Parramatta players still support Brad Arthur, but their awful defence may cost the coach his job for 2025.
The Eels missed exactly 50 tackles under the bright lights of Magic Round on Sunday night, copping a 48-16 thumping.
And that was by a spare parts Storm team missing both their brilliant playmakers Jahrome Hughes and Cam Munster.
The second half capitulation – which saw Arthur’s side concede 32 points and only score six – was bitterly disappointing for the Eels, and the team has now blown out to more than 100-1 to win the comp by the bookies.
The Eels look set to miss the finals for the second year in a row and that will put the board in a very awkward position.
Parra have a squad with plenty of talent and tryscoring potential but some players just aren’t putting in – as the awful loss to the Storm showed.
Arthur is a fine mentor but every coach has a ‘use by’ date and Parra may well feel they need a new voice if things don’t change before the end of the year.
Not too long ago, experts were predicting the signing of superstar Jack Wighton at Souths would put the Bunnies back in grand final contention.
With a fearsome pack, a great spine, and Wighton joining game-breakers Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker, the Rabbitohs appeared to have it all.
But 11 rounds into the season, Souths’ campaign is proving a nightmare.
The club is sitting on the bottom of the ladder with just one win, coach Jason Demetriou has been sacked and the Rabbitohs are in real danger of collecting the wooden spoon.
In Magic Round, the Bunnies played a Cowboys team that has also been struggling, staring at a sixth straight loss.
And the Cowboys were poor, fumbling and bumbling their way through the 80 minutes – but were still too good for a dysfunctional Souths team.
Where to now for Souths? The club needs a total reboot and maybe supercoach Wayne Bennett’s arrival in 2025 can provide that.
Until then, the Rabbitohs’ faithful will be counting the days til the season ends what is proving a year of misery and heartache.
