Rabbitohs

But with fullback Latrell Mitchell now staring at eight weeks on the sideline, there is even more of a need for the underperforming five-eighth to stand up.

But The Daily Telegraph’s Paul Kent says former coach Wayne Bennett would have been the best man to help get Walker out of his current slump.

Mitchell limped from the field in just the 14th minute and did not return - but he had already made an impact on the match after scoring an early try.

After a disciplined first half performance the Dragons fell away in the second term, completing just nine of the 17 sets of possession as they crashed to a fourth consecutive loss.

The performance of rookie winger Mathew Feagai was one positive for the Dragons and he ran 198 metres with the ball, but errors proved costly for the Red V.

With Lachlan Ilias looking more comfortable in the No.7 and big game players Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray stepping up when their team needed them, the Bunnies broke their drought in style last Friday.

The Panthers, meanwhile, are 3-0 and doing it all without superstar halfback Nathan Cleary, who is expected to be back on deck this weekend at a packed BlueBet Stadium.

The 32-year-old threw a wayward pass for the Broncos half to intercept and cross the line from 80 metres out in eerily familiar scenes at Suncorp Stadium.

“Terrific instincts Albert Kelly, particularly when to read and when not to read,” Corey Parker said on Fox League.

“They were shot for all money down that left hand side, they were under all sorts of pressure the right hand edge of the Broncos.

“There was a lot of talk coming into this season who was going to partner alongside Adam Reynolds and he was always suited to the type of player Albert Kelly is.

In the biggest game of their careers, Manly’s players and coach Des Hasler watched on in disbelief as their bus arrived late to pick them up before they were stuck in horrendous traffic and eventually required a police escort only to arrive at Suncorp Stadium just 30 minutes before they were meant to run out for a delayed kick-off.

Manly’s players each recall the crazy series of events a little differently, but they all agree it wasn’t the ideal preparation for the biggest night of their rugby league careers.

Following in the footsteps of arguably the greatest coach to ever do it is daunting at best, let a lone someone as charismatic as Bennett, who has leaves an indelible mark on his players as much off the field as on it.

Bennett grew close with his Souths players over his tenure at Redfern from 2019 to 2021 just as he has at the Raiders, Broncos, Dragons and Knights over a career spanning a record 976 games and counting.

The 24-year-old had to watch on from the sideline as the Rabbitohs made a run for the grand final after copping a six-week suspension for a high shot on Roosters centre Joey Manu.

Four-game rookie Blake Taaffe pulled on Mitchell’s No.1 jersey in the star fullback’s absence and didn’t look out of place.

There’s several players hoping to land Adam Reynolds’ vacant No.7 jersey — and Rabbitohs assistant coach Ben Hornby has revealed there’s a frontrunner in the race.

Hornby has revealed young gun Lachlan Ilias will likely get the first opportunity to partner Cody Walker in the halves next season.

“The South Sydney Rabbitohs are delighted to announce the contract extension of dual Ken Irvine Medallist Alex Johnston until at least the end of the 2025 season,” the Rabbitohs said in a statement.

Johnston, 26, is a South Sydney junior from the La Perouse club who has played 166 NRL matches since making his debut in 2014 including the Grand Finals of 2014 and 2021.

Reynolds played his final game for the Bunnies in last Sunday’s Grand Final and will head to the Broncos on a three-year deal.

The 31-year-old local junior didn’t want to leave South Sydney — the club he’s played all of his 231 NRL games with — but he was after a three-year extension, which is something the Rabbitohs couldn’t offer.

South Sydney knocked back Reynolds’ request and were only willing to table a one-year, or maximum a two-year deal because of concerns about his age.