the next big thing, with the second-rower and centre recently committing to South Sydney until the end of season 2018.
The Young product played rugby union at Scots College in Sydney, where he received caps with the Australian Schoolboys team in the years of 2013 and 2014. He was also a member of the Rabbitohs’ victorious 2015 Auckland Nines squad.
Musgrove has spent the last two seasons playing in the Holden Cup and has been elevated to the club’s first grade squad.
The Auckland-born prop is a real chance at making his mark in the NRL during 2016 and looks set to start at the Auckland Nines and in the Charity Shield, providing he doesn’t get injured or suspended.
Under pressure
Souths management have come under fire over the off-season, after the signing of Burgess on a rich, three-year deal saw the departure of local junior Walker and veteran backrower McQueen.
While some would argue Walker’s departure was justified, many Souths fans were disappointed with the way the club treated Walker and moved him on. Furthermore, while Aaron Gray is perfectly capable, Walker has left a sizeable void at centre.
Rabbitohs CEO John Lee will be hoping his club delivers on the field otherwise his job may come under serious threat.
Is Damien Cook the right replacement for Issac Luke?
With Issac Luke leaving the Rabbitohs after nine years at the club, Maguire brought in former Dragon and Bulldog Damien Cook to replace the Warriors-bound hooker.
Cook will share the hooking duties with Souths junior Cameron McInnes, beginning a new era at Redfern.
Like Luke, Cook is quick out of dummy half, can make good runs, and has an accurate passing game. A star of the future, Cook is a great acquisition for Souths, and the right man to take the Rabbitohs forward.
Can Sam Burgess repeat his feats of 2014?
The Rabbitohs are relying heavily on Burgess to carry the team to the finals in 2016.
While some say that Burgess was the missing piece of the puzzle in 2015, the puzzle has become even harder to solve now that Walker, McQueen and Luke have joined Ben Te’o, Apisai Koroisau and Lote Tuqiri in leaving Redfern.
The Bradford junior will likely draw huge crowds and be the focus of almost every Souths game, but can his signing make up for so many departures?
Is Aaron Gray capable of filling the void left by Walker?
With Dylan Walker moving north to the Manly Sea Eagles, the free spot in the Rabbitohs’ backline set to be filled by fellow Souths junior Aaron Gray.
The Mascot Jets product appeared 12 times last year, scoring seven tries.
Gray, who recently extended his stay at South Sydney for two more years, faces competition from veteran winger Michael Oldfield, new recruit Hymel Hunt, and up-and-coming outside backs John Olive, Tom Hughes, Angus Crichton and Damon Goolagong.
A good start to the season could see Gray make the Number 3 jersey his own.
Must watch
Round 1 versus Roosters
Sunday, March 6, 4pm at Allianz Stadium
The traditional rivalry between the Roosters and Rabbitohs continues in Round 1. With Sam Burgess returning to the fray, the battle among the forwards will be brutal, with the English international to go up against the likes of Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, Boyd Cordner, Kane Evans, Dylan Napa and Sio Siua Taukeiaho.
The game will set the tone for the 2016 season and is one of the highlights of the NRL’s opening round.
What’s more, the grudge match will be replayed just five weeks later, when Souths host the Roosters in Round 6.
Round 4 versus Bulldogs
Friday, March 25, 4pm at ANZ Stadium
Sam Burgess will meet James Graham’s Bulldogs for the first time since the 2014 NRL grand final, with sparks set to fly in what shapes as one of the Rabbitohs’ biggest games of 2016.
Last year’s infamous ‘Bad Friday’ fixture saw tensions flare after Graham made contact with Adam Reynolds as he attempted a field goal. The Bulldogs skipper was put on report alongside Michael Lichaa and David Klemmer.
With Cook moving from Canterbury to Redfern in the off-season, the rivalry will be even more fierce as the Illawarra junior comes up against the man who pushed him out of the club – Lichaa.
The Bulldogs and Rabbitohs will no doubt play out a tantalising fixture when they renew their rivalry on Good Friday. Pencil it in, folks!
Predicted best XVII
1. Greg Inglis, 2. Alex Johnston, 3. Aaron Gray, 4. Kirisome Auva’a, 5. Bryson Goodwin, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Adam Reynolds, 8. George Burgess, 9. Damien Cook, 10. David Tyrrell, 11. Chris Grevsmuhl, 12. John Sutton, 13. Sam Burgess
Interchange: 14. Cameron McInnes, 15. Thomas Burgess, 16. Kyle Turner, 17. Jason Clark
2016 signings
Sam Burgess (Bath Rugby), Damien Cook (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Hymel Hunt (Melbourne Storm), Michael Oldfield (Catalan Dragons)
2016 draw (AEST)
Round 1: Roosters versus Rabbitohs (Sunday, March 6, 4pm at Allianz Stadium)
Round 2: Rabbitohs versus Knights (Saturday, March 12, 5:30pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 3: Dragons versus Rabbitohs (Sunday, March 20, 4pm at Sydney Cricket Ground)
Round 4: Rabbitohs versus Bulldogs (Friday, March 25, 4pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 5: Sea Eagles versus Rabbitohs (Thursday, March 31, 8:05pm at Brookvale Oval)
Round 6: Rabbitohs versus Roosters (Friday, April 8, 7:50pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 7: Cowboys versus Rabbitohs (Friday, April 15, 7:50pm at 1300Smiles Stadium)
Round 8: Broncos versus Rabbitohs (Friday, April 22, 7:50pm at Suncorp Stadium)
Round 9: Rabbitohs versus Wests Tigers (Thursday, April 28, 7:50pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 10: Eels versus Rabbitohs (Friday, May 13, 7:50pm at Pirtek Stadium)
Round 11: Rabbitohs versus Dragons (Thursday, May 19, 7:50pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 12: Bye
Round 13: Rabbitohs versus Titans (Sunday, June 5, 6:30pm at nib Stadium)
Round 14: Wests Tigers versus Rabbitohs (Friday, June 10, 7:50pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 15: Rabbitohs versus Eels (Friday, June 17, 7:50pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 16: Panthers versus Rabbitohs (Friday, June 24, 7:50pm at Pepper Stadium)
Round 17: Rabbitohs versus Cowboys (Sunday, July 3, 4pm at Barlow Park)
Round 18: Bye
Round 19: Rabbitohs versus Broncos (Saturday, July 16, 7:30pm at ANZ Stadium)
Round 20: Rabbitohs versus Sea Eagles (Monday, July 25, 7pm at Allianz Stadium)
Round 21: Rabbitohs versus Raiders (July 28-August 1 at ANZ Stadium)
Round 22: Storm versus Rabbitohs (August 4-August 8 at AAMI Park)
Round 23: Warriors versus Rabbitohs (August 11-August 15 at Mt Smart Stadium)
Round 24: Rabbitohs versus Sharks (August 18-August 22 at ANZ Stadium)
Round 25: Knights versus Rabbitohs (August 25-August 29 at Hunter Stadium)
Round 26: Bulldogs versus Rabbitohs (September 1-September 4 at ANZ Stadium)
Prediction
South Sydney have lost too many players since winning their 21st premiership in 2014, to the point they are nowhere near as competitive as other teams.
Of all the teams, the Rabbitohs will drop the furthest and miss the finals, finishing at 13th.
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