2021 Rabbitohs Pre-Season

[callmack1]

Moved this convo to the Pre-Season thread.

In my opinion, our best forward pack is as follows,

8. Tatola
9. Cook
10. Burgess
11. Murray
12. Su'A
13. Arrow

When at full strength, this is how we should run out in my opinion. However, Murray would still play plenty of lock because he'd move to the middle when Keaon comes on and Arrow would probably go to prop (but essentially play the same role). We need Cam in the middle for a lot of the game and in my opinion, the best time for him to be in the middle is when there's a bit of fatigue in the game for him to take advantage of.

 

[DynamicRabbit1]

Moved this convo to the Pre-Season thread.

In my opinion, our best forward pack is as follows,

8. Tatola
9. Cook
10. Burgess
11. Murray
12. Su'A
13. Arrow

When at full strength, this is how we should run out in my opinion. However, Murray would still play plenty of lock because he'd move to the middle when Keaon comes on and Arrow would probably go to prop (but essentially play the same role). We need Cam in the middle for a lot of the game and in my opinion, the best time for him to be in the middle is when there's a bit of fatigue in the game for him to take advantage of.

Totally agree

 

[Robbie 12]

Hi guys
Just at the Souths training at the moment the boys look fit ..
Mitchell seems to be pushing himself more at training which is a good sign
Graham looks bigger his chest and back looks bigger
Knight lost some weight looks more fit
Cook and Murray Gagai look very fit

 

[DynamicRabbit1]

Hi guys
Just at the Souths training at the moment the boys look fit ..
Mitchell seems to be pushing himself more at training which is a good sign
Graham looks bigger his chest and back looks bigger
Knight lost some weight looks more fit
Cook and Murray Gagai look very fit

Is Reyno training today after his twinge the other day?

Also curious what the backline combos left and right are?

 

[Robbie 12]

Is Reyno training today after his twinge the other day?

Also curious what the backline combos left and right are?

Reynolds was only doing some light running ... no heavy running with the team ... some game day trills with the team only ...

 

[Robbie 12]

Mansour will play right wing 100% as I saw him training along side Graham with team drills, burns was training on the side with some juniors and mago

 

[Jim Rockford]

Mansour will play right wing 100% as I saw him training along side Graham with team drills, burns was training on the side with some juniors and mago

Thanks for the update!

 

[Travitoh]

Hi guys
Just at the Souths training at the moment the boys look fit ..
Mitchell seems to be pushing himself more at training which is a good sign
Graham looks bigger his chest and back looks bigger
Knight lost some weight looks more fit
Cook and Murray Gagai look very fit

Great news about Knight. His lack of mobility let Souths down at times last season and hopefully being a few kilos lighter will help to improve that.

 

[callmack1]

Thanks for the updates Robbie!! All sounds very positive!

 

[Rabbits20]

 

[Jim Rockford]

And this is exactly why our club Stands Above the Rest!

 

[Rabbits20]

Cheers Robbie much appreciated mate.

 

[Rabbits20]

And this is exactly why our club Stands Above the Rest!

EXACTLY SHOULDER TO SHOULDER GLORY GLORY!!!

 

[Rabbits20]

 

[callmack1]

Here's a few comments off other forums I have missed from the past few days,

Just on Murray it seems like he will be spending a lot of time on the edge this year. Cook was on Denan Kemp's podcast and essentially said they want to save Murray from himself so he has a 10 year career rather than a 5 year career. Signing of Arrow allows that to happen.

I did see Reyno with his “issue” and it looked minor to me. He made a break in the NRL v Reserves drills and something seemed to tweak with his right “hammy” but he was straight back up and did not appear in any great discomfort.
From watching the session most look to be in great shape. Gags leads in just about every drill, Lats is continually calling plays from the back, both attack and defence, and Koala is growing within the side - he was shouting left side plays at one point and looked to be playing left edge.
Arrow was, again, not working with the team training group and Junior Tatola was the same. I also watched Jacob Host in extensive 1:1 sessions with training staff. He honestly looked like he has never been exposed to this level of intensive training before. He is a big boy, much larger than Arrow at this stage of the season.

Arrows looked a little off the pace, seems to have some sort of minor injury, was on the periphery in terms of the oppose parts of the session and was doing some work with the rehab guys behind play at the start. Looks a thigh/ hip flexor kind of issue, guessing there.

 

[Rabbits20]

 

[Rabbits20]

 

[Rabbits20]

 

[callmack1]

Looks like the boys had a really tough session on Mout Steele today.

 

[callmack1]

Wayne Bennett talks 2021 at the Rabbitohs and South Sydney’s succession planning

In his final year at the Rabbitohs, Wayne Bennett reveals how South Sydney is shaping up in 2021 and what is next for the super coach.

Travis Meyn

January 23, 2021 - 6:00AM
.
For the second straight season, the South Sydney Rabbitohs went within a game of the NRL grand final.

The Rabbitohs fell just short in losing to Penrith in last year’s preliminary final following what was a promising season for coach Wayne Bennett’s team.

Bennett will oversee the Rabbitohs for the final time in 2021 before he hands over the role to assistant Jason Demetriou and embarks on the next stage of his career.

Wayne, how is the squad looking with a shorter pre-season to prepare for 2021?

They’re not all back here yet but everyone who has come back is in pretty good shape.

The Rabbitohs made the preliminary finals last year before losing to minor premiers Penrith. When you look back on 2020 what are your thoughts on the season? Were you happy?

Not really. We improved as the season went on so that was the upside for us, I suppose.

Were you not happy because you didn’t win the premiership?

(Laughs). There is a lot more in this side than we are showing at the moment so that’s the challenge.

You’ve signed Queensland Origin forward Jai Arrow (Titans) and Josh Mansour (Panthers) and released a few players like James Roberts (Tigers) and Corey Allan (Bulldogs), what do you think about your roster?

I think we’ve got a pretty strong squad this year. We’ve had a few other players come in as well, without the big names. We’ve got a very balanced and reasonably strong squad.

Latrell Mitchell missed the back end of the season with a bad hamstring injury and Cam Murray suffered a similar injury in State of Origin. How are they?

Everyone that should be back training is back and Latrell is in one of those categories. Cam Murray had a major injury in the State of Origin as well and he is back training. They’re all good.

How do you feel about 2021 being your last year?

Where did you come to that conclusion?

Isn’t it your last year as coach of the Rabbitohs?

It’s my last year at the Rabbitohs, yes.

Does it feel any different to other years?

No.

What are your plans for next year?

I’ve got none right now.

What will you be doing?

No idea but I’ll be in football somewhere.

Will you come back to Brisbane?

We’ll see what happens.

Jason Demetriou will take over as South Sydney head coach next year. Will there be any changes this year in the way you work together?

No.

How is he shaping up to take over the role?

No idea.

Are you throwing him to the wolves next year?

I doubt that.


Will he be ready?

Absolutely.

Why?

They wouldn’t have appointed him and I wouldn’t have endorsed him if I didn’t think he would be ready to coach in the NRL.

What have you made of your two years so far at South Sydney? Most people would say two preliminary finals appearances is a good effort.

There is still a lot to be done here.

Can you elaborate?

No.

Thanks, Wayne. Good luck.

Thanks.