The 2016 South Sydney Rabbitohs season is the 107th in the club's history. Coached by Michael Maguire and captained by Greg Inglis, they are competing in the National Rugby League's 2016 Telstra Premiership.
Pre-season The South Sydney Rabbitohs pre-season will consist of: Auckland Nines tournament playing the Sydney Roosters, Parramatta Eels and Melbourne Storm in the round robin on 6 and 7 February. The 33rd Charity Shield against the St. George Illawarra Dragons on 13 February. A pre-season trial against the Gold Coast Titans at Pizzey Park on 20 February.
Also during the pre-season on 13 February (the same date of the Charity Shield) the All Stars match will be played originally consisting of the following Rabbitohs; Greg Inglis, Alex Johnston, Chris Grevsmuhl (Indigenous All Stars) and Sam Burgess, Tom Burgess (World All Stars). However, as of 9 February, Johnston and Grevsmuhl withdrew with injuries and Sam Burgess chose not to participate. Adam Reynolds has since been added to the World All Stars team.
Auckland Nines South Sydney started the year with the 2016 NRL Auckland Nines. They were captained by 2014 Premiership winning captain John Sutton. This years nines tournament saw Damien Cook, Michael Oldfield, Hymel Hunt and Cody Walker make their rabbitohs debuts along with a number of under South Sydney NYC players playing. South Sydney started with a win over the Sydney Roosters, Souths won the match 14–13 to extend their Nines winning streak to 7 strait matches. Alex Johnston, Kirisome Auvaa and Michael Oldfield scored tries with new recruit Damien Cook kicking the winning goal. South Sydney then faced the Melbourne Storm where they lost 18–12. John Olive, Hymel Hunt and Damien Cook scored tries in the match. On day 2 of the nines, Souths needed to either beat or draw with eventual champions the Parramatta Eels. Souths lost the game 24–11 with Bryson Goodwin and Cameron McInnes scoring tries along with a goal from Damien Cook.
Squad list
2016 gains
Player 2015 Club Until End of Notes Sam Burgess Bath Rugby 2018 Damien Cook Canterbury Bulldogs 2017 Hymel Hunt Melbourne Storm 2016 Dane Nielsen Bradford Bulls 2017 Michael Oldfield Catalans Dragons 2016
2016 losses
Player 2016 Club Notes Isaac Luke New Zealand Warriors Ben Lowe Retirement Chris McQueen Gold Coast Titans Darren Nicholls Brisbane Broncos John Olive Gold Coast Titans Glenn Stewart Catalans Dragons Tim Grant Wests Tigers Dylan Walker Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Re-signings
Player Club Until End of Notes Jack Gosiewski South Sydney Rabbitohs 2017 Cody Walker South Sydney Rabbitohs 2019 Jason Clark South Sydney Rabbitohs 2018 Greg Inglis South Sydney Rabbitohs 2020
2017 gains
Player 2015 Club Until End of Notes Brett Greinke Brisbane Broncos 2017 (Mid season) Robert Jennings Penrith Panthers 2018 Tyrell Fuimaono Parramatta Eels 2018 Braidon Burns Penrith Panthers 2018 Connor Tracey Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks 2018 Robbie Rochow Newcastle Knights 2017 Robbie Farah Wests Tigers 2018
2017 losses
Player 2016 Club Notes
2016 NRL Season
Highest Winning Margin – 42 points (Round 2 Vs Newcastle Knights)
Closest Winning Margin – 2 points (Round 10 Vs Parramatta Eels)
Highest Losing Margin – 50 points (Round 21 Vs Canberra Raiders)
Closest Losing Margin – 1 point (Round 13 Vs Gold Coast Titans), (Round 22 Vs Melbourne Storm)
Most Points Scored by Souths in a Match – 48 (Round 2 Vs Newcastle Knights)
Least Points Scored by Souths in a Match – 0 (Round 17 Vs North Queensland Cowboys)
Most Points Scored against Souths in a Match – 54 (Round 21 Vs Canberra Raiders)
Least Points Scored against Souths in a Match – 6 (Round 2 Vs Newcastle Knights), (Round 25 Vs Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks)
Longest Winning Streak – 4 Matches, Round 23 – Round 26
Longest Losing Streak – 9 Matches, Round 13 – Round 22
Significant rounds Round 1 (Vs Sydney Roosters), Damien Cook and Hymel Hunt Rabbitohs debut games. Round 1 (Vs Sydney Roosters), Zane Musgrove, Cody Walker NRL first grade debut games. Round 4 (Vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs), Michael Oldfield Rabbitohs debut. Round 5 (Vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), Luke Keary 50th NRL first grade game (all for SSR). Round 5 (Vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), Sam Burgess 100th NRL first grade game (all for SSR). Round 5 (Vs Manly Warringah Sea Eagles), South Sydney Rabbitohs 35, 000th point scored (try scored by souths junior and hooker Cameron McInnes). Round 8 (Vs Brisbane Broncos), Dane Nielsen Rabbitohs debut game. Round 9 (Vs Wests Tigers), Patrice Siolo Rabbitohs debut game. Round 10 (Vs Parramatta Eels), Jack Gosiewski NRL first grade debut game. Round 11 (Vs St George Illawarra), Bryson Goodwin 150th NRL first grade game. Round 11 (Vs St George Illawarra), Bryson Goodwin 500th NRL first grade point. Round 11 (Vs St George Illawarra), Adam Reynolds 800th NRL first grade point.
Player appearances
FB=FullbackC=CentreW=WingerFE=Five-EightHB=HalfbackPR=PropH=HookerSR=Second RowL=LockB=Bench NoPlayer12 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 261 Greg Inglis FB FB FB FB FB FB FB FB FB FE FE Bye FE FE C C Bye FB FB FB FB FB 2 Alex Johnston W W W FB FB W W W FB W W W W W W W W W 3 Bryson Goodwin C C C C W W W C C C C SR C 4 Hymel Hunt C C C C C C C C C C C C C 5 Aaron Gray W W W W W W W W W C W W C C C C C C C C C 6 Cody Walker FE FE FE FE FE FE W FB FB FE FE FB FB FB FB FE FE FE FE FE 7 Adam Reynolds HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB HB 8 Sam Burgess PR L L PR PR L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L L 9 Cameron McInnes H H H H H H H B B H H H H H H H H H H 10 David Tyrrell PR PR PR PR B PR PR PR B PR PR B B PR PR 11 Paul Carter SR SR SR SR B B SR SR SR SR SR B Sacked12 John Sutton SR SR SR SR FE SR SR SR SR SR SR SR 13 Kyle Turner L SR SR SR SR SR SR SR SR SR SR B SR SR SR SR SR C SR SR SR SR SR 14 Damien Cook B B B B B B H H B B B B H H H H H 15 Jason Clark B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B B 16 Chris Grevsmuhl B B SR SR SR SR SR Released: Penrith Panthers17 Zane Musgrove B PR PR PR B B 18 Luke Keary HB HB HB HB HB FE FE FE B B B HB HB FE HB FE FE 19 George Burgess PR PR PR PR PR B B B B B PR PR B FR FR FR 20 Nathan Brown B B L L L B B B FR FR FR B B FR FR SR B B B B B 21 Kirisome Auva'a B B B C C C B C C C C C C Sacked22 Michael Oldfield W W W W 23 Thomas Burgess FR B PR PR PR PR PR PR PR PR PR PR PR PR B PR PR PR PR 24 Dane Nielsen C W W W W C W 25 Patrice Siolo B B x 26 Jack Gosiewski B B B B B B 26 Siosifa Talakai B B C 27 Ed Murphy C C 28 Joe Burgess Contracted to Sydney Roosters W W W W x W W W W W29 Tautalatasi Tasi B B 30Angus Crichton B B SR B B B B B
= Injured
= Suspended
/ = Unable to play due to State of Origin camp.
Player Appearances Tries Goals Field Goals Total Points – – – – – –
Representative honours
Domestic PlayerTeamCall-up FB Greg Inglis Indigenous All Stars 2016 All Stars match HB Adam Reynolds World All Stars 2016 All Stars match PR Thomas Burgess World All Stars 2016 All Stars match CE Aaron Gray NSW City 2016 City vs Country Origin BE Nathan Brown NSW Country 2016 City vs Country Origin CE Greg Inglis Queensland 2016 State of Origin HB Adam Reynolds NSW 2016 State of Origin
International
PlayerTeamCall-up CE Greg Inglis Australia 2016 Anzac Test CE Kirisome Auva'a Samoa 2016 Polynesian Cup WG Michael Oldfield Tonga 2016 Polynesian Cup CE Greg Inglis Australia 2016 Four Nations LK Sam Burgess (C) England 2016 Four Nations PR Thomas Burgess England 2016 Four Nations PR George Burgess England 2016 Four Nations
Individual honours
George Piggins Medal Jack Rayner Players' Player Award Bob McCarthy Clubman of the Year Award John Sattler Rookie of the year Award Roy Asotasi Members’ Choice Award The Burrow Appreciation Award NYC Best and Fairest Award NYC Players’ Player Sam Burgess Sam Burgess Jason Clark Cody Walker Cody Walker Kyle Turner Maia Sands Maia Sands
Controversies
Luke Keary Vs Russell Crowe in Coffs Harbour In January, Keary was involved in an ugly bust-up with actor and Rabbitohs club co-owner Russell Crowe in a boozy pre-season bonding session at Crowe's farm in Nana Glen, New South Wales. It was revealed that Keary was furious at Crowe after he berated him, Cameron McInnes and some of the younger players. Keary defended them then Crowe told him that he not worth the money of his contract, sending Keary into a rage towards Crowe then at senior Rabbitohs leader Sam Burgess for reportedly not sticking up for the younger players. After that he was ordered by Crowe to leave his property, so left catching a taxi at about 3:00am. Keary later signed a contract to join rivals the Sydney Roosters from the start of 2017.
Chris Grevsmuhl walking out on the Club In January, it was revealed that Grevsmuhl had signed a 2-year contract with the Penrith Panthers starting in 2017. On 20 May, Grevsmuhl joined the Panthers mid-season after being released from the remainder of his Rabbitohs contract. He said that he was unwilling to play under Rabbitohs coach Michael Maguire any further. Grevsmuhl said, "He’s a mind-game specialist. He breaks you down mentally. He questioned why I was there, the effort I was putting in, and questioned why I was talking to other clubs.
Kirisome Auva'a Sacking On 13 July 2016, Auva’a was sacked by the Rabbitohs for a second breach of the NRL’s Testing Policy for illicit substances. While Auva’a, did not return a positive test for an illicit or hazardous substance in this instance, he contravened the rules as set out in the NRL Policy. Under the terms of the policy, the Rabbitohs had the right to terminate the troubled star’s contract for a second breach. In a statement released on Thursday afternoon, South Sydney said they would “continue to offer welfare assistance and support to Kirisome”.ww.dailytelegraph.com.au/sport/nrl/teams/rabbitohs/kirisome-auvaa-sacked-by-south-sydney-rabbitohs/news-story/28c6a73d4cd24abc1740bbe33536d257
Paul Carter Sacking In July 2016 (while contracted with the Rabbitohs) Carter was sacked because he failed to attend a training session following a weekend bender. This was not Carter's first breach of conduct with the club.
Following Carter's sacking by the Rabbitohs, he checked into an alcohol rehabilitation centre in Thailand.
Cody Walker contract saga
References