The jury is still out on the South Sydney Rabbitohs after a tense two-point victory over the Wests Tigers on Thursday evening.
When Wayne Bennett’s side are at their best, they are an exciting team to watch. Their recent form has been strong as they find good touch at the right end of the season, but it’s their deadly on-field combinations which are causing headaches left, right and centre.
The problem for the Rabbitohs, as it has been for much of the season, is that their best is a long, long way from their worst, and that was again evident against the Tigers as the long-term ninth-placed side made a staggering comeback to almost snatch the game at the death.
Alas, they didn’t and any chance of playing finals has gone with it, while the Rabbitohs have locked their spot up in the eight beyond even mathematical doubt, but there is plenty left for the Rabbitohs to work on.
This is not to talk about their premiership chances, as the way they are playing virtually means it comes down to whether they can put four consistent performance together when it counts, but to simply analyse the way they have been playing. It’s almost odd that a Wayne Bennett-coached team is struggling for concentration, consistency, defence and attention to detail, but that is the exact spot the Rabbitohs find themselves in.
After spending much of the season not beating any top eight sides, they threw that monkey off their back with a crunching win over the Eels a fortnight ago. That followed the big victory over injury-ravaged Manly the week before, and suddenly pundits were sitting up and taking notice.
It wasn’t until they got the better of the Storm for 40 minutes, though, that they could really be taken seriously.
Unfortunately, the problems that led to them eventually losing last weekend re-emerged last night against the Tigers, almost costing them the two competition points.
The way South Sydney played in the first 25 minutes, compared to the next 55, was eerily reminiscent of their killer start and following drop off last week, and it’s a trend they must buck if they want to go anywhere in the finals.
You see, when they are at their best, with a rolling forward pack who hit the stomach, get up for quick play the balls and pave the way for Adam Reynolds, Damien Cook and the in-form Cody Walker to go to work, they are pretty to watch.
As yet, the absence of Latrell Mitchell has barely been felt, with Alex Johnston slotting straight into an attacking structure which is resulting in plenty of long-range, free-flowing tries and that will give them a point of difference when knockout footy hits.
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
But it’s not something you can maintain for 80 minutes, especially under the current version of NRL rules which have proven to aid a team with momentum for a length of time, before that flips and the going suddenly becomes very uphill. That means defence wins premierships, although that is hardly new information.
The Roosters of the last two years, the Storm of 2017, the Sharks of 2016 and going back further, virtually every premiership team of the last decade has built their run on defence, with the attack running off the back of that.
The top teams this year – Penrith, Melbourne and the Roosters – are all doing that again. South Sydney seem to be trying to take the opposite approach, and it leads to lazy shortcut taking at times, which is costing them dearly in the back-end of games.
Unfortunately for the Rabbitohs and Wayne Bennett, it’s not just one problem you can put your finger on either, with the team seeming to attack in droves as a unit, but then fall asleep in terms of defence and ball control as a unit.
Risky attacking footy is always going to lead to more errors, and while the Rabbitohs do need to play that style if they are going to get the most out of their two dynamic weapons in Cook and Walker, they do need to realise that when the going gets tough, throwing the footy around like the Harlem Globetrotters won’t win them games.
So funnily enough, in this instance, Step 1 of fixing their defence is actually their attack, and just gradually controlling things. Letting in 24 points when possession was virtually even and the opposition only complete at 72 per cent simply isn’t good enough.
It’s all about not taking the shortcuts which led to some soft tries for the Tigers last night, and indeed the Storm a week ago. The try in particular for Luke Garner last night might as well have been defended by a wet piece of paper. He went through almost untouched, and that simply isn’t good enough.
(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)
Their edge defence was also extremely questionable, and at this point of the season, fixing it is easier said than done.
Once momentum swung, they seemed like they didn’t have the patience or consistency to get it back, which we have seen those aforementioned top contenders do time and time again this season. When the going gets tough, they roll up the sleeves and do the hard yards.
Souths, on the other hand, seem to just try and find the easiest way out of it possible.
It’s very similar to the way Cronulla have played this season. It’s an attitude which seems to suggest scoring more points than the opposition is the key to victory.
The ladder indicates the opposite, and if the Rabbitohs with their litany of stars are to do anything in the knockout stage of the season, they need to be strong at both ends of the park.
This is a side who have the cattle, the experience and the coach, but at the moment, lack the mental toughness.
They are fast running out of time to change it.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
"It’s almost odd that a Wayne Bennett-coached team is struggling for concentration, consistency, defence and attention to detail, but that is the exact spot the Rabbitohs find themselves in." They've won 6 out 0f their last 7 games, that's pretty consistent, and by round 19 will be 7 out of 8. The only loss was to a strong Storm, where the Rabbitohs lead most of the game and the only difference being a Storm "try" by Smith's forward pass. Against the Tigers, it was game over in the first 20 minutes (20-0), after that the Rabbitohs went into cruise control. Dont think this needs to be over analysed too much. Barring any further injuries the Rabbitohs will be in the last 4 come finals time.
Bill
Guest
Everyone, I just want to say how refreshing it is to read differing opinions in a forum where no one bags each other if they don’t agree...well done to all..oh , and go the bunnies
R N
Roar Rookie
Good to see Edwards off season hand transplant took...
Nathan Absalom
Roar Guru
Kinda think this is all about the symptoms, not the cause. Bennett has really improved the one on one tackling from Souths, but compared to other teams they are making more one on one tackles and almost always end up with slower average play the ball stats. That's not because they're pedestrian in attack, but because they allow a lot of quick play the balls. Now, I think they're playing the game they way it should be played (unlike the wrestle of the Maguire era), but who wins the comp doing that?
Succhi
Roar Rookie
Looks like to me in recent weeks Souths seem to lose the plot when they use their bench, and they have a relatively small pack and tall skinny outside backs who struggle to get out of their own 20m and lack speed. Souths have had a better year than I expected, but are a few steps down from the Panthers, Roosters and Storm.
Simon SS
Roar Rookie
The term desire gets used. What is the difference in desire between the players you listed? Quite a bit I'd say. Poor hunts brain has settled in nihilism to survive. Walkers brain has settled in something to prove mindset in order to survive. Very different
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I agree , the best halves have much more intent when they hit the gap , they are flat out. Anything less means you're not one of the top halves. Cleary hit the weights I believe and runs the ball like Keary these days. The best example of a player this season who was miles off having the proper intent is Marsters up at the Cows. He only ever had one speed , pedestrian.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
It was 32 -26 I believe. Manly didn't have Turbo and it wasn't at Brookie.
Albo
Roar Rookie
I would like to see that too. The trouble is he does so much work in both attack & defence and he is not a big man, that he can struggle to be as effective over 80 minutes.
Sideline Commentator
Roar Guru
I'm a big fan of Murray, but I think a lock like him should be on the park for 80 every week, like Rob said. Considering his importance to the team, he needs to follow the likes of Jake Trbojevic and play whole games.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Last year the Bunnies beat Manly in the QF’s by 16 to 10, Manly's biggest loss in 2019 was against the Storm in round 24, Storm 36 Manly 6. We lost in the SF to the Roosters 30 to 6, not like in 2018 when Bennett’s Broncos were smashed by the Dragons 48 to 18 in the EF2’s. Hope it doesn’t turn out that way this year lol
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Good article Scott, the Rabbitohs raced to a 20-0 lead effortlessly last night and they had expected to cruise thereafter (Manly had made that costly error last week and paid the price), a few easy tries later and it was game on. Well done to the Tigers for not giving up (if they were the Broncos they would have given up by that stage). Having said that I don’t think the Bunnies were ever going to lose that game, there’s maturity with players like Reynolds, Walker, Cook, Murray, Burgess. Gagai. It will be this core that gets them deep into finals territory. I have no doubt that if Latrell Mitchell was playing, the end result would have been vastly different. For starters, he would have staved the Brooks try (Cory Allan too slow to react). I think on a good day the Bunnies could well beat all the top 4 teams, when their stars all line up as they have shown they can in the last month against Parra and Manly and 1H Storm they are a hard team to beat.
steveng
Roar Rookie
Firstly, these games between the Bunnies and the Tigers have been like this for over 6 years and that is even when GI, SamB Sutton etc were playing, we don’t have a great record against the Tigers full stop. The worrying thing is that the Bunnies are getting worse as last week it was in the second half and last night it was from the 30th min mark onwards where they just completely turned off like a switch. This is very worrying and not looking good when QF’s are coming up. Unfortunately in their current form, injuries and a lack of forwards and their topsy turvy right side defence, I can’t see the Bunnies progressing past the first game of the QF’s as they are just making up the numbers. Maybe with Jay Arrow next year we will have something extra? Because as it is it’s just a momentary thing with the forwards as they turn off like a switch and the Bunnies collapse.
Rob
Guest
Yeah, Murray is definitely a bloke Souths need on the park for 80min. With out him they look a bottom 8 team.
Rob
Guest
I don’t know that the Tigers in catch up mode are easy to defend. I rate Benji the top attacking player of his generation. If he gets enough quality ball ie service he can create something from nothing. The Rabbits probably dropped the effort and the Tigers stopped making errors which turned the game. Rabbits need Lowe back IMO. Actually my Cowboys needed Lowe back the last couple of years.
Nat
Roar Rookie
Agree, I wrote them off with the loss of Latrell but how Walker has filled that attacking gap is phenominal. How many other #6 can play as many roles in one game as him? He and Reynolds play off each other, he pushes off Cook and last night playing 3rd receiver. Whether thats coaching or instinct I don't know but it's impressive.
Albo
Roar Rookie
As usual, Cam Murray comes off for a well deserved break after 30 minutes at 20-0 Souths. Tigers score in the 32nd & 35th minute and its 20-12 at halftime ! It happens like this with most Souths matches, where defence is seriously depleted without Murray on the park.
Rob
Guest
I think the difference with a half playing well is effort. There are a few halves that actually play at half pace most of the time. Hunt, barely gets out of second gear 80% of the time? I’m not sure if it’s because they are pacing themselves but the blokes that want to run with purpose are the ones that go much better. They have to be busy IMO. It’s not about taking the line on as much as it’s about upping the intent to do something. Going through the motions is what Hunt and Milford did in the last 15 of the 2015 GF and they haven’t really changed that mentality. It’s probably the biggest knock on Taylor, Clifford and even Pearce at times. Cleary has definitely up his intent to run harder a lot more this year.
jimmmy
Roar Rookie
I think Souths have a good team and an excellent coach. Just not enough strike for My liking especially without Mitchell. Now I haven't seen a better pass from a half to a winger than the one for that Tigers try. It forced the winger to pick up speed and guided him to the line. There have been better players than Benji in the last 20 years but apart from Matty Bowen ( personal bias declared) I don't think I have enjoyed watching anyone more than Benji. I once drove from Coffs to Sydney and back to watch Parra v Tigers just to see Benji play. It was worth it.
jamesb
Roar Guru
Apart from the first 20 minutes, Souths did look pretty flat. Maybe the game against the Storm took alot out of them. Plus with Tatola out, it meant that Knight was starting. It effectively equated to a weakened bench for Souths. Koloamatangi was still solid, but he was recovering from HIA last week. I didn't think Souths would play finals following the departures of Sutton, Sam and George Burgess. But they will eventually finish in the bottom half of the eight. Souths are missing Latrell and are probably a couple of forwards short of really challenging for the comp. They might survive week 1, but can't see them getting past week 2. As for the Tigers, Grant and Benji will not be there next year. So who is going to create for the Tigers? They could potentially struggle to score points in 2021. Not sure if Liddle is the answer at hooker.