Wayne Bennett‘s second tenure as Rabbitohs head coach has turned into a nightmare before it has even truly begun.
In a crushing blow to the club’s finals hopes, inspirational skipper Cameron Murray left the training paddock on Wednesday morning with a suspected Achilles rupture.
The injury would likely rule Murray out for the entire season, leaving a gaping hole not only from a leadership perspective, but also as one of their most important players.
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When he is on the field, South Sydney are a far superior football team and his absence for a large portion of last year is a major reason why the side finished in 16th spot.
Murray was limited to just 14 appearances in the red and green, but looked primed to be fit for the opening round before disaster struck this week.
So where do the Bunnies go now?
The first issue will be who leads the side into their round one clash against the Dolphins, with experienced figures Damien Cook and Tom Burgess both moving on in 2025.
Latrell Mitchell would have been a leading candidate, but the superstar fullback was also injured at training and could be unavailable to start the campaign.
It will likely see Cody Walker step up into the main leadership position, which perhaps doesn’t feel like the most natural role for the five-eighth.
The biggest dilemma for Bennett, however, will come around replacing Murray in the middle of the field, which is already an area of concern for the Rabbitohs.
While they aren’t short on potential options, replacing Murray – who plays big minutes and can fill a variety of roles in the pack – is easier said than done.
The safest option to wear the No.13 jumper is Jai Arrow, who has played at the highest level in his career and is comfortable in the middle, despite spending time on the edge during his four-year stint at Souths thus far.
Keaon Koloamatangi also split his time between middle and edge last year while Murray was on the sidelines and has proven himself to be a high work-rate player.
But perhaps the best man to fill the void at lock is young gun Tallis Duncan, who put pen to paper on a fresh two-year contract less than a fortnight before Murray’s injury.
The 22-year-old has gradually developed into a fine young player and is the closest in terms of style, physical build and skill to what Murray brings to the table.
“He gives us versatility in our forwards rotation, but most importantly, he has the right attitude and drive to be the best he can be every time he pulls on the Rabbitohs jersey and wants to be a South Sydney player,” head of football Mark Ellison said.
Duncan played seven games in his first season, before racking up 20 appearances last year for the foundation club and impressing many smart judges despite lean results.
He averaged 93 run metres and 24 tackles per game, with most of those coming off the bench where Duncan brought some much-needed energy through the middle.
Even if Duncan does become the side’s starting lock, the truth of the matter is that it will take more than one player to replace Murray and rotation will become vital.
Josh Schuster remains somewhat of an X-factor at the Rabbitohs, but should the Samoan international get himself in the right shape to play week-to-week first grade, he could absolutely take a bench spot and split playing time with Duncan.
The utility didn’t play in the club’s first trial and was nowhere to be seen in the Charity Shield team list, with rumblings of a potential injury placing his spot in doubt.
Siliva Havili has been used at hooker and lock during his stint at Redfern, while the likes of Lachlan Hubner and Jamie Humphreys could push for a spot in Bennett’s 17.
The absence of Murray is a major headache for Bennett as he looks to take Souths back into the top-eight for the first time since 2022.
But if anyone can make it work, the seven-time premiership winner is the man.
South Sydney round one predicted team
1. Jye Gray 2. Tyrone Munro 3. Declan Casey 4. Jack Wighton 5. Isaiah Tass 6. Cody Walker (c) 7. Lewis Dodd 8. Jai Arrow 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Davvy Moale 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Euan Aitken 13. Tallis Duncan 14. Jamie Humphreys 15. Tevita Tatola 16. Siliva Havili 17. Sean Keppie