Wayne's crucial selection call for finals series

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League large Peter Sterling expects Wayne Bennett to instrumentality with Rabbitohs rookie Blake Taaffe astatine fullback for Saturday's qualifying last showdown with the Panthers contempt an up and down show successful Latrell Mitchell's absence against the Dragons.

Speaking connected Wide World of Sports' Sterlo's Wrap, the legendary Eels halfback said determination was nary request for Bennett to alteration his spine, contempt the question marks that bent implicit Taaffe's quality to play a cardinal presumption successful a last aft conscionable 5 NRL games.

"Wayne Bennett said determination were things helium liked astir Taaffe's crippled and things helium didn't like," Sterling said. "The question is did helium spot capable to prime him this week with confidence. I deliberation that helium did.

"He dropped 1 shot nether a precocious footwear and (Mikaele) Ravalawa ran though him precocious but he's tally done plentifulness of large defenders that adjacent to the enactment truthful I didn't work excessively overmuch into that."

After having the week off, Cody Walker is different enactment to deputise astatine fullback during the finals series, with Benji Marshall the perfect replacement to slot successful astatine five-eighth. However, Sterling said the Rabbitohs person excessively overmuch to suffer successful breaking up Walker's operation with Adam Reynolds astatine the scrum base.

Alex Johnston is the 3rd enactment to deterioration the No.1 jersey, yet that would rob the Rabbitohs of 1 of the signifier wingers successful the competition, with the seasoned crossing the stripe 27 times this play connected the near flank.

Souths spell into the clash against Penrith successful Townsville with haunting memories from their match-ups against them this season. They were pumped 56-12 by the Panthers successful Round 11 and past went down 25-12 past month aft giving up an aboriginal lead.

In that clash, Nathan Cleary was pivotal and the NSW fractional volition nary uncertainty trial Taaffe with the high-ball aft watching this week's video league of his driblet against the Dragons. Taaffe is reportedly 1 of the much fashionable members of the Rabbitohs squad and Bennett volition beryllium hoping that affirmative vigor tin beryllium diverted to the playing field.

When Souths were missing Mitchell past play to injury, Bennett picked Corey Allan to screen astatine fullback and the Rabbitohs amazed astir with however good they played without their biggest star. They yet fell to the Panthers successful a adjacent preliminary last loss.

Sterling said Taaffe's vigor and beingness had a affirmative interaction connected his squad past weekend, contempt the Bunnies letting the Dragons spell connected a tally precocious successful the game.

"The happening I similar astir him is I spot a assured subordinate retired there," helium added. "I cognize helium dropped and didn't marque a try-saving tackle (but) I spot capable vigor and assurance successful the kid, and you request that from your fullback due to the fact that they person truthful overmuch responsibility.

"And I deliberation the information that the absorption didn't people points until precise late. It was 20-16 but it shouldn't person been, it should person been 20-0. The Dragons were mediocre but made a tally late, I conjecture that's a spot of a interest for South Sydney."

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