After one of the most physically and emotionally demanding games in their history, South Sydney have another arduous task ahead of them on Friday night when they take on the Storm – a team they have beaten just six times since the NRL era began in 1998.
With the bruising 13-12 win over the Sea Eagles last week still fresh in the minds – and bodies – of the players, the eighth-placed Rabbitohs said they were desperate to back it up with another two points over their bogy side at Accor Stadium.
“The body is a bit sore, but that’s footy,” Souths winger Alex Johnston said. “If anything, it will make us hungry to keep momentum and hopefully keep winning. We’ve only won two games this year, so we definitely need to get more two points on the board for us.”
The Rabbitohs were given no favours in the draw, coming up against the Sharks, Roosters, Sea Eagles and 2022 Premiership winning Panthers in their opening four rounds, but Johnston said they wouldn’t let the Storm’s slow start to the season lull them into a false sense of security.
“They’re [Storm] always going to be a hit when they come up against us. There’s sort of a rivalry there, I don’t want to mention the [phrase] bogy team, but they’ve had the wood on us the last few years, so we’re not going to take this lightly at all,” Johnston said.
“For us to beat them, we just have to be on our A-game, beat them through the middle. Obviously, they’re a tough team, so we’ve just got to roll up our sleeves and hopefully beat them at their own game.
“Hopefully every position we can one-up them. If everyone wins their own little battles against their opposition, we tend to win games.”
Melbourne’s start to the season has been slow by their high standards, winning just two of their first four games. Cameron Munster’s return from injury last weekend gave them a massive lift in a 24-12 victory over the Wests Tigers.
South Sydney prop Tom Burgess echoed Johnston’s cautiousness. He admitted he hadn’t seen much of the Storm this season, but said Craig Bellamy’s side was always a dangerous opponent.
“Coached by Bellamy, they’re always going to be a really disciplined side, so they’re not going to give much,” Burgess said.
“We’ve had some really close games against them in the years recently, and we know that it’s always going to be a really tough game against Melbourne. Whoever they’ve got in the side, they’re always going to be a hard game.”
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