Robbie Rochow, Robert Jennings, Anthony Cherrington, Tyrell Fuimaono, Cam Murray and Braidon Burns will run out in the red and green of South Sydney for the first time at next weekend’s NRL Auckland Nines. Five off-season recruits and 2015 recruit Murray have been included in a 19-man squad names by Rabbitohs head coach Michael Maguire for the two-day tournament at Eden Park. Second rower Rochow joined the club from Newcastle, while Jennings and fellow centres Burns were signed from Penrith and Junior Kangaroos representative Fuimaono has moved from Parramatta Cherrington, who has previously played for Sydney Roosters and Penrith, is looking to revive his NRL career after three years with Redcliffe Dolphins in Queensland’s Intrust Super Cup. The squad also includes NSW State of Origin halfback Adam Reynolds, who was named player of the tournament at the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines after steering the Rabbitohs to victory over Cronulla in the final. Partnering Reynolds in the play making duties will be last year's RLPA Rookie of the Year Cody Walker. Other players chosen by Maguire include New Zealand Test representative Bryson Goodwin, England prop Thomas Burgess, five-eighth Cody Walker and hooker Damien Cook. The Rabbitohs have been drawn in the Hunua pool and will play matches against the Canberra Raiders and Sydney Roosters on Saturday, 4 February and North Queensland Cowboys on Sunday, 5 February.
Adam Reynolds has been named captain
2017 9s Rule Adjustment
The NRL have removed the zero-tackle rule on 20-metre restarts which allows for 7 tackles after 20-metre restarts for the upcoming 2017 Auckland Nines. The rule was initially developed to reduce the negative tactics of kicking the ball dead to waste time in 2014, however it proves an advantage in the Nines competition thanks to less defenders and a shorter tackle count.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs team for the NRL Auckland Nines is:
0 - Crichton, Angus 1 - Cook, Damien 3 - Goodwin, Bryson 4 - Gray, Aaron 5 - Musgrove, Zane 6 - Talakai, Siosifa 7 - Reynolds, Adam (c) 8 - Fuimaono, Tyrell 10 - Burns, Braidon 12 - Turner, Kyle 13 - Johnston, Alex 15 - Cherrington, Anthony 16 - Walker, Cody 18 - Hunt, Hymel 19 - Jennings, Robert 21 - Burgess, Thomas 22 - Rochow, Robbie 72 - Murray, Cam 88 - Tyrrell, Dave Head Coach – Maguire, Michael
The South Sydney U20's team are also playing a trial against Canterbury at Belmore Oval on Saturday Feb 4 at 4:00pm. The squad for the game is :-
Alatapi-Butler, Tarquin Cordtz, Beau Doueihi, Adam Fuimaono, Henry-Siriah Graham, Campbell Hamlin, Gabe Hippi, Theo Hiroti, Mawene Hunt, Phoenix Ili, Kalani Johnstone, Sam Kaloamatangi, Keaon Leddy, Harry Manowski, Blake O’Connor, Dylan Saunders, Joshua Shepard, Charles Shiach-Wise, Bailey Taavale, Lucky Kenneth Taukamo, Tyrone Topai-Aveai, Cruz
The North Sydney Bears are also playing a trial against Newtown at Henson Park on Saturday Feb 4 at 4:00pm. Their squad for the game are :-
Flbk - 1 - Perrin, Tom Wing - 2 - Miski, Abbas Cntr - 3 - Murphy, Ed Cntr - 4 - Neilsen, Dane Wing - 5 - Schaumkel, Latrell 5/8 - 6 - Travers, Riley Half - 7 - Levido, Eli Prop - 8 - Williams, Clayton Hook - 9 - Rogers, Piki Prop - 10 - Mauala, FJ SRow - 11 - Siolo, Patrice SRow - 12 - Tasi, Tasi Lock - 13 - Whitelaw, Cheyne Int - 9 - Sands, Maia Int - 10 - Esau, Jacob Int - 11 - McCudden, Jacob Int - 14 - Hunt, Jamal Int - 14 - Leitigaga, Nathan Int - 15 - O'Toole, Harry Int - 16 - Dokinavalu, Jok Int - 16 - Horo, Jayden Int - 17 - Mundine, Trayden Int - 18 - Jackson, Ben Int - 19 - Eisenhuth, Tom Int - 20 - Freebairn, Tom Int - 21 - Mirceski, James Int - 23 - O'Donnell, Chad Int - 23 - Kharwin, Obed
The junior reps team will play a trial match against the Balmain Tigers at Erskineville Oval this Saturday 29 January, with the Harold Matthews game kicking off at 10am and the SG Ball match commencing at 11:30am.
South Sydney Rabbitohs U18s and U16s are playing a trial against the Central Coast Centurians at Erskensville Oval on Sunday January 16 U16 10:30am and U18s 12:00 noon.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs SG Ball U18 Summer squad
Agha, Jeremy Armstrong, Dalton Bouris, Ky Bushby, Casey Butler, Hitaua Chan-Foon, Maila Cook, Josh Dellow, Raine Elcheikh, Zachariah Evans, Tom Fifita, Daniel Fitzgerald, Bailey Folau, Sione Hawa, Ben Hawkins, Dean Hyslop, Che Jolly, Max Kaya, Berat Larkin, Harry Lennox, Bailey Leuii, Reihana Lose, Joey Lyons, Michael Manowski, Aiden McNeice, Cody Mitsias, Johnny Mougios, Nicholas Morris, Maleke Ngere, Joseph Perry, Aden Rahme, Khalil Reilly, Triston Rodwell, Ky Saisoaa, Ethan Sionetali, Trevor-Joseph Stephenson, Jacob Tass, Isaiah Taumalolo, Raymond Veikoso, Wesley
The South Sydney Rabbitohs Harold Mathews U16 Summer squad
Aldridge, Logan Ball, Thomas Bitar, Declan Bitar, Zac Black, Kye Brown, Chevron Dodds, John Donovan-Phillips, Keidan Eather, Cain Fa'asoo, Lennox Gale, Lachlan Harsanyi, Joshua Haupapa, Wairangi Hennessy, Luke Kambos, Zach Lloyd, Ben Maling, Zach Malu, Salesi Mamouzelos, Peter Mamumanunitoga, Maikeli Manning, Evan Patalo-Vitale, Christian Pikos, Pantelis Prelec, Zac Riley, Jayden Salakas, Ezekiel Sassine, Manaaki Savage, Kalib Shum-Cottrell, Darcy Spiteri, Mitchell Spyroulias, Chaise Tabucavu, Isei Taumoepenu, Tevita Tautaiolefua, Jacob Te-Hira, Amei Tsoukalas, John Vesicula, Ratu