The South Sydney Rabbitohs have seen a significant improvement in their performance, partly due to players losing a considerable amount of weight. This has enhanced their mobility and endurance, particularly noticeable in the final stages of games.
The team has adapted to the demands of the six-again rule, employing smaller, fitter forwards. Their scramble defense, while not identical to Canterbury's, shows similar effectiveness. Key players like Lachlan Hubner and Tallis Duncan have been vital to this shift.
Despite having the lowest meters per game and most meters conceded in the NRL, the Rabbitohs boast a 4-1 record in the final 20 minutes of games this season, a significant improvement on their 2024 record (10-13). Their success is attributed to their improved fitness and stamina, allowing them to maintain performance even when trailing.
Coach Wayne Bennett acknowledges the transformative change, emphasizing the improved commitment, fitness and effort displayed by the team, contrasting it to their initial state when he returned to the club.
“I’ve lost a fair bit of weight,” Arrow said after defending out-of-position at centre against the Roosters once Cody Walker and Mikaela Ravalawa were forced off.
With the way the game’s going and the capacity of [running] for the back row, high-speed metres and things like that, I knew the workload of playing 80 minutes can put miles in the legs and fatigue you fairly quickly.
“So for myself it was best to drop a few kilos and see how I go. If I was getting rag dolled I’d re-assess and put some kilos back on – but so far, so good.”
The Queensland Origin veteran “isn’t a morning person anyway” so only drinks coffee until he is done training for the day, and eats a big dinner to keep himself going the next day.
Bennett’s Bunnies have adapted to the added demands of the six-again era with smaller forwards stepping out in the mould of injured skipper Cameron Murray.
Redcliffe recruit Lachlan Hubner (95kg) is a favourite of Bennett’s for his work-rate and has stepped into Murray’s No.13 jumper in his absence.
Small forwards Tallis Duncan (95kg) Murray, Euan Aitken (both 96kg) and hooker Peter Mamouzelos (85kg) all weigh well under 100kg.
While props Tevita Tatola (114kg) and Davvy Moale (112kg) are the only Rabbitohs over 110kg with big man Shaquai Mitchell (listed at 116kg) out injured.
The Bunnies’ mobility and endurance is showing at the back end of games and in a scramble defence that is, statistically at least, not dissimilar to Canterbury’s last season.
Champion Data analysis shows the Rabbitohs have a 4-1 record this season between the 60th and 80th minutes this year. Wins against the Dolphins, Dragons and Roosters have all come after trailing at the hour-mark.
Their 2024 record over the same final 20 minutes was 10-13.
What makes the Rabbitohs’ winning start under Bennett even more remarkable is that only once, against the Dolphins in round one, have they run for more metres than their opposition.
Going into the Roosters clash, the Rabbitohs’ 1346 metres per game was the worst in the NRL, and the 1626 metres conceded was the most by any side.
So, too, the 13 offloads they allow each game. Their 39.5 missed tackles rank 14th in that category, and against the Roosters they missed 40 (17 more than their arch-rivals) yet still finished on top.
The Bulldogs produced similar numbers last season with their “check and release” defensive system that suits a smaller, fitter side able to scramble and cover any lapses.
South Sydney’s defence doesn’t fit the same mould as Canterbury’s, but Duncan’s 77th-minute chase-down and shove of Siua Wong into touch put the Rabbitohs’ new defensive energy on show all the same.
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Bennett struggled to express the exact impact a win like last Friday’s against the Roosters can have on a side, particularly at a club that has been through the wringer in the past 18 months.
He himself questioned their commitment, fitness and effort areas the first time he saw them on his Rabbitohs return.
But like the kilos his players shed all summer, the change is now there for all to see.
Michael Chammas and Andrew “Joey” Johns dissect the upcoming NRL round, plus the latest footy news, results and analysis. Sign up for the Sin Bin newsletter.
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