South Sydney are learning their lessons well. Two weeks ago they hosted the title yardstick Melbourne Storm and came away without the points, despite playing well enough to win that contest.
It was a big occasion match and, yet again, the Bunnies finished second.
Coach Michael Maguire knew something extra was needed if his team was going to live up to its heavyweight tag. Manly was the next cab off the rank and it was time for his men to play tough and play tough for 80 minutes.
Brookvale Oval was the venue and we saw exactly what South Sydney are capable of this year, with a sustained effort of steel and discipline against a fiery Manly outfit prepared to go to extraordinary lengths to snare the competition points.
The Wiz was highly impressed – impressed enough to say this South Sydney team can definitely make the grand final and maybe even win it.
They travelled to Brooky bent on putting their stamp on the 2013 season and if Melbourne opposed that same steely defence last Friday night, they would have gone home losers.
For my money, the Rabbitohs were always in control against a dangerous Manly side that invariably makes four of five clean breaks in a game.
Time and again they came up in a straight defensive line to snuff out the Eagles when tries looked imminent.
Nobody came out of the line, which showed me Madge Maguire is getting his message through to the players. They are working out how to win the big stuff. They are looking like the real deal.
Greg Inglis never ceases to amaze me. The strength, speed and resilience of this man mountain is incredible.
The big question this week is: how do you stop Inglis without incurring the referee’s wrath, or get him to the ground and stop his momentum?
Teams should not try overly hard to put him on the deck. Get him surrounded by defenders, one or two should be able to halt his progress, with another joining in to lock up the ball.
Easier said than done as GI has one of the best fends I ever seen. Best of luck to the Brisbane Broncos tonight! It will be fascinating to see what tactics they have devised to nullify him.
Before closing, I have a big wrap on Souths halfback Adam Reynolds, who was the 2012 rookie of the year.
He is a kid with enormous talent but I believe he is playing well within himself as the Rabbitoh forward pack dominates and guys such as John Sutton and Inglis are causing damage wide of the ruck.
The Wiz would love to see Reynolds take the ball to the line more often. He has an excellent pass and any number of eager giants to send through gaps.
When we see him as a more dominant figure, that’s when Souths’ fans can really begin talking about an end to the club’s premiership drought.
sean
Guest
And shaun I 100% agree. We got the roosters at the best possible time in round 1, round 26 will be a whole different ballgame.
sean
Guest
Razza I wouldn't normally respond but souths are whingers??? Pllleeeaasssee...have a look at your coaches press conference after the game old mate it was an absolute embarrassment to watch from a player I consider one of my all time favourites....he looked and sounded like a raving lunatic...After that ridiculous performnace its pretty clear that poor old tooves doesn't feel very secure in his job just yet....
Shaun of Sydney
Guest
Souths look good I will admit, I am not a fan!!! I am just getting annoyed at the fact that everyone keeps bringing the Roosters into everything!! Lets just put this out there Souths winning that game is no indication of how good or bad the Roosters are!!! For starters they were a new squad that was playing together for the first time. Secondly they hadn't worked out combanations in attack or defence. Since then they have shown improvement week to week. I think Souths are the real deal but need to stop bragging about that rd 1 win and see what happens in rd 26 when both teams are clicking!!! Then we will see!!
Lou
Guest
Oink are you watching the game ?? Cannot see any planetary superstars ??
Nathan of Perth
Guest
That's right, Manly has a god-given right to spear tackle people and how DARE Souths complain about them being nothing but a pack of hacks and thugs! Hope Manly's players smarten up faster than their supporter base, I'd had to see more players on eight week vacations.
Razza
Guest
WELL Souths are winning the whinging competition at the moment so I hope the Bronco's just play touch tonight and don't do anything that might upset the Wabbit supporters, I couldn't cop another week of whinging from them, poor darlings. Bronco's in a close match. "GO THE EAGLES"
oikee
Guest
The Weal deal, the wittle wabbits are the weal deal. They are yet to get past the Broncos, a team devoid of Superstars, with only half a game Hodges out, so half a superstar gone. Lets see, Inglis, Sutton, Renolds and Merrit who is rewriting record books as we speak, along with the Biggest Sueprstars on the Planet, the Burgess Boys who took down Manly, single handedly. I seen big Sammie, fighting off 6 of those bullies all at once. Getting back to Brisbane, the big stage, we are now on prime time Bunnies, at the big house in front of the big crowd and now you have decided you want to play with the big boys, (not at Manly in the mud in front of less than 20 odd) now you want to go live, Friday night into 2 states, in front of 12 13 million, not to mention around the world, here is my question?? Will you be able to take the pressure, or be caught out, like Rabbits in the spotlights. hehe, time will tell, ,,,,time will tell. Welcome to Brisvegas, Wabbits, welcome to the big time. Good luck.
Brendan
Guest
You are correct, Souths arent stringing it together for 80 mins, yet they are still winning. Lets not forget the calibre of teams they have played compared to say the Roosters. The Roosters have played Eels, Dragons etc and won easy but their only game against a genuine contender they came up short. Souths on the other hand have played the other 3 top 4 teams and beating 2/3 of them. If they put it all together against a team like the Eels it could get messy
Lou
Guest
Maybe ! Bet it doesn't take 42 years
Chui
Guest
Souths gave every other team a blueprint on nullifying Manly's attack. The way they rushed Lyon and Matai was brilliant. Manly have to come up with something different now.
Chui
Guest
I care. If he did write it, and refers to himself in the third person, he sounds like a complete tool. If he didn't write it, don't put his name on it. Simple.
The Barry
Roar Guru
Souths were good but not great against Manly. Manly were slightly off - they gave away a stack of penalties, ball control wasn't great however their intensity was fantastic. The Symonds / Champion tries was a 12 point turnaround at a critical point of the game. Instead if getting Manly within a couple of points, it put Souths out to 16 or something with not a ton of time left. If the 50/50 Symonds call went the other way we could be here saying that Souths couldn't close out a big game again. All the ingredients are there for the Rabbbitohs though. Big, tough but mobile pack. Luke brilliant out of dummy half, Reynolds controlling the game with his kicking. Inglis and Sutton s dangerous ball runners, tough defending centres and wingers thatknow their way to the line. I just don't think they're really stringing it all together for 80 minutes just yet. I'd like to see them dominate a game and put a team to the sword. And to be petty can we assess a team without "what will happen if their best players get injured?" You can safely say that about any team in the comp, it doesn't need to be expressed when assessing a teams premiership chances...
Brendan
Guest
The thing i like about this article is that Freeman has come out and made a prediction. As for Kelllett and others, they prefer to sit on the fence and wait. Thats fine but anyone can be a Mon night quarterback. Kellett will probably only predict we can make it the week of the Grand Final. Kellett are you in fact Gus Gould? :)
steve b
Guest
i think the bunnies can give it a real shake this year if they can keep all their guns from injury , They look better than they have in a long time worth putting a bob or two on thats for sure
Lou
Guest
And it's ONLY taken 42 years , wow be proud of that one , but wait we're not even half way through the year , sorry wabbits , not this time
Frankston
Guest
Stop referring to yourself in the 3rd person
Cameron
Roar Guru
Planko, I believe they'll make the finals and most likely top four for sure, but "the real deal?" Even for Melbourne it's too hard to tell. Of course there is the 15 unbeaten run to consider and all the form in the world but NRL history paints a different picture.
planko
Roar Guru
Kellett a comment from the Hill last week at brookie during the game. "You can't win the comp in April".... The pissed idiot next to me came up that without thinking to much. Remember last year without their stars Melbourne lost 5 in a row during SOO and some post SOO Blues. Every team has this possiblilty of a bad injury run cause in reality you take as little as 1 key person out of most teams and they are in trouble. eg Souths I think it is A Reynolds. Then there was of course there is the classic for Souths that they need to put to bed "My grandpa watched Souths win their last comp on TV ... It was in Black and White"
planko
Roar Guru
I agree with you that he is that valuable to souths I believe he is more important than GI to Souths.
shane
Guest
if reynolds didnt get injured in last years gf q against the bulldogs i believe it would of been a storm /souths gf last year