2025 Rabbitohs Round 8 - Vs Storm

[Eric the great]

I just want to win too but I also believe you have to earn certain things.For Trell to supplant Jye he needs to have been playing good enough to deserve it. He hasn't. Jye on the other hand has been excellent and as such fully deserves to retain his spot. So Harry was wrong in my books, deserve has everything to do with it.

I think both you detective and speedster are putting up favourable arguments let’s just hope we get a win on Sunday and then say Wayne knows best and hope jye isn’t managed by moses

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Mate, I respect speesters opinion, just as I've said repeatedly I feel very strongly about this. We obviously both want whats best for Souths, I just want whats best for Jye too.

 

[Captain Apollo]

As an outsider looking in, Latrell looks disinterested. His effort is poor, even though he produces the odd flash of quality that he's known for in each game which can have a huge bearing on the result. On form this season, Gray has been probably Souths best player week in and week out, so it does seem unusual to drop him to the interchange bench.

If Latrell doesn't start showing improvement playing in his preferred spot, maybe he should be sent down to NSW Cup to regain his mojo.

Besides Latrell, Cody Walker needs to lift considerably. He was terrible last week.

I wonder who Lewis Dodd has pissed off as he can't get a game and has Jayden Sullivan preferred over him

 

[Eric the great]

Wayne had the same predicament at the fins with fuller and hammer while hammer was out fuller was by far the fins best player hammer comes back and fuller goes to 14 in SOO hammer the same as trell goes to centre so Wayne is treading a trail he has done before so settle down let it play out on the footy field and go the bunnies SFFS

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Thanks Capt. good to get an outsiders perspective who doesn't have any skin in the game.

 

[speedster]

While I don't expect we will beat Melbourne in Melbourne for the first time ever this week (even though there is a first time for everything), what I hope to see is our overall attacking shapes and attacking potency as a team improve out of sight.

Wayne needs to get the team engine restarted and humming so he's getting the band back together again. and the side in the shape that trained together for the whole summer. Cody needs Latrell and all his other supports around him to be where they need to be and Latrell needs Cody to combine with as well.

The Fins beat Melbourne last week on the back of great attack and trust in their shapes that Wayne instilled and Woolf has continued. Can Souths threaten them likewise? Need the old magic back.

 

[speedster]

Mate, I respect speesters opinion, just as I've said repeatedly I feel very strongly about this. We obviously both want whats best for Souths, I just want whats best for Jye too.

Respect goes both ways Wojo. Love your passion. It's all good mate. I get where you're coming from and validate how much Jye has earned his place in the team.

He's still in the 17 though and I think it is a 17-man game these days. He was in my 17 all preseason when plenty of others selected sides that didn't include him at all. In fact, I started calling for him to be in the 17 well before last season ended. He's a beauty, no question.

I want to see him develop his passing game next to add to his brilliant running game. I want to see him develop and grow as a footballer. I'm sure you do too.

 

[speedster]

It would be interesting to hear from Jye himself on which position he himself prefers - five-eighth or fullback. He may not have a preference and give the stock, standard "I'll do whatever is best for the team" response. Just curious.

 

[speedster]

Stat Attack​

• The Storm have won all 19 games against the Rabbitohs in Melbourne.
• Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham has scored six tries in his last seven games against the Storm.
• The Storm have scored 128 points in three games at AAMI Park this season.
• A Wayne Bennett-coached team has not defeated the Storm since 2016.
• Storm winger Xavier Coates has scored 34 tries in 30 games at AAMI Park.

 

[Eric the great]

Stat Attack​

• The Storm have won all 19 games against the Rabbitohs in Melbourne.
• Rabbitohs centre Campbell Graham has scored six tries in his last seven games against the Storm.
• The Storm have scored 128 points in three games at AAMI Park this season.
• A Wayne Bennett-coached team has not defeated the Storm since 2016.
• Storm winger Xavier Coates has scored 34 tries in 30 games at AAMI Park.

Good stats for storm

 

[speedster]

Good stats for storm

Horror reading any which way we look at it - apart from Campbell's scoring streak against them.

We went close a few years back when Papenhuyzen sank us with a field goal late after we clawed our way back to tie the scores late. Cameron Smith also got us with a field goal a few years further back too.

You never know your luck - but you've got to make your own luck which means put yourself in with a chance.

 

[Det.Wojciehowicz]

Hopefully they'll be feeling a little complacent thinking it's in the bag and we can get under their guard.

 

[Pauly1]

At SOO there are other guns to choose from. Everyone knows that. Our W/L record with him at FB you could look up yourself but from memory it's pretty good. The problem with Latrell, as we all know, has been missing too many games, not being a lousy fullback. He is an excellent fullback but a different kind. Not the high running metre type but more the high line break assist and try assist type.

He is no longer that younger running centre he was at the Roosters. His best attribute by far is his ball playing and in combo with Cody, the 2 of them can ignite the other.

Yeah, a bludger!

 

[Pauly1]

As an outsider looking in, Latrell looks disinterested. His effort is poor, even though he produces the odd flash of quality that he's known for in each game which can have a huge bearing on the result. On form this season, Gray has been probably Souths best player week in and week out, so it does seem unusual to drop him to the interchange bench.

If Latrell doesn't start showing improvement playing in his preferred spot, maybe he should be sent down to NSW Cup to regain his mojo.

Besides Latrell, Cody Walker needs to lift considerably. He was terrible last week.

I wonder who Lewis Dodd has pissed off as he can't get a game and has Jayden Sullivan preferred over him

Get rid of both, far better players out there on that coin.

 

[Eric the great]

Horror reading any which way we look at it - apart from Campbell's scoring streak against them.

We went close a few years back when Papenhuyzen sank us with a field goal late after we clawed our way back to tie the scores late. Cameron Smith also got us with a field goal a few years further back too.

You never know your luck - but you've got to make your own luck which means put yourself in with a chance.

Stats and records are made to be broken

 

[Steenson123]

The Loft states:
1. We are 0-2 sans The Humph. Both performances have been timid or pathetic. 4-1 avec The Humph starting.
2. Dodd has a steep palmares, including a winning FG against Cleary - at full strength - at Outer Blacktown. Why has Dodd not been given some grace? It takes a class thoroughbred TIME to adjust to a new country, climate, feed etc but Dodd has been simply trashed from the start. Surely Wolff up at Redcliffe informed Burt about Dodd because he coached him at The Saints. Then asks The Loft, why is Burt so down on Dodd?
3. Wighton, Walker and Mitchell need to become much more involved. Mitchell is absorbing a significant portion of the Salary Cap so if he continues to be a virtual passenger the squad is giving an enormous advantage to every opponent. If Burt cannot get him to fire its best to part ways. Cannot build a strong football team if 30% or more of The Cap is not performing.
4. Burt should consider moving KK back to prop forward. Its there that the team seems to accumulate most run metres. He looked really good last season there when the squad was traumatised.
5. The pack did dominate a full strength Penrith pack several weeks fa, at least in Half 1. The Loft wants an explanation for why that has since disappeared. Some players appear, to The Loft, to be taking it easy, content with a decent performance/half now and then. Not good enough.
6. If the squad continues its current toothless trajectory, no offense, gummy everywhere, major changes will have to be made and that could include Burt. Keep up the non-performances and timid attitude and changes will come. Lay down at Melbourne and they could hit 60 or more.
7. Right now, to put some fire under Mitchell, The Loft suggests HE be made Captain. Make HIM lead the way and earn.

 

[speedster]

Bennett hit back at potential criticism of his decision, but explained the axing came down to team make-up. “I can understand people don’t really know what they’re talking about when they talk like that,” he said to the SMH. “Jye has done a great job at fullback. But they bring different things, and it’s what you’re looking for. “It wasn’t the plan to put Latrell in the other positions, but with our injuries and what we’ve had to manage, we couldn’t manage it. “But it’s time to move him back to fullback. I think we can do that now. Jye will be on the interchange bench.”

 

[Captain Apollo]

In relation to Lewis Dodd, it can take some UK players time to adjust to the NRL. For a comparison, I can remember when Adrian Morley started at the Roosters in 2001. Many people, including a lot of Roosters supporters thought he was ordinary at best and should be sent packing. By the end of 2002, Morley had those knockers eating humble pie.

Dodd needs to play or otherwise you are paying a decent chunk of coin for a bench warming halfback who'll take longer to adjust to the NRL. I have no idea if he'll be good enough or not as I don't really watch much of the UK SL.

 

[speedster]

In relation to Lewis Dodd, it can take some UK players time to adjust to the NRL. For a comparison, I can remember when Adrian Morley started at the Roosters in 2001. Many people, including a lot of Roosters supporters thought he was ordinary at best and should be sent packing. By the end of 2002, Morley had those knockers eating humble pie.

Dodd needs to play or otherwise you are paying a decent chunk of coin for a bench warming halfback who'll take longer to adjust to the NRL. I have no idea if he'll be good enough or not as I don't really watch much of the UK SL.

It's a hard one with Dodd. He has some skill and ability but as a halfback, you need to be a leader, you need to be a loud voice calling the shots and you need to be cheeky and feisty. His temperament from what I can see is far too meek and mild, taking a backseat and appearing a little intimidated. Unless he can say to himself "stuff it" and just go for it and try to grab a game by the scruff of the neck, take some real risks instead of playing it safe and really announce himself, then I can't see him making it in the NRL.

He needs to bang the door down in NSW Cup and really star, get some MOTM awards at that level and turn some heads. He's had a few try assists here and there in a side that is coming dead last in NSW Cup.

The club is likely looking to offload him although it will mean paying a hefty slice of his freight to any other club willing to try their luck with him because Jamie Humphreys has made the number 7 jumper in 1st grade his own in a very short space of time.

 

[Souths Till I Die]

Far out I hope we turn up this week we have been so average the past 2 weeks. I don't think we can expect to win this game considering the Storm are deserved premiership favourites but there are a few things I would like to see.

1. Latrell being involved in more support play through the middle. This is where Jye shits all over Latrell in my opinion.
2. Some fight back from our middle forwards especially players like Keppie and Tatola. It would be good to see them give it to the storm and put some heavy hits on them.
3. Koloamatagi to run some decent lines.
4. Hold onto the f**king ball.