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.
5. Tevita Tatola
Why his role is so important
Tevita Tatola has come through the South Sydney system and was once expected to become the long term enforcer who would take over the middle from the Burgess brothers. He was developed internally to be that dominant presence through the ruck, someone who could hold up the middle defensively and set the platform for South Sydney's attack.
During South Sydney's most successful periods, first when they built toward the 2014 premiership and later during Wayne Bennett's previous stint leading into 2021, the strength of their middle rotation was a defining feature of how they played. Tatola was part of that Bennett era pack that bullied teams through the middle, controlled the ruck, and allowed the Rabbitohs' spine and edges to play off a strong forward platform.
At his peak, Tatola was one of the most damaging middle forwards in the competition. He was averaging over 135 running metres per game and tackling at over 95 percent. That combination of yardage and defensive efficiency made him a genuine momentum setter and a cornerstone of South Sydney's pack.
At his best, Tatola can still do exactly that. He can generate momentum with his carries, absorb pressure defensively, and give the Rabbitohs the stable middle platform they need to build pressure and control games. If South Sydney are going to get back to that level again under Bennett, Tatola remains the most experienced genuine middle enforcer they have who understands what that standard looks like.
With Keaon Koloamatangi expected to play more minutes through the middle in 2026 and carry a massive workload, Tatola's role becomes even more important. South Sydney need another senior middle forward who can share that physical burden and ensure the pack does not get rolled through the ruck when fatigue sets in.
What needs to improve
Injuries have been the biggest issue in Tatola's career. He has struggled to stay on the park consistently, and for big middle forwards, time on the field is essential to developing the fitness and resilience needed to play the long minutes demanded at NRL level. Without continuity, it has been difficult for him to build momentum or return to the form that once had him viewed as one of the most promising young props in the competition.
The speed of the modern game has also challenged him. As the NRL has become quicker and more mobile through the middle, Tatola has at times struggled to impose himself the way he was expected to. His conditioning, durability and ability to handle sustained defensive workloads all need to improve if he is to reclaim his status as a dominant middle presence.
Statistically, the drop off has been clear. His average running metres have fallen from over 135 per game at his peak to around 94 metres per game. His defensive efficiency has also slipped. In his best seasons he was tackling at over 95 percent. Last year he recorded his worst tackling percentage in the NRL, dropping to around 92 per cent.
His attacking impact has narrowed as well. Tatola has not produced a single offload in his last 24 matches. Offloading was never a major part of his role, but he did use it occasionally at his peak, and that second phase play brought an extra dimension to South Sydney's attack.
Minute management will be crucial. With Koloamatangi playing huge minutes, Tatola may find himself used in two strong bursts rather than extended stints. If he can average over 35 minutes per game and maintain high impact across those minutes, that would be a major win for South Sydney.
Why his improvement matters
South Sydney's forward depth has been a concern for several seasons. While they have talented forwards, they have lacked consistency and durability through the middle. With Keaon Koloamatangi expected to depart at the end of 2026, the recent departures of David Moale, Hame Sele moving to the Dragons, and the earlier exits of George and Tom Burgess, the Rabbitohs need their remaining senior middles to step up.
Tatola's improvement is not just about his own career. It is about the structure and stability of South Sydney's entire forward rotation.
If he can get back to the level he showed during Wayne Bennett's previous stint and in the seasons where South Sydney were consistently making the top four, it gives them a genuine second enforcer through the middle and takes pressure off Koloamatangi to do everything himself.
While there are other options in the South Sydney pack they can rely on or use, a fit and healthy Tevita Tatola would be a huge lift for this side. If he can rebuild his yardage, tighten his defence back toward elite standards, and add back even a small element of second phase play, he becomes a foundational piece in South Sydney's push back toward finals football.
Without that improvement, the Rabbitohs risk being exposed through the middle again, especially against the elite packs they will need to beat if they are serious about contending in 2026.
