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25-04-08, 08:59 AM
Winless Rabbitohs aim to score
Matt Marshall and Steve Ricketts
April 25, 2008
EMBATTLED South Sydney last night moved to extinguish the flames engulfing the club – declaring there's "no crisis" despite its horror start to 2008.
The winless Bunnies have endured intense public criticism this week, last Sunday's capitulation to Wests Tigers prompting club legend John Sattler to declare the current crop the club's "worst ever".
Despite the 2008 season being just six weeks old, Souths' "season of promise" is already on the ropes but Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson has reassured the club's faithful his club is far from a rabble.
"We've got the current Kiwi captain and our vice-captain led Melbourne into a grand final two years ago," Richardson said. "We've got quality leaders and a strong playing roster. (Tonight's) side is the best we've put out all year. "When I took over at Souths four years ago we were struggling with our roster and the players we had. At 0-6 some people might say we're in the same boat, but it's not the case."
TAB Sportsbet yesterday posted Souths at $41 to go through '08 without a win, and they are $4.50 to shock the Broncos tonight – but Richardson predicts a first-up win will spark a dramatic change of fortune.
"We'll come out of this," Richardson said. "I've been here before and the only way to get out is to work hard and not panic. (But) It's never easy playing Brisbane in Brisbane, especially with Darren Lockyer back and playing for his Australian spot."
Broncos assistant coach Ivan Henjak said the hosts were bracing for fireworks, not the easy win many people predict.
"They're going to be desperate and unless we can take the game away from them, there's a real danger of us playing them back into form," Henjak said.
"We certainly don't want that to happen this week. They've got some real strike players.
"They can be a real dangerous outfit if we're not ready to play. We don't want to kickstart their season. We'd like to leave it for another week."
Henjak said he had enormous respect for Souths coach Jason Taylor, a former schoolmate.
"We've had a good relationship over a long period and he's always been a real calm kind of guy in a crisis," Henjak said. "He'll be desperate for a win and he'll have them really well prepared because that's the way he was as a player.
"When you're 0-6 . . . I know if we were in the same boat how we would be feeling and the resolve to get the job done and get that first win."
The Australian Rugby League yesterday announced the Centenary Test and next week's NSW City-Country Origin clash will be played under international rules, with 12 interchanges per team instead of the NRL's 10 interchange system.
Matt Marshall and Steve Ricketts
April 25, 2008
EMBATTLED South Sydney last night moved to extinguish the flames engulfing the club – declaring there's "no crisis" despite its horror start to 2008.
The winless Bunnies have endured intense public criticism this week, last Sunday's capitulation to Wests Tigers prompting club legend John Sattler to declare the current crop the club's "worst ever".
Despite the 2008 season being just six weeks old, Souths' "season of promise" is already on the ropes but Rabbitohs CEO Shane Richardson has reassured the club's faithful his club is far from a rabble.
"We've got the current Kiwi captain and our vice-captain led Melbourne into a grand final two years ago," Richardson said. "We've got quality leaders and a strong playing roster. (Tonight's) side is the best we've put out all year. "When I took over at Souths four years ago we were struggling with our roster and the players we had. At 0-6 some people might say we're in the same boat, but it's not the case."
TAB Sportsbet yesterday posted Souths at $41 to go through '08 without a win, and they are $4.50 to shock the Broncos tonight – but Richardson predicts a first-up win will spark a dramatic change of fortune.
"We'll come out of this," Richardson said. "I've been here before and the only way to get out is to work hard and not panic. (But) It's never easy playing Brisbane in Brisbane, especially with Darren Lockyer back and playing for his Australian spot."
Broncos assistant coach Ivan Henjak said the hosts were bracing for fireworks, not the easy win many people predict.
"They're going to be desperate and unless we can take the game away from them, there's a real danger of us playing them back into form," Henjak said.
"We certainly don't want that to happen this week. They've got some real strike players.
"They can be a real dangerous outfit if we're not ready to play. We don't want to kickstart their season. We'd like to leave it for another week."
Henjak said he had enormous respect for Souths coach Jason Taylor, a former schoolmate.
"We've had a good relationship over a long period and he's always been a real calm kind of guy in a crisis," Henjak said. "He'll be desperate for a win and he'll have them really well prepared because that's the way he was as a player.
"When you're 0-6 . . . I know if we were in the same boat how we would be feeling and the resolve to get the job done and get that first win."
The Australian Rugby League yesterday announced the Centenary Test and next week's NSW City-Country Origin clash will be played under international rules, with 12 interchanges per team instead of the NRL's 10 interchange system.