First let me start off by recognising the impact that Michael Maguire has had on the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Since taking the head coaching role in 2012, he has played an integral part in restoring pride to Rabbits everywhere en route to the premiership win in 2014. Focusing on developing youth talent such as Dylan Walker, Adam Reynolds, Alex Johnston, and installing a strong training ethic and character values while being able to understand and embrace the exisiting culture, he has helped establish the club to be one of the powerhouses in the National Rugby League.
The past two years have seen the club’s standing fall with poor on-field performances backed up by off-field incidents, such as the Dylan Walker and Aaron Grey prescription drug scandal in 2015. In recent years, when analysing the Rabbitohs performances it has been the same comment, “They play like machines” and the regression of players such as Thomas Burgess and George Burgess has left many wondering if Madge still has the support of the players.
The retention and recruitment team at the Rabbitohs has been dreadful. The decision to let players like Chris McQueen, Dylan Walker, Api Koroisau, Cameron McInnes, Aaron Grey, Nathan Brown and Luke Keary all leave has damaged the club for years. The recruitment has been puzzling with the most notable players joining the club being Glenn Stewart and Robbie Farah both at the age of 30.
(Photo: AAP)
The structure of play has also been blasted for seeming more automaton. The regulation one out hit-ups and lack of ball movement has seen the attack stifle. The attack for the past two years has been poor with strike weapons such as Alex Johnston seeing little to no ball. The biggest drop has been in the defence, once one of the most impressive parts of Souths’ games has been reduced to tissue with teams regularly putting large scores past the Bunnies.
The last three weeks have shown the bizarre situation at Redfern. After coming off a 42-12 win over Penrith, the Rabbitohs had a match against the Roosters without their Origin stars. The performance of the team was frustrating, complete with fourth tackles penalties, errors in try-scoring scenarios and looking like a team with it’s tickets booked for Bali in September.
This has been followed by two performances against top-eight sides the Cowboys and Sharks which have presented more of the same.
The most baffling decision has been to start Robbie Farah in the nine jersey. While being a relatively cheap pick-up in the offseason, he has not played at a decent level all year.
Farah’s ball playing and tendency to ignore the desperate pleas of the halves for quick delivery has long been a sore point for many fans. The Wests Tigers and NSW Blues reached the same conclusion on Robbie in the past few years. He maintains a large defensive workload and can, on occasion, kick the ball, but he cannot be in the ball distribution role.
But everyone has already seen this. The fans watching him play all know, so why doesn’t Maguire? With Cook having to spend time between bench and reserve grade, it leaves many questions. It isn’t all down to Maguire but the coach has a large input in everything mentioned above and the results now are showing a side that looks more like the hey days of the early 2000s.
Hugh Grant
Guest
too many reggies players due to the huge wage bills paid to the Burgess trio and Inglis etc - get rid of 2 of the Burgesses and Inglis and build a new team the best option. Their best player Keary is going gangbusters at the Roosters all because Crowe thinks he know's best- Get rid of Crowe too has too much say in how everything is run and who stays and goes etc
Hugh Grant
Guest
Time for South's to merge or better still relocate I suggest as Crowe would have had enough of propping them up one would think and without his backing they would be in administration- WA or Cairns Rabbitohs best option one feels -
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
3 Hats has blocked me on Facebook, apparently I'm a undercover journo from the DT trying to get the inside scope on South Sydney. Don't tell anyone.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
Yeah I noticed that too. Farah causes these issues with his halves at all levels he played at. Tigers dropped him for most of last year and they nearly finished in the top 8. Jason Taylor was 100% correct when kicking Farah out.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
Good point, after six years of Maguire maybe it's a natural step for a new coach to come in and reinvent the side.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
Agreed. Johnston deserved more of a chance at fullback but our structure of attack requires a passing fullback rather than a runner.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
I actually think A Reynolds has been better this year than last year. Forward pack has consistently been outmuscled this year and has had its toll on his form. The past two months have been much better.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
Honestly I can't justify resigning Sutton at all. With Fuimaono and Crichton establishing themselves and with Inglis returning there just isn't any room.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
The Burgess twins could do with changing clubs, fresh start for them could rejuvenate their careers.
Ben Nicholls
Roar Rookie
Round 1 really set the tone for our season.
Sharks fan
Guest
Great point Jeff - also Mick Ennis and Micheal Gordon weren't young and they played great footy at the sharks. And I'm sure any team would take Billy Slater as their FB atm despite his age. Age isn't necessarily a barrier but it can be - as with Farah
Big Daddy
Guest
Attention 3 hats. Race 6 wyong tomorrow.
Nat
Roar Guru
I would put 70% of the issues on Farrah and his inability to distribute fast and clean ball. His constant first step takes time away from the forwards so not only do they slow up waiting for the ball, the defence gains an extra meter or two. This has a direct affect on Reynolds and his time as well. I've seen more than once Farrah and Sutton exchange non-pleasantries on the field. Not that Sutton has done anything of note this year. Not strong enough to be a forward, not fast enough to be a back and lazy in defence. Without Inglis around, don't be surprised if Farrah has started his own leadership clique at Souths causing issues.
AJ Moore
Roar Rookie
At the end of last year the Bunnies looked to be on the way up when they beat the Bulldogs convincingly, but I reckon Inglis' knee injury really rattled their form, as well as being compounded by the team's offensive strategy. However, sometimes changing the coach isn't the right way to go. Just look at the Warriors, who swap their coaches more often than they wash their jerseys. That said, other times it's a breath of fresh air, like the emergence of Paul Green at the Cowboys. In any case, South Sydney does have to make some changes during the pre-season if they want their performances to pick up.
Big Daddy
Guest
Now everyone knows why the wests tigers wanted to get rid of Farah. He is a cancer and drags everyone down with him.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Spot on Jon, Walker has to be moved back at 5/8, Cook at 9 and at startup, Sutton, back to 11 and in the forwards, hes big enough and runs hard enough to do some damage. There is nothing happening in the 3/4 for Souths since Walker has gone to fullback as Reynolds has been very poor and Sutton is too slow. Gray has to be put into the centres (for the rest of the season) and Goodwin at fullback. This a compromise for this year that Madge has to pick and adopt. GI and Gagai will bring some good options next year and Souths will be better for them.
souvalis
Guest
There are other coaches in the queue whose positions should be questioned due to underachievement and non development of players...Dessie,another wasted season and player regression...Kearney,spine to die for...Hook,every week same dross...N.Brown can you just stop running last,15th would be something...and your Madge whose roster other than Sam and Angus,isn't that much better than Newcastles in its current evolvement..but those dummy half gift tries of late...awful..
Jon
Guest
For the roster the bunnies have their form has been abysmal. I think the problem is the positions the players are playing. Johnston has grown up as a fullback all his life and was just starting to look comfortable there at this level when he was moved back to the wing. Cody Walker was leading the comp for try assists when he was moved from pivot to fullback. The last four games of last year Aaron Gray was killing it in the centres and Cook was starting. We won those four games easily. It is no good to bring Cook on when the game is gone. Cook must start and maybe Farah brought on as a closer. Still believe Suttton has something to offer in the back row. Thoughts?
steveng
Roar Rookie
Spot on Steve, the players that they have let go, doesn't make sense. A. Reynolds has been woeful this year and is as much of a cork in the bottle as are the twins, he either shapes up or should be shipped out (which btw, won't happen) with him or the twins. Souths don't have a good 3/4 and their backline is just none existent. Madge is trying but his style and the boys that he's got are not keeping up with the rest of the comp and especially the top teams. Their best performance was against the Panthers (which must have been a fluke) as the Panthers played very poorly. Don't know where the Rabbits are going, maybe next year with GI and Gagai there will be some sort of an improvement but I cant see them as a top team and in the 4. Hope I'm wrong but allot of things have to change at Souths for that to happen.
Chui
Guest
I think the Burgi are all too interested in magazine articles and the social set to be nearly as effective as they once were.