Souths have been consistent since 2018, making five straight preliminary finals. I’m sure many teams would like to have that kind of record.
But at the same time, they have only one grand final appearance and zero premierships to show for it.
With the Bunnies’ season being ended one game shy of the grand final again, it’s time to look forward to 2023.
This season they had the toughest schedule, facing the Panthers, Roosters, Storm and Eels twice. Despite making five prelims, the Rabbitohs have only had one year in which they won in Week 1 to get the week off – in 2021, after they beat Penrith and then ran through Manly to get the grand final.
That means Souths have taken the longer route through the finals series, which puts them at a disadvantage physically and mentally, especially if teams rest their players in the final week of the regular season and another top-four team gets the week off.
The 2023 season will be closer because the top teams in the competition like the Storm, Panthers and Eels are losing multiple experienced players, but the Rabbitohs are only losing prop Mark Nicholls, halfback Kodi Nikorima to the Dolphins and winger Jaxson Paulo to the Sydney Roosters.
Souths are also hoping to re-sign superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell, five-eighth Cody Walker and dummy-half Damien Cook.
Jason Demetriou and his coaching staff need to fix Souths’ ball-handling because statistically they were top-five in errors made. Their second and most important mission is to work on their defence, which ranked second-last in the teams that finished in the top eight.
The third mission is to work on field-goal kicking because they lost three games in 2022 by one point, which may not seem like a lot but you tally that up and they finish fourth.
They will be running out one of the best forward packs in 2023 though, with Junior Tatola, Keaon Koloamatangi, Jai Arrow, Cameron Murray, Tom Burgess and Siliva Havili all building Mitchell, Cook and Walker a platform.
They have a big off-season ahead of them but I do believe South Sydney can win the grand final and the club’s 22nd premiership in 2023.
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William W
Roar Rookie
It doesn't cost anything to dream!
William W
Roar Rookie
What are you talking about? The Rabbitohs have the best spine in the comp.
William W
Roar Rookie
That player’s name is Jye Gray signed on a DEV Contract 2023-2024, (2025 CO) he is a 5/8… Fullback from the Burleigh Bears.
William W
Roar Rookie
Further recent info since the post above. Shaq Mitchell has been added to the Rabbitohs' Top 30. Another young Forward who hasn't been mentioned is Ben Lovett, he is in the Top 30 for 2023. Tallis Duncan is another youngster who is on a DEV contract until 2025. Lachlan Gale an Australian schoolboy is in our system but has had shoulder problems these past 2 seasons. He is in our Reggies. A young prop named Hugo Patterson whom we stole from the Rorters is also in our Reggies and may be given an opportunity in the future.
William W
Roar Rookie
What happened 50 years ago bares no resemblance. The Panthers' 1991 and 2003 are nothing but a blurred memory. As is 1971. What happens in 2023 is what counts. If you dwell on the past, it affects the present. I am not one of these Souths fans that lives in 1971, the past even though I am old enough and I was at that GF. The Panthers, Roosters and the Storm have done well these past 10 seasons. That doesn't mean they will win it in 2023.
William W
Roar Rookie
Izaac Thompson will be that player in 2023.
William W
Roar Rookie
Yep, the window is shut... What a load of CRAP! The Rabbitohs had no difficulty with 11 men twice during the Semi disposing of your pretenders. Then the Sharks the following week. In 2023, the Rabbitohs will be in the GF and will win it.
William W
Roar Rookie
It did slow him down, Cam Graham also played with 2 broken ribs and both needed pain-killing injections. Kikau did get them both in the ribs early in the game, both were stunned by the hits and under performed on the day!
William W
Roar Rookie
In the 2021 GF 3 Panthers players made contact with Rabbitohs players' heads, yet no penalty! Why is that? Preferential treatment, no doubt about it.
William W
Roar Rookie
The reason why Davvy Moale didn't get more minutes this season, especially at the back end of the season is due to the fact the boys call him... Lazy Davvy! He didn't play in a single game after Round 22.
William W
Roar Rookie
Barry… To answer your question, there aren’t any decent Props coming through the lower grades at the moment. The Rabbitohs are 2 big Props short. This has been my concern for the last 3 seasons, the Props they do have are on the Small side. At the end of 2019, they lost Jason Clark At the end of 2020, the Rabbitohs lost Sam Burgess and George Burgess. 3 players are hard to replace now Mark Nicholls is gone, The Rabbitohs just haven’t replaced these 4 players sufficiently. Sele and Knight are injury-prone. Havili is on the small side. Fafita and Moale are still young and need time. In the last 2 seasons, they have carried 5 Halves, far too many. At least in 2023 that will come back to only 4 Halves. The Rabbitohs need to give Dean Hawkins a better shot as he is first-grade ready, he was the youngster who destroyed the Eels 26-nil in his one and only game in 2022. Rabbitohs Middles contracted for 2023… Middles: 9 Cameron Murray (2025) Mascot Jets Jai Arrow (2024) Burleigh Bears Tevita Tatola (2024) Holy Cross Rhinos Tom Burgess (2023) Dewsbury Moor Siliva Havili (2023) Manurewa Marlins Davvy Moale (2025) Coogee Wombats Hame Sele (2023) Kingsgrove Colts Liam Knight (2023) Entrance Tigers Daniel Suluka-Fifita (2025) Matraville Tigers George Burgess just may be back in 2023… This list shows that decisions just have to be made for 2024 as 4 players are off-contract. We need 2 more big Props! After all that the rabbitohs had still made 5 Prelims in a Row… A remarkable effort, really!
London Panther
Roar Rookie
South Sydney probably would have won without that hit..
southside
Guest
illias lacks pace and natural ball skills. he tackles well thats all. walker getting too slow , hardly made a break all year
What the !
Guest
Hey William… Here’s your reality check . In the last ‘50 years’. South Sydney have appeared in 2 Grand Finals. For 1 Grand Final Win! In the last ‘50 years’. Penrith have appeared in 6 Grand Finals . For 4 Grand Final Wins. So even Penrith are far superior to your Rabbits over the last half a century. Glory , Glory Rabbits. :laughing:
William W
Roar Rookie
I must admit, it really gets up my goat with all these media types and opposition fans having a go at the Rabbitohs for failing on other occasions to either make the GF or to go on and win it. We were only a conversion away from winning the whole dam thing last season. Haters, Knockers... ask yourself this? If your club was the Dogs, Tigers, Warriors, Titans, Dragons, Warriors, Knights, Sea Eagles, Broncos, Raiders, Cowboys, Sharks, Eels, Wouldn't you want a fine Record as the Rabbitohs do have? Since 2012... 1 Premiership, 1 Runners-up, 8 Preliminary Finals, 6 Top 4s and 3 Top 8s. Twice made the Preliminary Final from Outside of the top 4... I don't know, it looks like a damn good record to me over the past 11 seasons! Remember, we were kicked out for 2 seasons in 2000-01, and we came back from the dead, I think the Rabbitohs have done remarkably well. A bit premature as the GF is on Sunday, in 2 days time BUT... If the Panthers LOSE then the Rabbitohs' record will be better than theirs as in the past 11 years the Riff does have a GF win and a Runners up. BUT... they have since 2002... missed the Top 8 on 4 occasions with only 4 Prelims compared to Souths 8.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
To'o bowled a strike knocking down the #1, #6,#7,and #9 pins in one hit.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Remember we bought absolutely no one to replace Burton and Momarovski from last year. Tago and May were already in the squad. Not even in the team but first ones onto the ground after last year's GF. Yes, big losses with Kikau and Koroisau but repeat, we bought no new first graders to replace those lost, and here we are back playing for the championship.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
May as well update to NotGloryBound
Succhi
Roar Rookie
I think Souths will continue to be in the semis for the next couple of years. The threats I see are Cook and Walker getting slower, and Murray turning into a Josh Jackson-style player (never stops but body takes a battering). But I can’t see them having the speed or creativity to win the competition.
Crow
Roar Pro
Totally agree. A few years in reserves might help him develop but presently he is not up to the standard required