Rabbitohs ready for finals return in 2018

South Sydney's rebuild is over and they're ready to be competitive again.

That was the message from coach Michael Maguire after his side's NRL season came to a close with a gutsy 22-16 loss to Parramatta on Friday night.

Already missing strike weapons Greg Inglis and Alex Johnston, the Rabbitohs were ravaged by injury and illness in the lead up with skipper Sam Burgess, Adam Reynolds (ankle), Angus Crichton (illness) and Aaron Gray (hip) all ruled out during the week.

Maguire was forced into a major reshuffle however his side refused to turn their toes up against the fourth-placed Eels.

Regular hooker Damien Cook had just one session at fullback before taking the field at No.1 while Luke Kelly was brought into the halves for just his second game of the year.

A Robert Jennings try in the 55th minute set up a grandstand finish but the Eels found a way to win thanks to a flying Radradra who leaped over the top of schoolboy Campbell Graham for the winning try.

"We've found something in this club over the last couple of months that we'd like to take forward," Maguire said.

"The boys will have a bit of a break now and we've turned things around for where we're going."

While they were humiliated 64-6 at the hands of Melbourne last week, South's youth brigade such as Graham, Tyrell Fuimaono and Cam Murray have shown real growth over the final five weeks during which they notched three wins.

With Greg Inglis to return from a knee injury which has kept him out since round one and Queensland outside back Dane Gagai to arrive from Newcastle, Maguire insisted there was no reason they couldn't compete for the top eight next year.

"I think we can be really competitive," Maguire said.

"Alex Johnston showed what he can do at fullback so he can give us a few options there.

"Greg will come back and be ready to go in whatever position he plays. We've got a fair bit of strike on our edges."