South Sydney Rabbitohs’ late-season implosion exposes deep issues at the club

It comes after a dramatic day at Heffron Park, where assistant Sam Burgess quit the club only nine days out from the side’s biggest game of the year, amid a falling out with head coach Jason Demetriou.

Burgess is believed to have taken exception to what he perceived to be the preferential treatment of superstars Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker.

HOW DID SOUTHS SPIRAL OUT OF CONTROL?

South Sydney weren’t supposed to be fighting to stay alive in the finals race with one regular-season game to go, when they face a must-win clash with arch rivals the Roosters.

Coach Jason Demetriou had the puzzle pieces to challenge Penrith for the title — a settled roster made up of a stable of genuine stars capable of taking down the western Sydney giants.

Demetriou made no significant signings in 2023 and only lost forward Mark Nicholls and fringe first graders Kodi Nikorima, Josh Mansour, Richie Kennar and, Jaxson Paulo.

After 11 rounds, the Rabbitohs were leading the NRL ladder, looked a better side than the year before and had closed the gap on Penrith.

The first sign of trouble for the Bunnies came when Mitchell found himself sidelined for almost three months with a calf injury, losing five of the seven games the superstar was sidelined.

Mitchell’s injuries are a worrying trend for the club. Mitchell played 96 games over four seasons at the Roosters and barely missed a match.

He’s only managed 64 games over the same period due to injury but also suspension. Mitchell was flown to the US last year to work with injury rehabilitation guru Bill Knowles to treat a serious hamstring injury that sidelined him for almost three months.

The Rabbitohs have a strong win record with Mitchell of about 70 per cent when he takes the field. But still, the Bunnies have only beaten St George Illawarra and the Wests Tigers since Mitchell’s return four weeks ago. They’ve been put to the sword by title hopefuls Cronulla and Newcastle.

But Mitchell’s injuries are only part of the Rabbitohs’ on-field demise. Five-eighth Cody Walker has been off the pace since Origin, while halfback Lachlan Ilias suffered from a severe case of second-year syndrome, failing to stamp his authority on the side.

But even as the Rabbitohs slid down the NRL ladder in recent weeks, experts were convinced this could be the outfit to defy history and become the first team since Canterbury in 1995 to win the title from outside of the top four.

It’s hard to write-off a side that boasts the likes of Mitchell, Walker, Cameron Murray, Damien Cook, Alex Johnston and Keaon Koloamatangi.

But while everyone else was spruiking the Rabbitohs’ chances on the field, the wheels were falling off the bandwagon behind closed doors.

Demetriou wasn’t seeing eye-to-eye with Burgess and John Morris on what it would take to reverse the form slump. The coach clashed with Walker over tactics.

There were some suggestions that the assistants were undermining Demetriou but that was denied, and yet Warrington-bound Burgess is now gone and Morris is on his way out, having committed to join the Wests Tigers in 2024.

Demetriou’s three-year extension has been agreed but not announced, with CEO Blake Solly publicly backing him on Wednesday.

HOW DOES JASON DEMETRIOU FIX IT?

A leak can sink a ship – the Rabbitohs only have to heed the Tigers as a warning.

Solly insisted neither Burgess or Morris had leaked stories about player unrest and dissent in the coaching ranks.

But those rumours were not out of thin air.

If Burgess or Morris are not responsible, then the culprit is still within the four falls at Heffron Park.

It leaves Demetriou with not only nine days to plug that hole, but to find a way to rediscover the confidence that had abandoned the side.

The effort in defence to start the season — conceding 12.7 points per game in their first 11 rounds — that made them look like a premiership-winning team, has also deserted the Rabbitohs over the last three months, where they’re now leaking 27.4 points per contest.

Effort and attitude in defence are driven by standards — the kind of standards Mitchell has reportedly been accused of failing to meet.

Demetriou denied that charge and insisted Mitchell is the one raising the bar.

So the immediate fix is in Demetriou’s chops as a people manager and ability to massage personalities.

THE OTHER BURGESS – TOM

While Sam Burgess is gone, brother Tom remains on the Rabbitohs’ roster.

Sam has already earmarked his younger brother as a recruitment target to play under him at Warrington when he comes off-contract at the end of next season.

However, Sam may attempt to lure Tom earlier given his abrupt departure from Heffron Park.

THE CAPTAIN – Cameron Murray

Leading through his actions has never been an issue for Murray but finding a voice to cut through larger-than-life personalities is always going to be a challenge.

A Fairfax report revealed Mitchell had ‘snapped’ at Murray for not passing him the ball when he wanted it. The captain had no problem with putting Mitchell in his place and responded ‘most of the time you’re not there’.

From the outside looking in, it might feel like two senior players clashing in an awkward moment in front of teammates. But in reality, it’s a moment where Murray found enough of a voice to hold Mitchell accountable for his actions on the field.

THE SUPERSTAR – Latrell Mitchell

Mitchell arrived at Redfern in 2020 to much fanfare and as the man who would be the linchpin in the Rabbitohs’ premiership window.

Instead, Mitchell has been the missing link in South Sydney’s title hopes.

In 2021, a brain explosion of a tackle, that left Roosters centre Joey Manu with multiple face fractures, saw Mitchell rubbed out of the finals series.

Pundits still believe if Mitchell had been on the field in the 2021 grand final, South Sydney would have been the premiers.

A hamstring Injury cruelled Mitchell the year before and he missed the last seven games of the season, including South Sydney’s preliminary final loss to Penrith.

When Mitchell walked away from the Roosters in 2019, he did so with two premiership rings and had solidified his standing as a big-game player. He’s yet to capitalise on that reputation as a Rabbitoh.

DO OR DIE – Round 27

This week’s clash against arch rivals the Roosters is must-win for South Sydney’s finals chances, and once again Mitchell will miss the most important game of another season.

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Ill-discipline has cost Mitchell after he accepted a one-match ban for collecting Newcastle’s Tyson Frizell in the back of the head last weekend.

Mitchell’s absence turns the spotlight on Walker, who has struggled to find form since his man-of-the-match performance for NSW in Origin III.

Walker has been known to lose his cool against the Tricolours but if the Rabbitohs are going to be given a chance against a rejuvenated Roosters side, with just as much to play for, Walker must be ready to play one the most controlled games of his career.