It seems that South Sydney’s performance in their season-opening loss to Manly in 2024 echoed some of the issues they faced in the latter part of the 2023 season. The team displayed an over-reliance on Latrell Mitchell’s individual brilliance, which, although impressive, isn’t sustainable for consistent success.
James Hooper noted that Souths exhibited moments of brilliance akin to their potential championship-winning form due to their significant strike power. However, there were also lapses where they seemed to switch off defensively, allowing the opposition to capitalize and score points.
Braith Anasta concurred with Hooper’s assessment, emphasizing that Souths relied too heavily on Mitchell to carry the team and didn’t pose a collective threat, particularly evident in the second half of the match against Manly.
These observations highlight the importance for South Sydney to address their reliance on individual performances and focus on strengthening their teamwork and consistency if they aim to contend for the championship again in 2024.
The discussion surrounding South Sydney’s performance in their season-opening loss to Manly delved into the team’s consistency and whether they have moved on from the issues that plagued them in the latter part of the previous season.
Paul Kent emphasized that Souths need to focus on being consistent throughout the entire 80 minutes of a match, suggesting that this has been an ongoing issue since last season. He didn’t believe it was necessarily a matter of lingering issues from the past, but rather a need for the team to establish consistency.
Phill Rothfield objected to drawing conclusions from just one game, sparking a debate about the significance of the early-season result. While acknowledging that Souths showed moments of strength, he highlighted that they still exhibited similar tendencies to those seen in the latter part of the previous season.
Braith Anasta echoed Rothfield’s sentiments, suggesting that Souths need to demonstrate that they have moved on from their past issues and have developed a different team culture. He emphasized the importance of proving this to everyone, suggesting that Souths didn’t entirely dispel doubts in their season opener.
Despite Latrell Mitchell’s standout performance being a positive aspect, the consensus was that Souths didn’t demonstrate significant improvements in their overall performance, ultimately failing to secure the win. This indicates that there’s still work to be done for South Sydney to prove they have overcome the challenges from the previous season and establish themselves as contenders once again.
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