26th Feb 2025
Poor Start in Defense Again
Another poor start in defence by the team had us down 34 nil with our edge defense exposed badly. Defence is attitude and it will take a lot to turn this around. The club is really struggling in developing its defence and looks to be going backwards on last year letting in a average of 40 points a game. It this isn't corrected it is going to be a long hard season. Now for a week off to focus on improvement.
Injury Toll - Mitchell brothers, Murray and McCarthy join rehab team
Seems the Heffron curse is hitting harder in 2025. In a week we lost the Mitchell brothers to injury for a few months, captain Cameron Murray out for the sesaon with a ruptured achilles and new recrute Max McCarthy go down with a ACL knee injury. We are counting something like 18 players in the first and reserve grade squads sitting on the sideline. We continue to have something fundamentally wrong with our recovery and preparation process. Other clubs are are almost at full strength on Round 1 with maybe 3 to 4 players injured, our level of injuries at this stage of the season is unprecdented.
Humphreys great debut
In all of the doom and gloom of Mudgee, was someone was the first grade debut of Jamie Humpheys in South Sydney colours. His attitude was very refreshing to see, playing either at hooker initially, it was his move to the halves that sparked a revival. With two try assists and scoring a try himself he brought South Sydney back into the game. He is now a must for Round 1 squad.
Koloamatangi double
One person to capailise on Humphreys performance was Keaon who scored 2 tries this week. A new lean Keaon is going to be threat this year, though we have seen him play left and right second row last week.
Reserve Grade disrupted preperation
So bad was the injury toll that our club did not even name who was going to play in the reserve grade trial on the weekend. Not being able to play our first trial up in Townsville, this squad is having a very disrupted prepartion, with many being called up into the main squad. This week also saw our Townsville connection depart. What sort of squad will line up on Round 1 is going to be filled with players looking for opportunities.
Hawkins dominates
Brent Hawkins has dominated the trial in the U21s. His passing game is setting up tries and line breaks, his kicking game is putting the opposition under pressure and he is scored a try as well. He will be a main stay of the pathways this year.
U19s need more than a good start
The bubble burt in mens junior undefeated start to the season on the weekend. It was a great start taking a 16 nil lead, but the better clubs have a way to grind their way back into the game. Its a lesson that the boys need to learn as they step up into being challengers in 2025.
Chappell double
On a poor weekend for our two girls teams, it was April Chappell who scored a double out wide. She is forming a nice combination with McGregor.
3 weeks of Pre-Season worked well
After 3 seasons the Pre-Season Challenge profile is growing. This year the games were extended over 3 weekends which I beleive worked well in light of the 4 teams going to Vegas and the fact we have a odd number of teams playing NRL. I would consider playing a 3rd game in the first weekend so that the 4th Vegas bound team gets the smae preperation as everyone else.
Pre-Season Round 2 - Stat Attack
Statistically it was a very poor game. Completions improved to 90% from 75% last week. Errors improved to 9 from 12 last week. We gave away 6 penalties and no 6-again calls from 10 last week. Souths Effective 1st tackle dropped to a poor level of 39.9m from 37.1m last week. Our missed tackles dropped to a average level of 34 from 29 last week. Opposition offloads were steady at 9 again this week.
Looking at our left side defence - Munro/BentleyHape-Wighton/Penitani-Sullivan/Humphreys-Koloamatangi/Webley (2-3-3-2) dropped to 10 from 8 missed tackles last week. On the right side Myers-Tass-Dodd/Ward/Sullivan-Fletcher/LeBlanc/Koloamatangi (3-0-4-4) was steady at 11 missed tackles again this week. Ruck defence Keppie/Hubner-Mamouzelos/Humphreys-Moale/Ataata-Duncan/Humphreys/Hubner (4-2-1-2) was steady at 9 missed tackles again this week.
Our go forward improved to 1423m from 1353m last week. With our props dropped to a poor 332m compared to 436m last week. Moale, Keppie, J.Gray, Myers and Sullivan made 10+m per run. Moale, Hubner, J.Gray and Myers made 100+m in the match. Defensively Mamouzelos was our best in the tackling raking up 43 tackles. Fletcher, Ataata, Penitani and Bentley-Hape didn't miss a tackle.
none
Selected Juniors Round 5 teams
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