South Sydney Rabbitohs 2016 season in review

2016 started out so brightly for South Sydney - they welcomed back premiership hero Sam Burgess and thrashed local rivals Sydney Roosters in the opening round but that was the highlight of the early season.

The Rabbitohs struggled with injuries and consistency through 2016, unable to find the spark from their spine and this was evident in their nine game losing streak from Rounds 13 to 19 which included tough losses to Gold Coast and Penrith.

The boys in red and green missed halfback Adam Reynolds for large portions of the season after his State of Origin debut, which affected their performances - alongside the constant shuffling of the backline, this didn't help the 2014 premiers.

Frustratingly for fans, Greg Inglis did produce the NRL's comedy moment of the year in their 8-6 loss to St George Illawarra at the SCG, as he fired a wayward field goal attempt that would have made it a one-point loss. Such a moment summed up their season: close but not good enough for the cardinal and myrtle.

They eventually found form all too late in the season, and once they were out of the finals race they strung together four straight wins to finish on a high, punctuated by a tough 12-6 victory over eventual premiers Cronulla Sharks on a Monday night and a sound victory over an aimless Canterbury side in the final game of the season. The combination between Greg Inglis and Cody Walker gave the fans a glimpse into possible better times for the Redfern-based club in 2017. 

Turning Point

Coming off a 50 point thrashing against Canberra on a sunny Sunday afternoon, the Rabbitohs headed into Melbourne with pundits expecting another huge result against the red and green. Instead - the Bunnies produced a brilliant defensive display to keep the Storm scoreless in the first half since 2004. They eventually wilted in extra time, losing 15-14 thanks to Cameron Smith field goal - but their display paved the way to end the season on a high.  

What Worked?

The basic game plan for South Sydney during their salad days was a platform built by their forwards led by the Burgess brothers. When they were on top they created results like their 41-22 win over the Warriors across the ditch. The forwards gave Greg Inglis and the rest of the backline the freedom to create - and as a result, pile on the points.

What Didn't Work?

Errors. 2016 produced more dropped balls than a high school class as the Rabbitohs fumbled through the opening half of the season. Their gameplan in what worked was undone by simple errors made by the forwards which had the Rabbitohs on the back foot most of the game and thus they finished outside the eight for the second straight season.

Best Players

In such a disappointing season, rookie Cody Walker was a lone bright spot in much of the early season as he produced eight tries in 20 appearances as well as provided some x-factor in an injury ravaged team. Late in the season - Damien Cook relieved Cameron McInnes of the starting hooker duties and the service of the former Bulldog was key to their end of season turnaround. Also in his return to the NRL, Sam Burgess only missed one game all season and amassed a huge 3531 running metres to lead all players.

Lower Grades Round-Up

It was a disappointing season for the lower grades at South Sydney, with neither side making the finals.

Holden Cup Under 20's

The Rabbitohs' Under 20's matched their NRL counterparts with a 12th placed finish, offering little all season

Intrust Super Premiership NSW

Rabbitohs' affiliate the North Sydney Bears suffered a last-round loss pushing them out of the top eight, left to languish in 10th after the dust settled.

2017 Chances

Next year is looking up for the pride of the league, with the recruitment of New South Wales hooker Robbie Farah combined with the re-signing of key personnel including Adam Reynolds and Greg Inglis pointing to brighter things - and a potential finish inside the top eight.  

2017 Best Line-Up

1. Greg Inglis
2. Alex Johnston
3. Hymel Hunt
4. Aaron Gray
5. Bryson Goodwin
6. Cody Walker
7. Adam Reynolds
8. George Burgess
9. Robbie Farah
10. Tom Burgess
11. John Sutton
12. Kyle Turner
13. Sam Burgess

14. Jason Clark
15. Robbie Rochow
16. Jack Gosiewski
17. Damien Cook