Bennett’s ‘Baby Bunnies’ ready to impress

First, it was the 'Baby Broncos', and now it's time for Wayne Bennett to showcase a new young brigade, the Baby Bunnies.

After losing four players to State of Origin in Cody Walker, Cam Murray, Damien Cook and Dane Gagai, Bennett is set to unleash South Sydney's young brigade at Bankwest Stadium on Friday night as the club continues to battle injury woes.

Adam Reynolds was cleared of a fractured fibula after the Rabbitohs' heavy win over the Wests Tigers, and has been named to take on Parramatta, but will almost certainly be in doubt until an hour before kick-off. The game will also be the first match that Cody Walker has missed for Souths since Round 10, 2016, ending a streak of 76 straight games.

The Rabbitohs will field 10 players aged 25 or younger against a Parramatta side desperate for a win after dropping three straight games, including last week's 16-10 defeat against a struggling Penrith, their first loss at Bankwest.

Billy Brittain has been named to make his NRL debut at the age of 25, after slaving away in the Queensland Cup for several years before being picked up by South Sydney in the lead up to the 2018 season. The livewire hooker captained the New South Wales Residents earlier this month, rewarded for his stellar form in reserve grade.

The Bunnies already fielded a young back three over the last fortnight, with Campbell Graham, Mawene Hiroti and Corey Allan combining for a total of 42 career NRL games, with Allan the oldest of the trio at 21 years old.

They're joined in the backline by Adam Douiehi, who returns for his first game since an ACL tear in early August last year, named in the centres in place of Gagai.

Connor Tracey is the other debutant, his story one of courage, having torn his ACL three times, now named to start at five-eighth in a moment he'll be sure to cherish for a long time.

Bailey Sironen, younger brother of Curtis, has also been named on the bench to make his club debut for the cardinal and myrtle.

While the four young men combine for less than 20 NRL games, it's Bennett's coaching that will ensure South Sydney stay competitive over the Origin period.

It's not the veteran coach's first rodeo, with Brisbane always one of the most affected clubs during the middle of the season. He's got the club in the perfect position, sitting top of the table with 10 wins from 11 games, their win over the Tigers the team's seventh straight victory.

They're not household names, they're not superstars, but they're the rag team youngsters ready to grab their first-grade opportunity, and if Wayne Bennett's previous endeavours have anything to say about it, they'll stand up when it matters.