Seibold lays down challenge to Souths

South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold has questioned his side's enthusiasm following last week's loss to Brisbane.

Anthony Seibold

Rabbitohs coach Anthony Seibold has demanded his players lift following their loss to Brisbane. (AAP)

It's the unsettling question posed by South Sydney coach Anthony Seibold which lit a fire under his players after last week's NRL defeat to Brisbane.

Despite going into the match with plenty on the line, the Rabbitohs blew an opportunity to move back into top spot after being trampled by a fired-up Broncos outfit.

In the sheds afterwards, Seibold began the post-mortem by asking his why their opposition wanted it more, before putting a spotlight on his personnel's desire.

Hooker Damien Cook said while it was uncomfortable to hear their coach pose the question, it's one they needed to hear.

"That's what Seibs said - for some reason they wanted it more and he asked why," Cook told AAP.

"That's the question he asked us, why did they want it more?

"We had a lot on the line too, we want the top four, we want the minor premiership as well.

"That was a tough question he asked and none of us liked to hear that.

"It's a hard one to answer and the only way to answer it is come out the next week and just turn it around."

Instead of going clear at the top of the leaderboard, the Rabbitohs enter the penultimate round of the regular season equal with Melbourne and the Sydney Roosters on 32 points, but third on points differential.

So it begs the question: How can they escape the rut which has seen them drop their last two games?

A relaxed Cook said their outstanding season, in which they have punched well above expectation, was built on the areas which often go unappreciated.

For all the talk about Cook's explosive brilliance out of dummy-half, the return to form of the Burgess brothers and the side's lethal left edge, the No.9 said there was a foundation of fundamental effort areas.

And for that reason, Cook says the Bunnies aren't hitting the panic button ahead of Saturday's clash with the Raiders in Canberra.

"There's no need to think we're in a crisis, we're sitting in a good position," he said.

"When we don't play our best footy, we have our effort areas to fall back on.

"And that's where we let ourselves down: just a bit of discipline, holding the ball and a few areas like our kick-chase and kick pressure and things like that.

"That's the things that probably dropped off and we know we need to make sure that's there on the weekend."


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Source: AAP


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