With a season of ups and downs behind them, the South Sydney Rabbitohs are heavily favored in their upcoming finals match against the Newcastle Knights this Friday.
This is their second consecutive year opening the finals with a knockout game, despite finishing as minor premiers.
The Rabbitohs have had an inconsistent year but have showcased their scoring capability, allowing them to secure the sixth spot and gain home advantage.
This home ground edge could prove crucial, particularly given the challenging journey to the Hunter region.
Recent performances have further raised concerns about their consistency.
In the final weeks of the season, they achieved significant victories over teams like the Roosters and Titans, but also suffered a notable 19-point loss to the Warriors, raising questions about their defense.
Conceding 45 points in that match at home highlighted their struggles, even though they've only allowed over 40 points twice this season.
Despite this, they have surpassed the 30 points conceded mark on nine occasions, which is alarming for a finals contender.
A silver lining is that many of these defensive issues occurred earlier in the season, suggesting potential for improvement as the playoffs arrive.
The Rabbitohs are leaning on key players, including Latrell Mitchell, to ignite their offense, with additional selection adjustments like Matt Dufty returning at fullback.
Heading into this critical phase of the year, South Sydney appears relatively fit and strong, aiming to make a deep finals run.