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Just as impressive as his swerve and speed was his response to the Sharks’ aerial assault and a brutal tackle from Ronaldo Mulitalo that forced him off for a HIA.
Young hooker Peter Mamouzelos played the full 80 minutes, made 49 tackles and kept Souths pushing through the middle – which is where they’ve always done their best work.
The Bad
All those injuries. Murray will at least complete his 11-day concussion stand-down in time for the Storm clash, with Queensland forward Jai Arrow (shoulder) also pushing to return on Anzac Day.
But the absences of Latrell Mitchell (suspension), Alex Johnston (hamstring), Campbell Graham (sternum) and Lachlan Ilias (broken leg) already amount to around $2.5 million in missing talent with Tatola and Munro facing lay-offs as well pending scans.
The hit that forced Cameron Murray out of the game and earned Sione Katoa a one-week suspension.Credit: Getty
Even before Tatola’s latest injury, the Rabbitohs have been short an enforcer in the middle. Davvy Moale and Tallis Duncan have potential but with Sean Keppie underwhelming and Burgess off to Super League next year, it’s an area Souths desperately need reinforcements in a market short on them.
There’s no escaping the raw numbers of their plight either. The club still sits 1-5, having lost 14 of their past 19 games ahead of season-defining clashes against two genuine premiership heavyweights.
The Unknown
Aside from starting the kind of winning run that Newcastle managed last year to play finals and save Adam O’Brien’s skin when he was also 80 minutes away from losing his job?
Working out their most expensive and influential puzzle pieces. Gray’s promising debut has already raised questions of whether Mitchell returns from suspension at centre for the sake of South Sydney’s backline balance.
Latrell Mitchell watches on as part of a bulging Rabbitohs casualty ward.Credit: NRL Photos
Two weeks ago though, Demetriou was rightly urging caution with the 20-year-old. Saturday was still just his fifth game against adults and NRL rivals will be pinning a target to the pint-sized playmaker.
Gray will get two more games at the back – against the two most formidable defensive sides of the past decade – before Mitchell is available again, and a bench utility role likely looms.
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Aside from brain explosions on the field and in front of a microphone, Mitchell has been one of the Rabbitohs’ best, though a larger conversation around a shift back to the front line does seem inevitable.
Damien Cook sits at a similar crossroads. One of the game’s highest-paid hookers hasn’t lost it overnight – there’s still a quality NRL hooker in there.
But at an estimated $725,000 per year, the Rabbitohs can’t be carrying him in reserve grade either as Mamouzelos stakes his claim.
So for now, the players take a three-day break and the Bunnies take a breath. And soon enough, there’s every chance all these questions still remain.