After a fairytale grand final and premiership last year that sent off Sam Burgess and Ben Teo in style, the Rabbitohs resemble but a shadow of their former selves in the run into September.
After a scintillating display in Townsville but a fortnight ago, they have been awful in their last two displays, looking flat, tired and disinterested at times. Conceeding 34.5 points on average over those last two weeks has shown that they lack what wins premierships – defence.
By the end of the round they could dip as low as seventh on the ladder. With one round to go, and looking long odds to beat the Roosters next Friday, they could finish the regular season as low as eighth if the Dragons win their last two matches.
In either case they will not get a second chance that comes with a top four berth. With this in mind I cannot see them progressing further than week one of the finals.
Starting so strong but so early in the season with a trip to the UK as well as the Nines after a gruelling 2014 campaign has caught up with the Rabbitohs. With Issac Luke likely to miss a fortnight, John Sutton’s season over and Greg Inglis hampered by his knee there are key players who are not going to be on deck or at 100 per cent at a time of the season when they need it most.
Of the sides likely to be in the eight at season’s end I cannot see the Rabbitohs beating many. They will not have a second chance and may be forced into a trip to Melboune if they are really unlucky.
If they are lucky they will be drawn with the Dragons who have looked lacklustre for most of the back-half of the season and that may get them a brief reprieve. But anybody else, even if Manly sneak in somehow, and they will crumble.
It has been a magnificent few seasons for the Rabbitohs. But they are demonstrating perfectly why it is so hard to win back-to-back premierships. It is a tough, physical and draining game that they play and you simply cannot be good all the time.
After preliminary finals or better the last three seasons it is the Rabbitohs’ turn to sit it out this year.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Its not only their players that have been lacklustre its their coach who only a few weeks ago was seen talking (on a bye round) in Newcastle to the Knights. That was a demoralising and a shock to all Rabbitohs fans. This must have been brewing with Michael Maguire for quite a while and his performance as a coach (especially at the latter part of the year) reflected that he didn't have all his heart in the job at the Rabbitohs. Its very sad to see (as a Rabbitohs supporter) my team crumble and completely becoming null and void at this time of the season, and even worst for all of us supporters is that 2016 does not look any better, very disappointing.
littleredrooster
Guest
You got that right brah...