On the outside South Sydney’s 30-18 point loss to the Canberra Raiders doesn’t sound too dire. That is, until you realise that the match wasn’t played in the nation’s capital on a freezing cold Saturday night in the middle of winter.
No, instead Sydney’s self-confessed sexiest team in rugby league met a Raiders side that usually travels about as well as your aunt’s motion sickness-suffering miniature dachshund at a sunny, splendid ANZ Stadium where they seemed all set to bounce back from a surprise last up loss.
A plan that lasted for the first fifteen or so minutes, before Canberra decided to punish – not their long suffering supporters for once – but rather anyone who had made a tip for the round.
They turned from a team that couldn’t score fireworks in Fyshwick to point-a-minute marvels.
While the result of the match guarantees Ricky Stuart’s overhead projector stays in the cupboard for another couple of weeks, for Souths it brings up the questions their long suffering supporters really shouldn’t have to ask.
I.e.: Was that it?
Were those one match from a grand final wipeouts the promised land that the Rabbitohs’ famished, weary and betrodden masses had waited so long for? Were they the glory years fans had been promised? Had they lived so briefly in the land of milk and bunny?
Although the season is still early Autumn fresh, one does get the slightest feeling that the premiership train has begun to pull out from Redfern station, with Michael Maguire’s men still stuck at the ticket machine furiously trying to top up their Opal card with Rusty’s black Amex.
Yes, just like the Wests Tigers before them, the window of opportunity seems now like the rear window of a Tangara tearing off into the distance.
So, who’s to blame for all this mess?
Well thankfully for the burrow if things don’t come good soon they’ve got a list of targets longer than the ‘to do’ list at Maroubra Ink.
In no particular order may I present to you the potential South-side scapegoats:
Sam Burgess
Word has it that ‘Hollywood’ Sam is putting noses out of joint with an ego the size of Manoa Thompson in the Bunnies’ sheds. While these might just be filthy rumours started to fill the Dave Warner gossip void, the fact that Burgess has showed the composure of an irate honey badger on the field so far this year certainly isn’t helping.
Halves
When NSW coach Laurie Daley came out and said Mitchell Pearce would be his 2014 halfback, it was really a nice way of saying “Adam Reynolds is stinking it up.”
Reynolds has been a shadow of his 2013 self this season, and with Keary injured, a centre playing five-eighth and no Isaac Luke to help out around the ruck, all of a sudden the Bunnies are looking a little bit Willie Peters.
The buys
The Bunnies’ raid on footy’s bargain bin concerned many at the start of the year, and combined with the loss of depth out wide and the tough Nathan Peats, the ledger was always going to be in the negative for 2014.
On the plus though Lote has had a couple of decent scoots from dummy half…
The media
They say there’s no such thing as bad publicity, which I’m assuming is unless that publicity is 24/7 wall-to-wall coverage of every minute detail of a side’s footy season.
What goes up must come down, and while everyone loved to have Souths as their second team when they were the plucky battlers sticking it to the man, the continual red ‘n’ green Tsunami from the press (in particular Channel Nine) has slowly turned the tide of public opinion.
Roosters
No doubt they’ve rigged everything.
But, what if the Rabbitohs do manage to bounce back against the Dragons in front of a packed SCG in Round 5 to re-ignite their season in a stunning fashion?
Well, just feel free to file this one away under ‘F’.
For finals…
Mitch
Guest
I Don't know why you'd stop listening to a coach that has taken you to within one game from the GF for the last two years. South have lost the experience in their squad that pulled them through after opposing had worked out souths plan A. When they need to play simple football and play to their strengths they are buckling ATM. As soon as Luke Keary went down Madge should've went back to Sutton6 Reynolds7 in my opinion. Probably would've beaten the roosters with that halves pairing anyway and definitely would've got it over two of the next 3 opponents. The new 7 tackle rule seems to have stopped Reynolds short kicking game. But at the end of the day if you're only getting to the last tackle 60% you won't be kicking will you? Above everything else souths need to respect the ball. You need to have the football to win games after all.
Pot Stirrer
Guest
It should be a cracking game this weekend. The Bunnies to save thier season and the Dragons to avenge the CS embarrasment and coming of a loss.
The Magic Man
Guest
The answers are simple. No more free team bonding trips to Jacksonville, The Armani suits are gone, Andrew Denton is no longer on TV, and this latest Noah movie doesn't mention Maximus or "The Sum of Us"... Like a fault line through some place with heaps of earth quakes, these factors are sending Redfern to the brink.
Muzz
Guest
I think "broken" is the key word - They look like they have had their spirit broken. My observation - Souths have been playing the same structures since Madge got the top job.Teams now have a Blue Print.Isolating weak links in their D can be spotted a mile away.They are also having trouble maintaining their line speed due to the increase in tempo of the game bought on by the new rules.Their Offence - This relies entirely on their big forwards laying a platform.Worked well in the past when the game wasn't so fast.Forwards are now struggling but may improve as it cools down and they get more match fit.Baiting Sam Burgess is another well known way to gain an advantage.Strike Power - Yes GI is arguably the best player in the world but you need variation otherwise it's too predictable and quite easy to defuse.Set plays - Same old moves with different players running the decoy.At times they look to be setting the line so deep that they lose ground when it breaks down.Leadership - Sutton is a champion bloke and always gives 100% but is not a leader.Time for GI to step up to the plate.Plan B - zero, Plan C - zero, Plan D - zero
dimitri
Guest
I have the solution for souths to start to win, that is to place the best player in each position. I remember what the great Phil Gould said "to win a premiership you need a good no.1, 6 ,7 and 9. But for some reason the coach has moved John sutton outside his partner Reynolds. Put sutton back at no.6. Replace lote with joel reddy at one wing and chris macqueen at the other, and when isaac luke us back and luke keary then i think souths will be a force to be reckoned with
dimitri
Guest
I think the reason why souths are not doing well, is because some key players are of position. I recommend sutton back at no.6. Chris macqueen at wing and of course were missing Isaac luke . And that should bring back souths season on track
Worlds Biggest
Guest
The Rabbits have the slowest outside backs in the NRL. They shed 10 players and bought 4. Depth was always an issue this season. They have the pack to compete with anyone however a halfback who has hit his ceiling already. Luke Keary can't come back quick enough. I think the one guy who can save the Rabbits this season is out of football, Blake Ferguson.
Wilson Flatley
Roar Rookie
When you look at his consistency, injury record and the fact he won't get a call for any rep games; he would no doubt be the best value 9 in the world.
Mike from tari
Guest
When Reynolds got the ball a number of times he had no one to pass it to, when the hooker went from dummy half he to had no one to pas it to, Souths forwards were standing around like browns cows, they looked like a rudderless ship someone should have taken charge, Sutton looked out of his depth as Captain, even if they don't like Big Sammy he should have taken the lead
Yatayee
Guest
With Keary out, it would seem Madge may have to put all the pre season behind him and go back to basics. Sutton was lost yesterday, and it was a wake up call that now without Luke on the field, they all need to go back to the positions that they are confident in, an where the plays work- sutton to 5/8, Walker back to centre and bring Te'o in at starting 13.. Otherwise, until everyone is finished being injured, we can expect more games like the last 2 weeks as a weekly feature...
Dirk Hartog
Guest
I never said that it did. Sam's attitude has been effected by the events of the last year. He was before the judiciary 4 times here and once at the World Cup. He was on report for squirrel grips and eye gouging and never out of the newspapers. There were compelling reports that he had a fallout with Inglis and the coach leading to the intervention of Phone Chucker. By then he'd had enough and began making inquiries about going to union. Now he is being targeted by opposing forward pacts. Even some of his teammates dislike him. The spoilt bully has had a gutful. His mind isn't in it anymore.
Graham Sanyo
Guest
The bunnies are gone for 2014. Time to clean out the deadwood; that's the 4 Burgess brothers and Noah to start with. With a complete rebuild they can but hope to be in the mix come September 2015.
Rod
Guest
I agree, but the dragons defence against the broncs was pretty ordinary. So it gives me some confidence we can get the job done. If we don't , could be a tough year for the bunnies.
Mac
Guest
I lol'd @ "Sydney’s self-confessed sexiest team in rugby league "
ScottWoodward.me
Roar Guru
Dirk We know that big pommies dont like the day heat and humidity, but that should not impact attitude.
BA Sports
Guest
If the plan to cure all your ails simply involved moving Sutton... you wouldn't really have any problems..
ctar
Guest
As a Raiders fan i can say that Luke has destroyed us around the ruck in previous games we have played souths. They really missed him on Sunday.
Jack Smith
Roar Guru
If they lose to the Dragons they are in trouble. Dragons are high on the ladder buy they haven't had top opposition. If Rabbits lose this I see dragons starting to flap their wings while the bunnies limp back to their burrow.
Rod
Guest
My 7 year old summed up the rabbits, they played the premiers in Rd 1, really got up for that game, turned up against Manly , believing they just needed turn and win, ditto against the tigers , given how easily we have beaten them last year and I reckon that was still not enough to convince them , that they still need to run hard , tackle hard and complete there sets. If they turn and just do that, we win this week. Maybe drop Lote as well
Dirk Hartog
Guest
The bully boys got beaten up by the Tigers and the fear factor from other teams has gone.