Are South Sydney the real deal?

[gUt]

Playing with intensity and confidence. They'll need to keep the fire burning for another 2 months and that can be a tough thing to do. But it's hard to declare they're NOT a threat for the title this year.

 

[Pierced Soul]

momentum's a big thing, they can score points quickly but can clock off. if they can get to a big lead they can be hard to peg back, and they're capitalising on half chances to score points as well.

i think they can ride a wave of emotion like parra did a few years ago and go deep into the finals (currently they'll be there for at least week 2). however they do lack finals experience and if they come up against the storm or manly i think they'll get ground out of the game. i also have a suspicion if another top team gets a few tries ahead of them they'll drop their bundle

 

[Hutty1986]

Will be very interesting to see if souffs defence holds up in the big games. No doubt their attack is fantastic but let's see if it clicks against quality opposition when the heat is on.

 

[Red&BlackBear]

I think they are. With great depth this year and coinciding with a great season by Norths in the NSW Cup, they IMO have the cattle and credentials to go all the way. Depends of course if they defend well and play smart football.

 

[Danish]

We'll see how they go against manly this weekend, then a proper decision can be made.

the main issue Souths are going to have come september is that in all likelihood they will be playing melbourne in week 1 of the finals, be it at home or away. thats going to be a mighty tough assignment regardless

 

[SuperiorEasts]

I definitely think they are the real deal this year, go souffs!

 

[drake]

Like others have said, finals is a different scenario. Their regular season form has been great. They deserve their place at 2nd. The B'ogs are the benchmark, regardless of what Des spins.

If Souths play finals footy the way they've played recently, I only see the Bulldogs stopping them.

You can't really lol@souffs, just some of their supporters. I'm just glad I don't live in the area anymore.

 

[yobbo84]

The good thing is we're playing far from perfect football and are sitting in second place. We're getting Roy Asotasi and Issac Luke back this week, and Greg Inglis the week after. Probably three of our top 5 players along with Sam Burgess and Dave Taylor.

There's plenty more improvement in us. "Madgic Mike" knows what he's doing.

 

[gronkathon]

They will bring back fumbles Asotasi and start losing games on the back of his simple errors

 

[Valheru]

Definitely not. Melbourne will finish 2nd ahead of them. Souths will not win a finals match.

 

[Ronnie Dobbs]

My coin is still on Manly to win it all.

Just know how to get it done when it matters.

I think Souths will struggle in the finals this year against the seasoned, hardened play off teams like Manly & Melbourne. I think Canterbury will make the GF against one of those two, but not win it for the same reasons. The halfback situation at the Dogs doesn't lend itself to September success with a rookie 6.

 

[sensesmaybenumbed]

They will bring back fumbles Asotasi and start losing games on the back of his simple errors

So.... 1 point?

 

[natheel]

They definatley deserve to be where they are they have been great this year but in saying that finals are very different

Teams like manly and Melbourne who have been there for a longtime will grind them down but you never know what can happen

And I think with souths it's the same as the doggies been great over the season but in finals they're a relatively new side to the finals in terms of their playing group bar a few players.

Teams like Melbourne and manly will be both dogs and souths big tests of they come up against them in the finals

 

[natheel]

Also souths run into the finals will show us if they're serious they have manly and also teams gunning for that 8th spot plus us who if we are still winning will hope to upset the apple cart. If souths can get through this with at least 1 loss then I think they will go well in the finals

Dogs have a relatively easier run in and the lack of halfback will hurt their chances when they play teams like manly or melbourne

 

[Michael Bishop]

Souths are doing much better than I expected them to. Come the semis though I think they may struggle. But yes I'm prepared to concede that they're the real deal as much as I hate to admit it.

 

[Noa]

They beat the Dogs pretty easily the 1st time, a Farrel boot away from winning the next.

 

[Perth Red]

On the day they have the attack to worry any team. Do they have the starch for an arm wrestle type finals game? Not so sure. There is good spirit in the team though and they won't lay down so it is quite possible the Souths drought may be coming to an end. Will be good for the game in Sydney if they win it, hopefully it will turn the potential support into real support and they will be up challenging Bulldogs and Wests for biggest crowds next year.

 

[DC_fan]

The real deal for sure.

 

[Jason Maher]

The good thing is we're playing far from perfect football and are sitting in second place. We're getting Roy Asotasi and Issac Luke back this week, and Greg Inglis the week after. Probably three of our top 5 players along with Sam Burgess and Dave Taylor.

There's plenty more improvement in us. "Madgic Mike" knows what he's doing.

Luke and Inglis returning will obviously be a big boost. Not so sure about Asotasi.

 

[BunniesMan]

On the day they have the attack to worry any team. Do they have the starch for an arm wrestle type finals game? Not so sure. There is good spirit in the team though and they won't lay down so it is quite possible the Souths drought may be coming to an end. Will be good for the game in Sydney if they win it, hopefully it will turn the potential support into real support and they will be up challenging Bulldogs and Wests for biggest crowds next year.

Our average is bigger than theirs...THIS year.

Our last 2 home games should be 19-20k and 25-30k. We will finish with a higher average than them.

We fill finish the season with the 2nd best Sydney crowds and 3rd or 4th best overall.