Joey has had too many Pingas!!!Good stuff Joey tipping Manly, that means we win this one
That analysis you provide is a tad dated. Provided we sink Manly - and I believe we will - whomever the squad confronts in the GF it will be unlike any other contest. Take a direct line through Go Riff and the Cleary gang. A razor blade outfit they thumped us 56-12 in late May then again 25-12 albeit in dubious circumstances. Yet on 11 September the squad kept the same team to one score and sunk them. In 4 months there was in effect a 50 point turn around. That is an enormous rate of improvement! In Game 1 we had Melboune on the rack in the second half down in Voodoo Villa, could easily have sunk them too. When we lost 0-50 the squad was total Chop Suey like Marshall Malaka's cerveaux. Cody at the back, Dean Hawkins against Munster & Co, over half the squad out and Burns and Marsters who had not really played for about one year. asked to confront Add-Carr Hynes & Co. A complerte mismatch. However, the gap has closed there considerably, like with "Go Riff. If the squad qualify for the GF they will give any opponent a torrid contest, as we have done throughout our history. I have always said making the damn GF is our main problem: performing in it is not our problem. The history and wins prove that.I hope your ALMOST right
I think Melbourne will do a big number on Penrith.
I'll be massively disappointed if we don't beat Manly.
I've been saying all year Melbourne is the team to beat, and unfortunately I don't see them getting beat.
I hope so brother!That analysis you provide is a tad dated. Provided we sink Manly - and I believe we will - whomever the squad confronts in the GF it will be unlike any other contest. Take a direct line through Go Riff and the Cleary gang. A razor blade outfit they thumped us 56-12 in late May then again 25-12 albeit in dubious circumstances. Yet on 11 September the squad kept the same team to one score and sunk them. In 4 months there was in effect a 50 point turn around. That is an enormous rate of improvement! In Game 1 we had Melboune on the rack in the second half down in Voodoo Villa, could easily have sunk them too. When we lost 0-50 the squad was total Chop Suey like Marshall Malaka's cerveaux. Cody at the back, Dean Hawkins against Munster & Co, over half the squad out and Burns and Marsters who had not really played for about one year. asked to confront Add-Carr Hynes & Co. A complerte mismatch. However, the gap has closed there considerably, like with "Go Riff. If the squad qualify for the GF they will give any opponent a torrid contest, as we have done throughout our history. I have always said making the damn GF is our main problem: performing in it is not our problem. The history and wins prove that.
What an absolute legend,this piece brought tears to my eyes,im going to wear a black armband while i watch this game, this is what souths is about.From the Daily Telegraph, a beautiful story,
Why Rabbitohs will pay tribute to Lionel Potter when they face Manly in Preliminary Final
When Souths came up with a ploy to start all-in brawls in the 1980s, they honoured Lionel Potter with the call sign. He just had that kind of impact on the club, remembers Paul Kent.
When South Sydney run out wearing black armbands on Friday night, for the memory of Lionel Potter, the soul of the club will be on their arms.
Lionel passed away on Saturday. He would have turned 85 on Tuesday.
“His contribution,” said Craig Coleman, “was as good as any player that has been here. I’m just so proud Souths are honouring him.”
Former Souths star David Boyle with Lionel Potter.
Lionel arrived at South Sydney with Jack Gibson in 1978.
They met some years earlier when Gibson would take players into the prisons to play footy and Lionel was at Parramatta Jail as a guest of Her Majesty, being formerly employed with Darcy Dugan’s Lavender Hill Mob.
“How long you got to go?” Jack asked one day.
He still had some years left on his run but Jack stayed in touch and Lionel, a constant letter writer, would write to Jack at Easts with various tips on conditioning and play and that sort of thing, and all enough to impress the coach.
Gibson told him that once he was released he would have a job for him and, when his parole came up, Jack helped out with a quiet word and Lionel was released and had a job as a conditioner at Souths.
Lionel Potter will be missed by the Rabbitohs.
One of his first jobs was to get Charlie Frith fit.
Charlie could hit like few ever could but that was no good to Jack if he wasn’t fit enough to last the game, so he turned him over to Lionel.
All these years later Charlie, now living in Roma, can still remember Lionel with him at Centennial Park one morning before work.
“I just have this memory of me vomiting and Lionel standing there, jogging on the spot, and then when I’d finished we’d go on,” he said.
“And then five the next morning he’d come and knock on your door and get you up to go running again.
Lionel Potter knocked Charlie Frith into shape.
“Everyone appreciated Lionel.”
While Jack moved on, Lionel, whose nickname was Henry, had Souths in his blood.
Some years later a young kid called Les Davidson rolled into training riding a red and green pushbike with his jeans rolled up to his knees to stop the chain grease staining them and thongs protecting his feet.
Lionel took one look at this sight and worried immediately, afraid that if Davidson was going to continue dressing like that he would get picked on.
He rang Des Lewis, who used to stop all the trouble from happening at the old card games up at Kings Cross, and told him he had a kid who needed to learn how to handle himself.
“Tell him I’ll meet him at Giles Gym tomorrow,” Des said.
The next day Lionel answered the phone and it was Des.
“He’s a snag,” Des said, which meant something completely different back then to what it means now. It meant a trap.
“Nobody will beat him in the ARL,” Des said, “he carries dynamite in both hands.”
Souths quickly found out Les Davidson knew how to handle himself.
After that Lionel knew Davidson would be all right, which was fortunate because he arrived when Ron Willey was Rabbitohs coach and had inherited a pack high on toughness but light on subtlety, so he knew he needed to find more blunt ways to win.
The Rabbitohs came up with the ploy to start all-in brawls to upset the opposition’s rhythm and Dean Rampling was put in charge of calling it in a pack that boasted not only Rampling and Davidson but Rampling’s brother Tony, David Boyle, Mario Fenech and assorted others.
The call sign was Henry, named after Lionel. Rampling usually saved it for scrums but once Henry was called, and it was called often, the Rabbitohs would turn momentum their way.
Sometime around then the Rabbitohs went on their end of season trip to America and, when they landed in San Francisco, Lionel took them to watch the 49ers train.
Not long after arriving, former 49ers end RC “Alley Oop” Owens, a specialist coach, came down the tunnel, asking, “Where’s Coach? Where’s Coach?”
One of the Rabbitohs pointed towards a 49ers coach nearby.
“No, no, I’m looking for Coach Potter,” Owens said.
It turned out Lionel had been writing to 49ers head coach Bill Walsh for years and was well-known inside the 49ers organisation.
“Joe needs to see you,” Owens said to Lionel. Joe Montana had tennis elbow and wasn’t training that day but wanted Lionel to go in and take a look at him.
Lionel wrote letters regularly to Walsh and another former NFL coach, Chuck Nolan, whom he met through Jack.
In his time at Souths, Lionel had an influence on them all, but was particularly drawn to the forwards. He admired silent toughness.
Before games Tugger Coleman would always look across at Boyle whenever Lionel was nearby.
“Are you going to have a go today. Boyley?”
Lionel would look at Tugger and give a smirk.
And after every game when Boyle would collapse, wrecked with effort, Coleman would find Lionel and ask, “Did Boyley have a go today?”
Lionel always gave a smile and a wink.
As Lionel got older and his time at Souths ended after the 1999 season, he still followed the Rabbitohs, by now forever in his blood, and the players became his family.
Johnny Lewis, the fight trainer, was at the footy with Russell Cox in early 2005 when Cox looked over the heads in the crowd.
Craig Coleman entertains Lionel Potter at one of his Christmas luncheons.
“There’s Lionel Potter!” he said. “I’ve got to talk to Lionel.”
They met at Parramatta in the 1970s but had fallen out of contact for many years, and for many good reasons, but that afternoon their friendship resumed.
“I’ve never heard anyone say anything bad about Lionel and my view is, if they did, they didn’t know him,” Cox said.
“He was a great bloke. He was exactly the same in the nick. Everyone admired Lionel.”
Cox shared time with Lionel at Parramatta Jail where Lionel got the boxing program introduced.
Earlier this year before Covid, they caught up again when Cox visited Sydney. They spoke for the last time just a few weeks back.
For 25 years Coleman would put a Christmas present for Lionel under his tree, which he gave him at Christmas lunch.
Before lunch was over, Coleman’s wife, Debbie, would load him with weeks worth of food to take home.
As he grew older, Ricky Montgomery, another former Souths player, would pick him up and take him to his doctor appointments or for whatever else Lionel needed.
Having given for so long, shared so much, the old Souths boys were looking after each other.
Just a few weeks back Frith called Lionel to tell him a mate of theirs was sick.
“Straight away he was up at the hospital,” Frith says. “Took him a paper. After that he took one up every day, even though he was too sick to read it.”
Then Lionel got sick with a series of small strokes.
Montgomery called him over the weekend and got no answer so went around to check he was okay.
This is the fate of old men.
Montgomery peeked through a window and saw the bed was not slept in and immediately got worried Lionel was down somewhere in his flat.
As he looked through windows, a neighbour told him an ambulance had taken him away on Saturday.
Lionel died later that day, the old Rabbitohs carrying a heavy heart all weekend.
“All he ever done was give, give, give,” Coleman said.
“And he wanted nothing in return.”
And so on Friday night the new Rabbitohs will give a small piece of them back to him, carrying him on their sleeve, a black arm band, as they strive to qualify for the grand final.
All they will need to do is what Lionel always did, which was give.
Cannot agree. We have the superior squad and I see guys like Cook and Gagai and Walker - sick and tired of losing these damn contests - motivated to the core to get it done. These guys are all match winners in themselves and it is foolish to keep talking about how Leather Jacket #1 will do this and do that. He was not very good against Penrith when they played in May, he was not very good against Newcatsle when they lost and he was poor against Melbourne. Graham Gagai Reynolds Murray Cook and Walker are all game changers, highly experienced and match winners they must be sitting back and saying "just watch this" because combined with our rising pack, I beleive we win this running away. Fresh, hungry and disrespected.Both of the following articles are from the Sydney Morning Herald,
BATTERING CAM
South Sydney’s tireless lock has emerged as the ideal middle forward for the modern game, writes Phil Lutton.
When Cameron Murray first emerged in the top grade at South Sydney, there was a suggestion he may be too small to campaign in the middle of an NRL field , a region routinely patrolled by the giants of the game.
At 184cm and 90kg, Murray gives away 15kg-plus to some of his heftier rivals, whom he is tasked with stopping time and again as he bounces around in a violent pinball machine that can take a physical toll on even the most durable of athletes.
From the start, Murray not only held his own, he blossomed. Now the game has evolved to make his perceived weaknesses into a series of enviable strengths and a vital part of a Rabbitohs outfit one game away from a grand final .
The 23-year-old is also a leading candidate to take over the captaincy when Adam Reynolds leaves for Brisbane next season. It would be a dream promotion for a Mascot Jets junior who has never wanted to do anything else but pull on the colours of his family club. Murray is always in motion on the field . In attack, he’s taking hard carries with his fast leg drive, often earning a quick play-the-ball in the process, or looming in support in the tradition of the great lock forwards.
He’s also one of the most accurate defenders in the NRL, with a tackle efficiency of 96.4 per cent, and his agility and ability to reset for repeat efforts make him a perfect fit for a game that has been supercharged under new rules aimed at keeping the ball in play for longer.
‘‘ When I first came into first grade, I had a little bit of noise about not being big enough. Traditionally, that number 13 role was played as a third front rower,’’ Murray said. ‘‘ I found my feet pretty quickly and realised to play my best footy, I need to play to my strengths and not try to fill another role I wasn’t going to be good at.
‘‘ That meant playing the way I play now. Whether that has coincided with the new rules and the way the game has started to head since my debut, that might be a coincidence, it might just be luck. But if you analyse it, it probably does turn to my favour with the way the new rules have been going.’’
Murray’s football does most of the talking but he speaks thoughtfully about the game and is already one of the most-respected figures inside the Rabbitohs dressing room. With the captaincy up for grabs, Murray looms as an obvious candidate given his age and potential to be a long-term leader at Redfern.
‘‘ It would be special. I grew up in the area, I grew up supporting them, my dad played for the club. It’s all I ever wanted to do is play for South Sydney. To be the captain of a team you always supported would be really nice,’’ Murray said.
‘‘ In saying that, I wouldn’t say it’s a goal of mine or anything. I trust the coaching staff to pick the best leader and there are three or four candidates I’d be happy to stand behind. At the forefront of my mind is just to be successful and win games.
‘‘ I’ve been lucky to learn from some great leaders. If that opportunity does come up, I have a lot of people I can fall back on and rely on for advice.’’
One of those would be his football hero Sam Burgess, who wore the No.13 jumper when Souths won the grand final in 2014. Murray said he pinches himself every week, let alone should he stride out in an NRL decider.
‘‘ It’s pretty special. I pinch myself being able to look back on playing with him, I sat next to him in the locker room since my debut. It was a crucial couple of years for me in terms of learning off one of the best that’s ever done it, my childhood hero,’’ Murray said.
‘‘ I learned so much about his mentality and the way he approaches footy. That’s a massive part of the way I prepare and play. Only a couple of years ago he was wearing that 13 jersey.
‘‘ That’s something I love about playing for this club, being able to wear a jersey so many legends have worn, to represent them and such a historic club. There’s a responsibility every time you run out there to do the jersey proud. It’s something I think about quite a lot. It’s an honour.’’
MANLY CAN REACH THE GRAND FINAL -PENRITH CAN'T
Immortal Kombat
Andrew Johns
I always found this weekend more nerve-racking than playing the grand final . It’s not like the grand final is easier to play. I just had the attitude that if we could get past the preliminary final , we’d win. As it turned out at Newcastle, we did – twice.
We have two cracking grand final qualifiers at Suncorp Stadium this weekend. Let’s break them down.
SOUTHS v MANLY
Manly’s edge defence last weekend against the Roosters was really poor, particularly on the right when Haumole Olakau’atu , Daly Cherry-Evans and Morgan Harper were defending together.
Their movements and decision-making were inconsistent: one would be going in, another would be going out; Cherry-Evans ’ spacing with Olakau’atu was too tight, which then put pressure on Harper.
That’s the side Souths like to attack with Cody Walker and his gang. They’ll be coming for the Sea Eagles all night.
Souths’ forwards won them the game against Penrith in week one with fast-moving and aggressive defence. It was led by the back row of Keaon Koloamatangi, Jaydn Su’A , Cameron Murray and then Jai Arrow when he came on the field , and it will again be critical against a Manly side that likes to use the ball.
The advantage for Souths is Adam Reynolds’ kicking game. In big matches, that is so important, although he offers more than that.
He’s at the top of his game at the moment. Is sending him off with a premiership before he finishes his career with the Broncos added motivation for the Bunnies?
In terms of a winner, it’s very hard to split them. There will be a point or two in it and it will come down to a piece of individual brilliance from someone.
The two players I’m looking at are Walker and, of course, Manly fullback Tom Trbojevic, a special for the Dally M on Monday night.
The most important match-up for me is Turbo versus Murray in the middle. Even though Trbojevic is a fullback, he is most dangerous around the ruck, waiting for the slightest crack in the defence so he can take off.
Without doubt, Wayne Bennett will be saying to Murray, ‘‘ This is your tackle’’ . As it always is. Murray does all that work around the ruck, cleaning up any missed tackles or half opportunities.
JOEY’S TIP: Having the week off is a huge advantage for the Rabbitohs, but I have the Sea Eagles winning by one.
Man be confident. We are 21-4 overall and 13-1 in our past 14. In that period we have the best defense not Bellamy or Cleary. If we strangled "Go Riff we can likewise to Manly a weaker outfit. We are a special squad with a special coach who is on his home turf!! Plus the squad has played only two games in one month so they are very fresh!! Its now or never for Cook, Walker, Gags and Reynolds so here we go. Fresh, hungry and ready to rip. They must get the job done. This is not Canberra in the ACT or a full on Easts at the SCG or Melbourne in Voodoo Villa.I hope so brother!
2nd best defence in that period Storm have had the best.Man be confident. We are 21-4 overall and 13-1 in our past 14. In that period we have the best defense not Bellamy or Cleary. If we strangled "Go Riff we can likewise to Manly a weaker outfit. We are a special squad with a special coach who is on his home turf!! Plus the squad has played only two games in one month so they are very fresh!! Its now or never for Cook, Walker, Gags and Reynolds so here we go. Fresh, hungry and ready to rip. They must get the job done. This is not Canberra in the ACT or a full on Easts at the SCG or Melbourne in Voodoo Villa.
C'mon Joe, you know better than to come around here and sow seeds of doubt in our minds.Manly have nothing to lose so they may play more expansive/ad lib footy - All the pressure will be on Souths - Will the Ghosts of Previously Preliminary Finals come back to haunt them?
Manly have nothing to lose so they may play more expansive/ad lib footy - All the pressure will be on Souths - Will the Ghosts of Previously Preliminary Finals come back to haunt them?
Just seeing it as it isC'mon Joe, you know better than to come around here and sow seeds of doubt in our minds.
Feel lucky we are letting you come south of Allison Rd