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General Article
WHAT'S WRONG AT SOUTHS?
Friday 3 Jul 2009 00:05 +Blog - Have your say on this article
by Matthew O'Neill
Souths will do anything for a win on Saturday night against the Wests Tigers - not just to get their season back on track, but to stop the off field rumours.
The latest drama doing the rounds is a rumoured player revolt against head coach Jason Taylor for a variety of reasons.
It's believed, according to an article in the Daily Telegraph, that the players have lost respect for Taylor, not happy being treated like kids and fuming that assistant coach Mark Ellison will be showed the door at seasons end.
Ellison played for the Rabbitohs during the 1980's and since his playing days ended has come through the ranks as a coach in under-age football and is pretty close to the players. It's believed that Taylor doesn't want him around after this year and that has caused friction amongst the players.
To his credit Ellison has maintained his integrity and said that he's a South Sydney man, wants to help get Souths back on the winners circle and believes Taylor is going well in his job.
Taylor is fortunate to enjoy a good relationship with Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe, although it remains to be seen if Crowe will be content to pour millions of dollars into the club only to see Souths continue to churn out the losses and below par standards of football.
A lot of unrest at the Rabbitohs has come since Craig Wing arrived in a blaze of glory, which began with a massive welcome home press conference whilst still at the Roosters. A third party deal fell through for Wing and his future since arriving at Souths has been one of speculation ever since.
The Rabbitohs without Wing qualified for the finals in 2007 and were expected to make a much-improved charge in 2008 and 2009 with the results not coming.
Souths started promisingly this year, but two wins from their last ten matches has sent their season backwards with not much light appearing at the end of the tunnel.
Wing's future has not helped matters at the Rabbitohs and when available he has been shuffled from position to position when it's clear he should be running the show from halfback, keeping in mind that when he came back to the club he wanted to settle into one position.
Isaac Luke in 2007 was one of the form hookers in the NRL and so rich was his form that his former club Canterbury copped plenty of criticism for allowing him to escape from under their grasps. Luke's form this year has been inconsistent and has fallen away from being a top line hooker in the game. At a time when Robbie Farah, Michael Ennis, Nathan Friend and Isaac De Gois have developed and trained hard into being complete 80 minute players Luke hasn't developed into being able to complete a full game.
Chris Sandow dominated the second half of the NRL season last year and started the opening round with a bang, but like all young halfbacks has suffered a few setbacks and is lacking in confidence. At a time when it was ripe for Wing to take control of the side in the halves Taylor persists with Sandow instead of giving him time to develop his natural game playing for North Sydney in the NSW Cup.
Taylor enjoyed a dream run in the second half of the 2006 season and throughout 2007, but the last two years has been tough for him. Dealing with the setbacks in results and speculation off the field is a challenge and it's one as to whether he can meet.
Taylor has been criticised for not getting enough minutes out of Luke, Wing and captain Roy Asotasi and seems to make his interchanges based on the clock and not the situation of the game. Wayne Bennett (Dragons) and Kevin Moore (Bulldogs) have learned to keep their best players on the field as long as possible and not to make replacements for the sake of them.
One way or another the Rabbitohs have to sort out Wing's future and they have to reveal why Ellison will be sacked as assistant coach, but allowed to stay on this year. Ellison played the game fair on the field and by all reports is highly respected as a person and coach. But why was he allowed to stay on this year when Taylor made it clear he's not part of his future plans?
Crowe had a dream to see the Rabbitohs win another premiership, however, it's shaping up as a club with all glitz and glamour with very little substance and performance.
What is the problem now gripping Souths? Is it Taylor? Is it Wing? Is it Crowe? Or is it something else?
How long can Souths fans wait and have a few seasons where the football on the field does all the talking?
Who should be the Rabbitohs coach in 2010? Should it be Taylor, football manager John Lang, Ellison or someone else?
The alleged unrest at Souths has to stop or their season will only begin to suffer further. Where there is smoke there is also fire and it appears one is burning out Redfern way.
Never was a coach he s a ready made undertaker just look at the way he talks at press conferences "Well we looking at the positives that came out of this tonight I've heard that since 2007 & it pisses me off just like he does lets sack him tomorrow and look forward to next season let Ellison or Lang take over till seasons end.
Flannigan, Dymock,Lang,Murray for starters I'd go for Flannigan Gus Gould said he is an out & out 1st grade coach & he has worked with Cartwright & also been one of the NSW assistant Coaches when Stuart was there,
