Rabbitohs veteran Tom Burgess has revealed a Last Dance style atmosphere is driving the team's mid-season resurgence as they chase an unlikely finals berth.
South Sydney were anchored to the bottom of the NRL ladder just four weeks ago, with the club in disarray after the sacking of former coach Jason Demetriou.
Since his exit, the side has slowly turned a corner and Latrell Mitchell's return from suspension has triggered a four-match winning streak. The Rabbitohs have risen up the standings to now sit 14th on the ladder, just four points outside the top eight.
Burgess is set to leave the club at the end of the season amid a wider roster overhaul and said the lack of expectations after such a disastrous start has allowed the side to play with freedom.
"Mentally it's very important," Burgess said. "Everyone's got to be on every week or else you get found out. Back in 2016 we worked out we couldn't make the finals mathematically and then we started winning. It's funny the pressure is massive in sport.
"With a team sport it's not just individual, you need everyone on. We can still make [finals], we've just got to keep winning but not worry too much about how many losses we can have, we've just got to play well each week."
Burgess' exit from the Rabbitohs will mark the end of an era for the club that began with older brother Sam's arrival at South Sydney in 2010.
Tom will return to England to join Huddersfield, where he will likely play out the final years of his career.
Thomas Burgess Try
Burgess isn't the only player moving on before Wayne Bennett's return as coach next year, with experienced hooker Damien Cook joining South Sydney.
A further eight players are off contract at the end of the year, with many unlikely to figure in Bennett's plans for 2025.
Given the expected roster turnover and his deep ties to the club, Burgess is treating this season as his own version of Michael Jordan's Last Dance.
"We're playing for each other now," he said. "That's what it's all about. I'm moving on, Cooky's come out and said he's going now. It happens in teams where you know it's going to be your last year, we just want to play for each other.
"The feeling is one of the best I've had since being here. It's a good feeling around the joint, you won't know we've not had the most successful year. We're just happy and enjoying it and just playing with that enjoyment."
Match: Eels v Rabbitohs
Round 18 -
home Team
Eels
16th Position
away Team
Rabbitohs
14th Position
Venue: CommBank Stadium, Sydney
Match broadcasters:
- WatchNRL
The Rabbitohs four-game winning streak started with a Round 12 victory over the Eels. The two teams will face off again this weekend, with Parramatta buoyed by the recent return of Mitchell Moses and Clint Gutherson.
The Rabbitohs have also welcomed back reinforcements, with Mitchell and Cameron Murray making successful comebacks before they were selected for Game Two of the State of Origin series.
Forward Keaon Koloamatangi said the duo's impact cannot be overstated and revealed they have returned from NSW camp full of confidence after the Blues' big win.
"You see what 'Trell did last Wednesday and when he came back from suspension," Koloamatangi said. "When he's on, he's the best player in the comp by far, with the aura he brings and the confidence he brings us.
"With Cam you get the same thing every week, he's so consistent. When he's on he's probably the best forward in the comp so hopefully we can put it together this week."
Koloamatangi spent the past four weeks in the middle while Murray was out with a hip flexor injury, finding his best form of the season in the process.
Murray's return, however, is set to see Koloamatangi return to the edge for the Parramatta clash.
It's where the 26-year-old is most comfortable and while he recognises a permanent shift to the middle may be on the cards in the future, he's determined to remain in his favoured position for as long as possible.
"The edge is where I'm most comfortable so I'm looking forward to it," Koloamatangi said.
"[Playing in the middle] was good fun. It was hard but it gave me an appreciation of how much the middles do for you. It got me a little bit more confidence and I got my hands on the ball a lot more."
