The South Sydney Rabbitohs head into 2026 as one of the competition's most intriguing wildcards.
Not surprisingly, many pundits have them marked as a genuine smokey for the finals, with Zero Tackle even naming them among five teams capable of winning the premiership. With Wayne Bennett back in charge, that belief carries weight.
Souths remain stacked with star power, and the biggest upside is that many of those stars have barely played together at full fitness over the past few seasons. Cameron Murray's season-ending pre-season injury in 2025 came at a time when he was shouldering an enormous workload, often playing fatigued without losing his class. As frustrating as that year out would have been, it may prove a blessing in disguise. A player of his calibre will not take long to get back to his best.
Campbell Graham, after sternum issues and repeated setbacks, looks set to finally get a clean run. Latrell Mitchell's shift to centre could be pivotal. Reducing his fullback workload may allow him to stay on the park longer, after struggling to string together extended injury-free runs. Cody Walker, used sparingly off the bench late last season, may also benefit from that freshen-up, while the arrival of a fit and motivated Brandon Smith and a reinvigorated David Fifita adds serious punch through the middle.
There have been setbacks, including the loss of Tyrrell Munro to off-field issues, but the Rabbitohs still boast elite class across the park. Alex Johnston is closing in on the all-time try-scoring record held by Ken Irvine, a milestone he could realistically pass early in the season. Add a hardened forward pack, emerging youth, and Wayne Bennett's ruthless standards, and South Sydney have all the ingredients to be a genuine problem in 2026.
For that to happen, though, these five players must lift their impact, consistency, and availability.
4. Campbell Graham
Why his role is so important
Campbell Graham is another South Sydney player who simply has not played enough football over the last two seasons. In 2024 he battled through a sternum injury that caused him immense pain and severely limited his ability to train and perform. He eventually got that issue under control, only to then deal with further injuries in 2025. Those interruptions stalled the momentum of a player who, at his best, had established himself as one of the premier defensive centres in the NRL.
Graham is widely regarded as an elite right centre defensively. His reads, decision making, physicality and ability to shut down attacking shifts make him one of the most reliable edge defenders in the competition when fit. On top of that, his attacking game has always been underrated.
He is deceptively quick, difficult to handle due to his size and body shape, and has the ability to offload and create second phase opportunities. Before injuries struck, he was being considered and selected in New South Wales Origin squads and was viewed as an Origin level centre.
With Latrell Mitchell on the left side, a fully fit Campbell Graham locking down the right centre position gives South Sydney genuine balance across the field. His presence will immediately lift confidence on the Rabbitohs' right edge, which has often been the area most heavily targeted by opposition teams.
What needs to improve
The biggest issue for Graham is availability. His body has not held up over the last two years, and until he proves he can get through a full season, his influence will always be limited regardless of how well he plays when on the field. Staying fit, building match rhythm, and getting consistent football into his legs is the number one priority.
From a performance perspective, he will need to rediscover his attacking confidence. Injury interruptions have clearly impacted his involvement and assertiveness with the ball. At his best, Graham takes tough carries, challenges defenders one on one, and creates space for those around him. That side of his game needs to return if South Sydney are going to get the full benefit of his presence.
Defensively, while his reputation remains elite, time out of the game naturally affects timing, cohesion and decision making. He will need to quickly rebuild combinations and trust with the players inside and outside him to ensure South Sydney's edge defence is as solid as it was during their better seasons.
Why his improvement matters
South Sydney do not need Campbell Graham to be a superstar. They need him to be fit, consistent and close to his best. If he can play most of the season and lock down the right centre position, it instantly stabilises one of the most targeted defensive areas in their side.
There is an old saying that if a team can stop one extra try per match and score one more, it completely changes their season.
A fit and confident Campbell Graham helps with both sides of that equation. His defensive reliability can save tries, and his underrated attacking contributions can create them.
With the amount of star power South Sydney have across their backline and spine, Graham does not need to carry the attack. He just needs to play his role, bring his defensive authority back to that right edge, and allow the Rabbitohs to build pressure and confidence through field position and discipline. If he stays on the park and plays near his peak level, he will be one of the most important pieces in whether South Sydney genuinely contend in 2026 or simply remain a talented side that cannot hold it together defensively.
