The South Sydney Rabbitohs are in a state of freefall and are in serious danger of missing finals for the first time since 2017 following their 29-10 loss against the Newcastle Knights.
The Rabbitohs were sitting in first in Round 11 with an 8-3 record and were considered premiership favourites. Since then, the Rabbitohs have gone 4-8 and have not had consecutive wins in that stretch.
The Daily Telegraph’s David Riccio highlighted the lack of effort from their leaders and believes that has filtered through the squad.
“Where have they gone?,” Riccio said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
“What has happened to Latrell Mitchell?
“I was prepared to give Souths the benefit of the doubt over the past couple of weeks because I believed they would get their mojo back.
“It just hasn’t happened and Latrell isn’t the player that he normally is.
“He’s not producing the effort areas that culminate and spread throughout the team.
“When your leaders produce those little efforts, it amounts to something.
“It’s infectious and I don’t see that at this point in time from Latrell.
“They are leaking at an excess of 24 points a game and their defence is shot.
"They can’t be winning finals matches leaking over 24 points a game.
“That’s the greatest problem area for Souths.”
The Rabbitohs have their final bye in Round 26 before taking on hosting arch-rivals the Sydney Roosters in the final round.
After three months of underwhelming football, Riccio believes their Round 26 bye couldn’t come at a worse time.
“I don’t like the bye coming for South Sydney,” Riccio continued.
“I don’t see how it is beneficial either way whether they had won or lost yesterday.
“Now that they’ve lost, all they are thinking about is saving their season.
“This entire period now is thinking and stressing about whether they are going to play finals.”
The Bunnies sit in eighth spot on the ladder and face a likely sudden death match in the final round against the Roosters.