Predicted Finish: 4th

Actual Finish: 6th

I'm going to claim this as Souths proved in the finals that they're the third/fourth best team in the NRL. Another year as we have come to expect from the powerhouse in red and green.

A third straight Prelim exit though has to frustrate many.

3. Star Player

Cody Walker

There were a few standout players for the Rabbits in 2020 but none stood higher than their magnificent number six in Cody Walker.

Check these for stats across 21 games: 10 tries, 21 try assists, 17 line break assists, almost 100 running metres per game, and a tackling percentage of almost 85%. Throw in almost 100 kicking metres per game as a secondary kicker and you have an all around threat.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 20: Cody Walker of the Rabbitohs celebrates scoring a try with Dane Gagai of the Rabbitohs during the NRL Semi Final match between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Manly Sea Eagles at ANZ Stadium on September 20, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images)

Walker represented the Blues in the six in all three Origin games, including two starts in must win games. His Game Two performance was a thing of beauty.

An incredible season for the man now at the peak of his powers. I'd argue he was the best player in the competition across the second half of the season.

2 COMMENTS

  1. Hardly anyone predicted that Souths would make the Top 8, let alone the Top 4 or a Preliminary Final.

    Most scribes, experts and fans had the Rabbitohs finishing between 8th and 13th position given the turnover of Rabbitohs greats…
    GI, Sutton, Sam and George.
    Let us face it they weren’t replaced by anyone of note.

    What did emerge was quite a few youngsters stepping up and doing a fine job.
    These youngsters will be even better in 2021.

  2. Hey Reggie!
    Who predicted that Penrith would move from 11th position, to defeated once & minor premiers? Iโ€™d say that would be nobody at all!
    Southโ€™s had done the same last season, as they did for the 2 years before that. So although their forwards looked weaker on paper in 2020, it wasnโ€™t such a big call for them to achieve the same things yet again.
    So with the Panthers losing more talent , will they drop down? Probably, as itโ€™s hard to achieve even a minor premiership, with less experienced players. However, now that they know that they can achieve this & are good enough. Panthers youngsters like one of the best backs to come along in years , Charlie Staines. The young prop forward other clubs wanted to pay overs for , Spencer Leniu. Young star prop of the future, Lindsay Smith. Plus all the other youngsters , that now have some experience, such as Jerome Luai. Could also help them to stay near the top of the table.
    Whoโ€™s predicting them to stay where they were in 2020? No one …
    Is it possible?

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