Tales from the Reef:
https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2022/02/24/tales-from-the-reef/
Rabbitohs star backs Shaquai Mitchell to make NRL debut alongside fired-up Latrell:
https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nr...t/news-story/c7aea74d1248c0663eb52cb4c0581482
Cody Walker moves on from Grand Final pain, Adam Reynolds' departure:
https://wwos.nine.com.au/nrl/nrl-20...nal-pain/1287cddc-e9ca-4438-b579-3d2d1bece495
Also, from Sporting News,
Cody Walker confident 'ultra-impressive' Lachlan Ilias will lead South Sydney into new era post-Reynolds
Cody Walker has implored Lachlan Ilias to write his own story as South Sydney's new halfback and expressed his excitement as a new era dawns on the club.
Ilias, 21, will fill the legendary-sized shoes of Reynolds at halfback for the Rabbitohs this season as part of a series of major changes that have unfolded at Redfern over the summer.
South Sydney opted to look internally rather than externally to replace club champion Reynolds, who has shifted to Brisbane to captain the Broncos in 2022, with Ilias beating out fellow youngsters Dean Hawkins and Blake Taaffe for the coveted No. 7 jersey.
How a player of Ilias' age and experience replaces a figure that was so embedded in the Rabbitohs' rise towards NRL powerhouse status and so loved by fans and teammates has been a dominant topic of conversation over the pre-season.
It will ensure plenty of eyes will be on the youngster's performances throughout the year, starting with Saturday's annual Charity Shield match again the Dragons.
But Walker said Ilias is primed to excel and insisted the young playmaker will have no shortage of support around him as he embarks on his quest to take ownership of the Rabbitohs' No. 7 jersey.
"We have confidence in Lachie to handle it," he told
Sporting News.
"One of the things that he's got in his favour is he's not coming into a side that's inexperienced.
"There's Latrell (Mitchell), one of the best fullbacks in the game, Cookie (Damien Cook), the Australian hooker, Cam Murray in the middle of the field, those sort of guys aren't going to leave him out there to do his own thing. We're going to support him.
"We don't expect him to come in and be Adam Reynolds because it's impossible. We expect him to come in and do his job and do it well."
Ilias is a former rugby union prospect who represented NSW and the Australian Schoolboys in the 15-man code before being poached by Souths and leading their Jersey Flegg under 20s side to the 2019 premiership.
He was among a cluster of young Rabbitohs to be given their NRL debuts late last season against the Dragons when several of the club's stars were rested on the eve of the finals.
Ilias scored a try six minutes into his debut, ran for 70 metres and made 20 tackles in a well-rounded performance that helped steer a largely inexperienced side past St. George Illawarra.
Describing him as "ultra impressive", Walker said Ilias' work ethic and commitment around training gave him no doubt he would thrive when given a chance at senior level.
"One of the things that really impressed me last year was how he wasn't able to play games until May when the (reserve grade) competition got cancelled and then we moved to the Gold Coast," Walker added.
"To help prepare the first-grade team to go and play each and every week but not being able to play until the last round of the season and then to play the way he did in that last round of the season was ultra-impressive.
"You always talk about game fitness being a different kind of fitness and for him to go and train that match and not play on the weekend, to then go and play a game after five months or whatever is quite impressive."
Reynolds' absence will take some adjustment for Walker and his game too, with the pair developing an on-field partnership that at times looked telepathic and was directly responsible for so many of South Sydney's points last year.
It will also mean the reigning Dally M Five-Eighth of the Year will be the primary playmaker directing the attack and handling more of the general play kicking duties that usually feel on Reynolds' shoulders, but Walker is adamant the extra responsibilities won't hinder his natural game.
"I don't want to change the way I play. I think the biggest strength I have is the way I play and get my hands on the footy," the 32-year-old declared.
"The one thing that will change is my energy as far as getting around the park more than what I'm used to.
"It's been different but I've really liked it."
Fans won't have to wait long to see Reynolds take on his former side, with the Rabbitohs to face the Broncos in a round one Friday night blockbuster at Suncorp Stadium.
Defending opposite each other, all eyes will be on the friendly battle between Walker and Reynolds, but the Rabbitohs star insists no extra attention will be paid to their former skipper and close friend on the night.
"It's going to be different, you can't deny that, but if we focus on one player in the team we'll lose our focus on the way we want to play our game," Walker stressed.
"I guess when you know that he's going to be there and he's an ex-teammate of ours and an ex-skipper from last year (it will be strange).
"But in terms of getting on the field and getting the job done, getting our season off to a good start, that's what our focus is going to be."
