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Round 9 - Rabbitohs vs Storm: Thursday 6th May 7:50pm @Stadium Australia

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
Wayne Bennett Media - Round 9: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2...-whole-squad-not-just-the-top-17-----bennett/

'He's capable' - Hawkins gets first crack at Reynolds' vacant jersey: https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/05/05/hes-capable-hawkins-gets-first-crack-at-reynolds-vacant-jersey/

Stoked that Wayne has decided to make these changes and go with the side most of us were after!! I feel that it just makes our side that much stronger with all the injuries we have and I'm feeling a little bit more confident now.

Huge game for Hawko, the biggest moment of his career to date no doubt. His first start against the Storm, that's huge!! Wayne obviously has a lot of faith in him and I do too. He seems like he has a really good head and we'll find out what he's made of tomorrow night. Doesn't have to do anything flashy, just do a job.

I'm not sure if all those changes to the forward pack are legit but I don't mind them if they are. Guess we'll find out when the squad is trimmed tonight.
 

Jim Rockford

Bench
Messages
3,082
If Wayne thinks Hawko is up to it I'll gladly respect his judgment. Hope the young fella has a solid game. Like Callmack said doesn't need to do anything flashy, just do his job and let Cody and Benji come up with the big plays.
 

handyman2190

Bench
Messages
3,386
If Wayne thinks Hawko is up to it I'll gladly respect his judgment. Hope the young fella has a solid game. Like Callmack said doesn't need to do anything flashy, just do his job and let Cody and Benji come up with the big plays.
I hope hawkins kills it i have faith in him,he also kicks.
But in saying that the best is taafe and i cant wait for his chance
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
The wait is over ladies and gents!! Game day is finally here!! What a huge day it is for us too going up against what has actually become a massive rival in the Melbourne Storm. Our two clubs have developed a genuine hatred for eachother and a lot of it has played out in the media. Wayne and Bellyache hate each other and that seems to have seeped into the remainder of both clubs. Has added plenty of spice to our games the past two years or so and I expect no different tonight. It'll be one hell of a clash, a firey battle.

Tonight we are playing the Storm who are not only the defending Premiers, but they're a fellow contender this and an one of the teams to beat. You look across the park and you realise what a huge job we have tonight as they're such a quality side, full of rep players. Olam, Addo-Carr, Munster, Hughes, Bromwich, Grant, Welch, NAS, the list just goes on and on. They are playing some great Footy and have put quite a number on teams in recent weeks so we have to be massively on our game tonight, massively on. It's going to take one of our biggest performances of the year to get over this mob but I'm backing the boys all the way.

As I alluded to, We're going to have to be almost perfect if we want to give ourselves a chance in this one. A high completion rate, not giving them an inch and the defence must be on. That in particular should be a big area of focus for us. Our defence has fallen away a bit over the past few weeks so we need to stand up big time in this one. Get physical, wrap up that ball and make good reads. I know that's far easier said than done but we just have to do it! The job is made even more difficult when you consider the current firepower we are missing through injury. So many key players. However, we cannot use that as an excuse at all. We have to focus on who we've got, not what we're missing. I fully back the lads coming in to do a job, they need to. At the end of the day, it's 13 men against 13 men and anything can hapoen if we believe.

Huge day, huge occasion. It might sound strange to say but I actually see tonight as a massive opportunity to make a real statement to the rest of the comp tonight. Kick off can't come soon enough!!
 

Souths Till I Die

First Grade
Messages
5,928




A mate of mine his mate was at captains run this morning and said this:


Koloamatangi trained at lock Arrow prop Host second row and Tatola to come off the bench.


Also Mago out J. Cartwright in and the source is chaps from Rabbitohs radio:


So we should run out like this:


Cody (C)

Gagai

Marsters

Burns

AJ

Benji

Hawkins

Tom

Cook

Arrow

Host

Su’a

Koloamatangi


Tatola

Nicholls

Knight

J. Cartwright

Mago

I think that's how we will end up running out. I thought Cartwright was going to be a couple of weeks longer from injury but he must be a fast healer.

Rain works to our advantage i reckon. Watching the storm play the eels in round 2 you could tell their fast paced playstyle was really struggling in the rain.

This is really going to be a battle of halves which points to us losing the game but im going to say that this team has built a mental toughness over the years which could see us cause a massive upset. Go the bunnies!
 
Last edited:

Rabbits20

Immortal
Messages
41,607
Well game day is here again and it’s a tall ask but I’m sure the boys will be up for it. Will be great to be back at home. We simply must start well to have any chance. Don’t think it’ll be a big crowd at all tonight but hopefully a very vocal one with all the diehards out there. If you’re going use all the voice you have let’s try and get that extra penalty or extra set restart for the boys! I will be there!


AS WE LOOK DOWN THE TUNNEL HERE AT STADIUM AUSTRALIA WE CAN SEE THE PURPLE AND WHITE COLOURS OF THE STORM MAKING THEIR WAY DOWN THE TUNNEL! RABBITOHS MEMBERS AND RABBITOHS SUPPORTERS PLEASE GIVE A WARM SOUTH SYDNEY WELCOME TO THE MELBOURNE STORM! BBBBOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO



10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4 ,3 ,2, 1..........




OK RABBITOHS MEMBERS AND RABBITOHS SUPPORTERS ITS TIME TO GET ON YYYOUUURRR FEEEETTT CLAP YOUR HAND SHOW THE COLOURS SCREAM YOUR LUNGS OUT HERE THEY COME YYYOOUUURRRR SOUTH SYDNEY RRRAAABBBBIIITTTOOOHHHSSSS


LLLLEEETTTTSSS GGGOOOOO RRRAAABBBIIITTTOOOHHHSSSS!!!!
 

callmack1

Moderator
Staff member
Messages
11,611
Kapow! Biff! Why Souths can’t stop Melbourne’s Batman and Robin: https://www.smh.com.au/sport/nrl/ka...ourne-s-batman-and-robin-20210505-p57p28.html

Braidon Burns reveals why he considered quitting Rugby League

Souths centre Braidon Burns paid $1700 for a rugby league escape plan after injuries nearly forced him out of the game. Now he is back in first grade.

Dean Ritchie

May 5, 2021 - 4:00PM

Returning South Sydney star Braidon Burns was so fed up with battling four successive years of injuries he wanted to walk away from rugby league to become a policeman.

And Burns, while recovering from a ruptured patella tendon late last year, even completed a two-month, part-time Workforce Essentials course at Charles Sturt University, costing $1700, to enter the NSW Police Force Academy at Goulburn.

It was his fourth major injury in four years, the draining recovery process “wearing him down”.

After a 10-month recuperation, a refocused Burns played 50 minutes in the NSW Cup against Canberra last Saturday at Belconnen Oval before being rushed straight back into an injury-depleted Rabbitohs’ side for Thursday night’s big game against Melbourne.

Burns’ comeback game comes as Souths desperately try to overcome injuries to Adam Reynolds, Cam Murray, Josh Mansour, Campbell Graham and Jaxson Paulo. Latrell Mitchell is suspended until round 11.

While enduring another recovery battle just last year, Burns, 24, repeatedly told partner, Tiannan Pennini, he was ready to walk away from rugby league.

“When I first got out of surgery, I was talking to Tiannan about it all and I actually said to her I’m going to give it up,” he said. “That’s where I thought it was going to end.

“I didn’t know whether I was going to get back and play again. Maybe it was because of the painkillers I was on but she said I was pretty adamant about it and that I was pretty set on finishing up.

“I’ve always wanted to be a cop. There was a pathway there which I did through Charles Sturt, which is a prerequisite to get into the Police Force.

“I did that in December last year after the injury and I could have gone to the Academy at the start of this year. I did the course to see what it was like and to see how I would go about it. It is a course you have to do before you can apply to go to Goulburn.

“You’ve only got one year after the course to go to the Academy, it was an option if I decided to finish up (playing NRL).

“Because I was injured, the club gave me time off so I thought I’d do some study. I still want to be a cop once I’ve finished. I will do the course again.”

Once his emotions were cornered and the injury began to heal, Burns realised his passion for rugby league burned deep.

And that only increased when he returned to training around his South Sydney teammates.

“Once I saw the injury was getting better and I started to run again, and then I got back in around the boys again, I started to miss footy,” he said.

“I really enjoyed being back with my teammates and training. That pulled me back into line and reminded how much I love footy and how much I do want to play.”

Burns’ injury list seems to be growing every season.

There was a ruptured patella tendon in his right knee last year, a torn left hamstring in 2019, a patella tendon tear and meniscus damage in 2018, which required surgery, and further patella tendon tears in 2017.

“I have been injured every year,” Burns said. “It wears you down a bit. You’re just hoping for a bit of luck, and you’re not getting it. And you’re not finding form on the field because you’re on and off. I haven’t played much footy over the last five years.

“I have also put my partner through everything I put her through; her having to stay home and look after me. She was adamant once I got back in around the boys that I’d be fine, which I was. I’m glad I listened to her.”

Burns won’t be afforded the chance to ease back into the NRL — he has been thrust straight into a game against the defending premiers at Stadium Australia.

“It was just under 10 months before I played on the weekend,” he said. “It wasn’t until I got off the field and went up to Tiannan, that’s when I felt that relief. To know I’ve gone through that whole process and got back on the field – it meant a lot.

“I got 50 minutes under my belt in the NSW Cup so I’m keen to go. I was just so happy being back on the field. I have ticked every box in my rehab over the last 10 months. I haven’t taken any short cuts.

“We have some injuries from the weekend. But given the strength of our squad, everyone is still confident we can go a long way. It’s exciting times.”
 
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