South Sydney make the most errors of any team in the NRL preliminary finals but the mistakes come as a trade-off to their point-scoring prowess.
Their attack has ignited with 144 points over the past three weeks but that scoring surge has coincided with a whopping 39 errors, including a season-high 18 in last week’s 38-24 win over Parramatta.
On average, the Rabbitohs are making two more errors per game than last year, but scoring at least six more points.
Across the last three weeks they have been down at various stages in every match but have fought back by throwing the ball around more – an option likely to prove risky against clinical Penrith.
“It’s not ideal that we’re making 18 errors but maybe through that part of the game (against the Eels) we were behind so we were chasing points,” said star five-eighth Cody Walker ahead of Saturday’s preliminary final.
“We understand that we can’t be making that many errors against Penrith, they’ll hurt us, they’ll put us to the sword and they’ve got strike all over the park.”
Walker’s words are especially true considering the Panthers are at the other end of the spectrum, with the fewest errors-per-game in the competition and the highest completion rate.
Powerful sets capped off by a pressure kick from halfback Nathan Cleary keep the Panthers in control as they frustrate opponents into errors.
It is a tactic they have employed all season leading to 16-straight wins heading into Saturday’s match at ANZ Stadium.
And while Souths have been encouraged to take their opportunities, playing catch-up football against a side as lethal as the Panthers will come at a risk.
Keeping ball in hand, halfback Adam Reynolds will be key to turning the screw with last-tackle options.
“It’s where you want to finish your sets … you want to be putting it deep inside their half,” Walker said.
“They have a fantastic kicker in Cleary, who has a great long kick, so you want to be putting them deep inside their half, putting the pressure on them and putting fatigue into the opposition.
“That’s what we’ve relied on doing this year.”
Bingo
Roar Rookie
I missed their win over the Raiders.
William W
Roar Rookie
Nice comment Bingo.
Bingo
Roar Rookie
Penrith has played Souths at ANZ 8 times for one win! So Rabbitohs should be confident playing at home. And is the Penrith form as good as everyone thinks? They only beat the wounded Roosters in the first final by a point...at home! And since their round 7 win over the bunnies, the 'red hot' Panthers have only played top 8 teams three times (2 wins against the 8th placed Sharks and a 20-2 win over Parra). So whilst their consecutive wins are meritorious, they haven't played and beaten many of the top teams in the last 13-14 weeks. A preliminary final is a different beast to beating the Bulldogs, the Titans, West Tigers (twice), Cowboys (twice) or the Warriors in a club round. Yes, they will be fresh and will try to blast Souths away, but if Souths can hang in the fight and be close at half-time, I would think they will have too much scoring and finals experience to beat them. Go the Rabbitohs!!
Rellum
Roar Guru
Nice click bait headline
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Cant see too many 'errors' from the Rabbitohs of late; 60 points v Chooks, 46 points v Knights, 38 points v Parra,
Nat
Roar Rookie
No need to change. Souths aren't the team that are winning the grinding, defensive affairs, they will simply out score the opposition. They've had 20pts put on them 5 of the last 6 games (inc Dogs and WT) but they ran them down. The Panthers are a different story. They can put on as many points but they've saved 120-ish more pts this year than Souths.
Big Mig
Roar Rookie
Few of those Rabbitohs errors have been at crucial times in the game or eventuated in a loss or try to the opposition. I expect that in this game the crucial errors will come from Penrith as ALL the pressure is on the Panthers. 16 consecutive wins in a row and if they lose this one, it will be over. This thought probably didn’t affect them in the 1st week of the finals as there was the safety net of another chance should they lose, this time, will be the first time that they will be confronted with the prospect of an elimination. Rabbitohs have been in this mindset for the last month. No pressure on the Rabbitohs. As with Prelim Finals Experience (this is the Rabbitohs 3rd consecutive year in the Prelims) and the Rabbitohs have the maturity, momentum and experience to win it this time. Cook, Reynolds, Walker, T. Burgess, Tatola, Gagai, Alex Johnson, Murray, Cory Allan, C. Graham, have all been there before. they are finals hardened. They will know how to get the result over a potentially nervous Panthers.
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
I can't find the bit where they said they ''vow not to change''. That was Sam Burgess a little while back when he was hitting opponents high and pulling hair.