The Greenhouse

NRL.com's predicted Rabbitohs Round 1 team

1. Alex Johnston
2. Campbell Graham
3. Braidon Burns
4. James Roberts
5. Dane Gagai
6. Cody Walker
7. Adam Reynolds
8. Liam Knight
9. Damien Cook
10. Thomas Burgess
11. Jaydn Su'A
12. Ethan Lowe
13. Cameron Murray

14. Adam Doueihi
15. Tevita Tatola
16. Mark Nicholls
17. Tom Amone

Others: Corey Allan, Joshua Cook, Troy Dargan, Cory Denniss, Kurt Dillon, Bryson Goodwin, Dean Hawkins, Keaon Kolomatangi, Steven Marsters, Ky Rodwell, Bayley Sironen

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/03/sou ... cted-team/

A top quality 7 and 9 will always see you push for a top 4 spot, especially with a decent forward pack, but I still think Souths over-achieved a little bit last season. Top 8 for sure, if the starting 13 stay fit.

There is just something about the entirely predictable way they play which makes them less threatening than other teams. If they are a bit off their game it all seems to fall apart. A lot of that seems to stem from whether Cody Walker is having a good day or not.

History shows they will also miss Sam Burgess's leadership.

Their forward pack doesn't look particularly strong - even with the addition of Arrow.

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Doueihi was a machine at fullback at the back-end of last year, he should be starting with Johnston on a wing.

They are fairly light on edge back rowers, nothing inspiring in the reserves either

Top 8

Mitchell will end up at fullback round 1.

Yeah, that's potentially a big factor.

Latrell Mitchell to Rabbitohs a done deal but superstar has cost himself big money

After months of speculation abandoned Rooster Latrell Mitchell has agreed to a deal with South Sydney — but it’s proved a financially costly move for the superstar.

Fox Sports understands the 22-year-old met with South Sydney co-owner Russell Crowe on Wednesday at his house on the far north NSW coast to finalise a deal worth $600,000 for next season, with the Roosters to pay $120k on top of that amount.

Read more: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... b3da730e5b

The way I read it he will get $720k for 2020 ($600k Souths, $120k Roosters) and $800k for 2021. I don't see how he sacrificing much money given the Roosters initial offer was $800k.

Except others were offering more than $800,000 a season and they strung them along and turned down those other clubs.

greeneyed wrote: ↑January 10, 2020, 12:04 pm Except others were offering more than $800,000 a season and they strung them along and turned down those other clubs.

Only the Tigers reported $950k per season. My feeling is there were issues beyond the actual money at play here.

The bunnies are due some really bad karma for how this has all unfolded, or neatly fallen in their lap. Two - million dollar players at the end of their careers moved on but still being paid, with no hit to the cap. What an absolute **** farce.

Edit

They've replaced two rep players with three rep players.

gergreg wrote:The bunnies are due some really bad karma for how this has all unfolded, or neatly fallen in their lap. Two - million dollar players at the end of their careers moved on but still being paid, with no hit to the cap. What an absolute **** farce.

Edit

They've replaced two rep players with three rep players.

NRL Salary cap has more holes than Swiss cheese.

OFFICIAL: Latrell Mitchell signs with South Sydney Rabbitohs

Latrell Mitchell has been officially unveiled as South Sydney's newest star signing, on a two-year deal at Redfern, starting in 2020 and with the 2021 component an option in the club's favour.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/13/rab ... -for-2020/

Roosters confirm Mitchell's departure: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/01/10/lat ... departure/

Mitchell to be Rabbitohs' first choice fullback: https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-pr ... fd5efcabac

gergreg wrote: ↑January 10, 2020, 5:08 pm The bunnies are due some really bad karma for how this has all unfolded, or neatly fallen in their lap. Two - million dollar players at the end of their careers moved on but still being paid, with no hit to the cap. What an absolute **** farce.

Edit

They've replaced two rep players with three rep players.

It is difficult to fathom how the NRL is allowing all this... when they're standing in the way of Jordan Rapana coming back to the Raiders mid-season.

Well, they still have issues in the middle but they're looking strong in the backs. Going to be an interesting first few rounds. Round 3 will be a cracker.

At least it makes the Roosters weaker for next year and I still think with have the Rabbitohs covered. Personally I have my doubts Bennett takes enough risks to coach a premiership team anymore as well.

It still sucks that to see the top talent going to the same teams though.

Interesting days.

Will be keen to see if Mitchell can replicate what Inglis did and adjust to a much higher workload at fullback.

**** knows what the NRL salary cap auditor has done here to allow him to sign for a club for 20-30% less than what he was offered elsewhere. Good system.

Can Leilua play on the left? Back to the Roosters for him?

Quality player. Really good acquisition for Souths.

I think Bennet is pants as a coach these days. Souths don't really have the pack to be a contender without Arrow arriving this year. Their pack is mid tier at best as it is and they one in injury away from it being total suck.

It will be a remarkable season if their backs can keep them in the top 4. Worth watching for sure but it will take an atg season from Latrell. I don't see it happening.

Roosters are weaker. Good. Really don't like them.

Losing the two Burgess (and Sutton) is going to be massive. Liam Knight and Tom Burgess starting props. Cook and Murray can only do so much.

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greeneyed wrote:

gergreg wrote: ↑January 10, 2020, 5:08 pm The bunnies are due some really bad karma for how this has all unfolded, or neatly fallen in their lap. Two - million dollar players at the end of their careers moved on but still being paid, with no hit to the cap. What an absolute **** farce.

Edit

They've replaced two rep players with three rep players.

It is difficult to fathom how the NRL is allowing all this... when they're standing in the way of Jordan Rapana coming back to the Raiders mid-season.

Spot on Greeneyed. Rapana situation is a joke when compared to other player signings.

We had to continue to payout Campese and Orford on the Salary Cap despite their obvious injury related physical hindrances. Yet Souths can payout Inglis and Burgess outside the cap.

Parra couldn’t sign Folau for unders, yet Souths can sign Latrell and Broncos could sign Milford for well under other market offers.

NRL Salary Cap rulings continually benefit powerful clubs but hit weaker clubs.

the rare case where i do believe the response from GE regarding unfair treatment is justified

Souths are allowed to medically clear Sam Burgess from their salary cap, under extremely dubious circumstances which is basically tantamount to NRL endorsed salary cap cheating, and with the free salary cap space, they've been allowed to sign one of the best young players in the game on a deal well below what other clubs were offering (ie. his market) but the Raiders cant sign Jordan Rapana, a 30 year old, injury prone winger, to a mutually agreeable deal IF he finishes up his Japanese Rugby season fit and healthy and willing to play because it might not be market value... not that they'd know since they've already rejected it without even know what the Raiders offer would be, or what other clubs are willing to offer.

Australia have their first ever 10 wicket win over India and Botman agrees with Greeneyed.

Like 9/11 or Diana death. We will all remember what we were doing when we heard the news.

Liam Knight knocks back big bucks to re-sign with South Sydney Rabbitohs to end 2023

Rising Rabbitohs prop Liam Knight knocked back the best part of $500,000 to recommit at Redfern. Knight signed a new three-year Souths deal on Thursday afternoon, spurning a lucrative offer from the Gold Coast to remain in Sydney until the end of 2023.

Read more: https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/02/07/kni ... rabbitohs/

GC are in trouble if people are refusing overs to go there..

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Might be doing them a favour. The players that were willing to go there for overs bombed badly.
Not surprised Knight chose to stick around. Due to injuries and lack of depth he's pushed his way into a permanent starting spot at a club that should be playing finals footy the next 3 years vs the titans.

I don't get the hype on Knight. I liked him while at the club but as a third bench prop max, and I don't think he really improved much from that.

Improved while here or at Souths? He's improved a lot at Souths. I don't agree with the hype (some mentioning him for an origin bench spot, which is just silly) but he's definitely good enough to play a proper role.

zim wrote:Improved while here or at Souths? He's improved a lot at Souths. I don't agree with the hype (some mentioning him for an origin bench spot, which is just silly) but he's definitely good enough to play a proper role.

Agreed, but he needs to get those regular errors out of his game.

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gergreg wrote: ↑February 7, 2020, 4:54 pm

zim wrote:Improved while here or at Souths? He's improved a lot at Souths. I don't agree with the hype (some mentioning him for an origin bench spot, which is just silly) but he's definitely good enough to play a proper role.

Agreed, but he needs to get those regular errors out of his game.

He's improved with greater opportunity but yes, those errors are far too common.

Liam Knight has more errors in a game than a bloke who sprays Aerogard in his mouth after being arrested for drink driving.





Funniest joke ever for anyone in the know.

zim wrote: ↑February 7, 2020, 3:38 pm Improved while here or at Souths? He's improved a lot at Souths. I don't agree with the hype (some mentioning him for an origin bench spot, which is just silly) but he's definitely good enough to play a proper role.

I thought he was pretty good for us but underused and it's more down to opportunity now.

I guess I am more reacting to the Origin talk. He is a bog average prop who racks up some decent counting stats (to borrow a basketball phrase) but doesn't turn a game.

We definitely kept the better options in Guler and Horsburgh.

zim wrote:We definitely kept the better options in Guler and Horsburgh.

Spot on. Two players on the up.