Souths out to avenge opening round loss

15 Jul 2012, 3:36 pm   -   Source: AAP
Coach Michael Maguire says his side learned a lesson from their round one loss to Sydney Roosters. (AAP)

Coach Michael Maguire says his side learned a lesson from their round one loss to Sydney Roosters. (AAP)

South Sydney coach Michael Maguire claims his side learned a tough lesson from their round one NRL loss to Sydney Roosters ahead of Monday's rematch.

It was a bitter pill to swallow at the time, but South Sydney coach Michael Maguire is adamant his side's heartbreaking opening round loss to the Sydney Roosters has helped mould the Rabbitohs push for an NRL finals berth.

The Rabbitohs - according to Maguire - are light years from the team which conceded two tries in the final two minutes to lose 24-20 to their bitter rivals.

So much so that should the same situation eventuate when the two teams meet again on Monday night, Maguire steadfastly believes the result would be different.

"Well and truly - we learned from that game," Maguire told AAP.

"At some stage teams are going to come back and momentum is going to swing ... it's about being able to ride through those.

"The team has definitely shown over this last month how to be able to do that."

But the lessons learned don't take away from the pain, in what for 78 minutes looked like it was going to be a winning start to Maguire's NRL coaching career.

Maguire though was happy to take the short term pain for the long term gain.

"We're a different team from round one to where we are now, we've learnt a lot about each other and the combinations that we present on the park," Maguire said.

"They're the ups and downs of a season - it was obviously tough to take back then but its helped us grow as a group."

The Roosters too did some growing in last week's draw against Cronulla, coach Brian Smith admitting his young side didn't have the composure to win the game in the extra time period.

The return of skipper Braith Anasta from a facial cut should add some stability against the Rabbitohs, the Roosters needing a win to maintain their fading push for a finals berth.

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