After reaching the preliminary finals in 2012, this year was shaping up as one of the most anticipated in the history of the South Sydney Rabbitohs – but it was a season which ultimately ended on a disappointing and sorry note.
The Bunnies’ hopes of reaching last year’s decider were not only destroyed by the Bulldogs, but also an untimely and unfortunate hamstring injury suffered by who many consider to be their most important player, Adam Reynolds, in the first half of the grand final qualifier.
Rabbitohs fans, and Reynolds himself, must have endured a sleepless off-season as both parties pondered the campaign that could have been.
Nevertheless, 2012 was still remembered for the year the Rabbitohs reclaimed their status as a powerhouse team, and for most of 2013 they continued their success which can be attributed to former Melbourne Storm assistant coach Michael Maguire.
One of his biggest plays last year was moving Greg Inglis to fullback, a position in which he did well while deputising for an injured Billy Slater during the Storm’s 2005 finals campaign.
The move paid off and we finally got to see what Inglis can do at the back of the defensive line.
He was also instrumental in luring Ben Te’o to the club from Brisbane, as well as bringing home Beau Champion and reuniting each of the four Burgess brothers.
In fact, the Burgess quartet got their chance to play in the same team in Round 25 against the Wests Tigers, a feat that had never before been achieved in Australian rugby league history.
That earnt them the headline ‘Moment of the Year’ at this year’s Dally M Awards.
Anyway, let’s look at what the Rabbitohs achieved on the field this year, and where it all went wrong in the preliminary final for the second year in a row.
The season kicked off with a 28-10 victory over the old enemy, the Sydney Roosters, whose big name signing Sonny Bill Williams returned to the NRL for the first time since committing the biggest act of treachery in NRL history in 2008.
In what could be described as a brutal match, it was the Rabbitohs who confirmed their Premiership aspirations after just one round as they reminded the Roosters what work needed to be done if they were to contend for the Premiership.
Four more victories followed before they dropped their first match of the season to the defending Premiers, the Melbourne Storm, in a well-contested match which was lost by just seven points.
In between that loss and their second bye of the season, they suffered just one defeat – a narrow two-point defeat to the Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, whom the Rabbitohs had beaten by the same margin back in Round 2.
Their Premiership aspirations then started to come into question after they lost three of four matches after the third State of Origin match, during which Greg Inglis injured his knee and was faced with missing the rest of the season.
This included an upset 22-18 loss to the St George Illawarra Dragons, who were second from bottom at the time of the match.
That would have been a savage blow to the Bunnies’ hope of winning their first Premiership since 1971.
But the Bunnies would recover and thus set themselves up for a Minor Premiership showdown against the Roosters, whom the Rabbitohs had beaten back in Round 1.
It was a different Roosters side that Michael Maguire’s men met in the final round, and it was a much improved side.
The Chooks beat the Bunnies to not only claim the minor premiership, but premiership favouritism; it was also this defeat which sentenced the red-and-green to a first round finals showdown against the Melbourne Storm.
Craig Bellamy’s men had beaten the Rabbitohs twice this season but it would be third time lucky as the Bunnies put the Storm on the back foot and claimed a 20-10 victory, catapulting them into a preliminary final and leaving the Storm’s Premiership defence hanging by a thread.
But then this is where it all went wrong for the Rabbitohs, as they sought to reach their first Grand Final since 1971, having already recorded their best regular season since 1989.
After flying out of the blocks in the grand final qualifier against Manly, and seemingly having one eye on the prize, their defence fell to shreds as the recent Premiership experience of the Sea Eagles came to the fore.
That ended the Rabbitohs’ bid to win their first Premiership since 1971 – and it shows just how much work needs to be done in the off-season if they are to finally go one better in 2014.
Roy Asotasi, brought to the club in 2007 in a bid to reverse the club’s then-ailing on-field fortunes, has packed his bags and is headed for the English Super League, while Dylan Farrell is heading to the Dragons as he tries to help that club rebuild.
Only one major signing has been made for 2014 and that is Joel Reddy, who comes in from the Wests Tigers.
The loss of Asotasi will be a big blow, given what he was able to contribute on the field during his seven years at Redfern, in spite of two injury-marred seasons (2008 and 2012).
His leadership, as well as that of retiring hard-man Michael Crocker, will also be sorely missed. Thus, it’ll be interesting to see how the Rabbitohs will fare under the leadership of John Sutton, who is widely expected to be the club’s full-time captain in 2014.
After the failure of the last two years, fans will be hoping that 2014 is finally the year of the Rabbitoh.
Muzz
Guest
Sure we can say finishing in the top four is a successful season but the reality is that Souths were ripe and ready to win and when you haven't won a premiership in more than four decades finishing in the top four isn't good enough. Souths didn't learn from their 2012 campaign ,they thought they would improve in the season to come and go further. They need to to recruit wisely and perhaps shift Inglis into the centres and Sutton to lock. Inglis takes up 1 mill of the salary cap,you could have Lyon and Cherry Evans or Maloney and Jennings for that price.Makes more sense than putting all your eggs in the one basket.
barfly
Guest
spot on champ......................
Debauchery Coach
Guest
It's nice to see the Rabbits run a few minor placings, but it's 42 years and rising since they won a competition. With a roster chockfull of established stars they bought from other clubs, 2013 should have been their year and was probably their best chance. Reynolds' kicking game and goalkicking is the best in the comp, but his running game was disappointing this year, especially when it really mattered. Coach Maguire obviously doesn't have a Plan B when the tactics he brought with him from the Storm don't work. The Storm had the brains to pull it off, while the Rabbits are all brawn and are very predictable. The Rabbits don't have the mongrel either. Let's hope the Rabbits can do better than minor placings in 2014, but with no signings other than Reddy, and with more than 6 players leaving, it's doubtful, however much the NRL and referees want it after gifting the Rabbits the penalty count in their last six games.
Clark
Guest
To be completely honest, I didn't actually see too much improvement in Maloney from compared with when he was over hear at the Warriors, I think he just got more exposure considering what team he now plays for.
Clark
Guest
Actually we unfortunately blame the referees before anyone else.
Clark
Guest
I think you may have got the halves mixed up. it's the other one who is, and always has been "over rated".
Denis Bryce
Guest
Adam Reynolds has only just played his 2nd season of First Grade. He still has a lot to learn. He not only has a good kicking game, but he already has one of the best in the game. As his confidence & experience grows, so will his running game. For anybody to suggest that the last 2 seasons weren't successful, is absolutely ridiculous. Madge Maguire, has only had control of this side for 2 seasons & he has taken them to withing the Big One, 2 seasons in a row. How is that not successful. Most clubs take a lot longer than 2 years to get that far with Coaching changes, etc. We all know that Robinson took the Roosters to the Title this year & what a great job he did. Now all he has to do is do it again. Souths have been building the 'NEW' Rabbitohs since taking over the side a few years ago. They've brought more success into the Club in that time, than they've had more than 20 years before. They are building & they are building for something big. They have the Juniors, the have the Coaching Staff & the have the Class. It's now, just a matter of time.
Tom
Guest
So keep who you call the most underrated player in the halves and move the other halve out? A bit contradictory don't ya think?
Wozza
Guest
Goes to show that the coach really is the key to success no matter who his playing staff are ....
Debauchery Coach
Guest
I agree. Souths played to their limit every week and didn't seem to have another gear to use when it really mattered. A bit like Greg Norman who was number 1 golfer for years on end but had trouble lifting to another level for the majors. Maybe Souths need a Bart Cummings preparation so that the players peak at the end of the season, not during it.
Glenn Innes
Guest
I was hoping they would win (because the other realistic chances didn't over excite me not because I support them which i do not) but I started to get really worried when the Cowboys belted them up in Townsville - felt that a long season playing at close to their potential might be starting to catch up with them.In racing terms they may have peaked one run to soon.
Phil Coorey
Roar Pro
Inglis injured playing in that crappy exhibition match still annoys me
Doug Graves
Guest
With the way the Rabbits faded in the finals over the last 2 years it is tempting to say they're done. However perhaps having less pressure on what is essentially the same side will aid them in 2014. I still think, after looking at their roster, that they're a virtual lock for the top 4 with only the Cowboys lurking as any threat to this years top 4. The rest of the NRL is so mediocre it's boardering on embarrasing. If I had to pick an 8 it would be something like this: 1) Rorters, 2) Eagles, 3) Rabbits, 4) Storm, 5) Cowboys, 6) Dogs, 7) Sharks, 8) Titans
Debauchery Coach
Guest
Roosters signed Tuiasa-Sheck from NZ aged 18, Tupou from Eels Toyota Cup, Cordner from Taree, Guerra from Storm's lower grades, Kenny-Dowall from NZ juniors, Moa from Hull, Pearce from Norths juniors, Waerea-Hargraves from Manly where he'd only played 6 NRL games, Anthony Minichello from Liverpool juniors, plus many more. The Roosters also signed a nobody coach and turned him into a premiership winner. Souths signed the Storm-trained Wigan title winner Maguire after he was already established.
Debauchery Coach
Guest
The Roosters signed most of their roster when they were nobodies and they then developed those players. Sure, SBW was a star when he signed, but Maloney hadn't played Origin when the Roosters got him. All clubs sign stars and push the cap. Souths signed Inglis, Burgess, Asotasi, Crocker, Lima, King, and Te'o when they were established stars who had been developed by other clubs. Sour grapes shouldn't detract from the wonderful efforts by the Roosters. Best side by far this year. It was incredible to observe how Robinson turned nobodies into stars without trying to copy Bellamy and the Storm's masterplan like Maguire did.
mr dimsum
Guest
They lacked two outside backs and Inglis and Sutton could not run. Also someone like Peter O' Sullivan to fiddle with the cap like he did with the storm and sonehow the roosters could add three of the top fifty players in the game to there bulging squad.
Dominic Johnson
Guest
you are a dribbler.
Maroon Blood
Guest
Sutton is a lock playing out of position, plain and simple. Talk of him being NSW 5/8 this season was ridiculous IMO. As much as I hate to agree with Oikee, you definitely need a balanced halves pairing and a Keary/Reynolds combination would provide a much better balance than Sutton/Reynolds. Keary is a natural playmaker and would compliment Reynolds kicking oriented style of play. Keary is a star of the future, no doubt.....and, by the way, he is a Queenslander too! Bwahahaha!!
Pot Stirrer
Guest
I think souths problem was they relied to much on Ingliss. He played the last few weeks of the competion injured and was nowhere near the player i expected to see in the finals.
Doggies Bro
Guest
What bout George burgess try???? It was the same type as Tuafua the week before