Rugby League Coaching Manuals

By Phil Gould - Crikey, who would've believed that in round 19 of the competition we'd be mentioning the words "semi-finals" and "South Sydney Rabbitohs" in the same sentence? It will be something of a minor miracle if this team happens to make the big end-of-season games, but anything's possible.

Indeed, today's clash between the Wests Tigers and the Rabbitohs is of huge importance.

Eight games from the finals and fans of both sides still hold realistic hopes of playing September football.

The Tigers sit in 11th place on 18 points, two clear of the Rabbits, who are staging a miraculous late charge.

Let's get serious for a moment, though. Perhaps one of them will qualify for the big post-season games. With their poor for-and-against differentials I guess the most likely scenario is that neither team will make the cut.

What I can guarantee, though, is that the Tigers and Souths both can't make the play-offs.

There is only room for one of these two teams. That being the case, the losers of today's game take a mighty blow to their finals aspirations.

A loss for the Tigers against a team below them on the ladder will hurt them immensely. The Rabbits, on the other hand, can keep their winning momentum going if they're successful this afternoon.

It wasn't that long ago Souths were raging hot favourites to finish last in the competition.

I always thought that this betting market was a pretty harsh reflection of their ability. I never saw them as likely wooden-spooners.

In fact, after watching Souths lose their round-seven clash to the Broncos, I wrote: "Their record reads no wins from seven games but they are much better than those results indicate.

"They tried so hard but kept shooting themselves in the foot with simple mistakes that either put pressure on themselves or relieved pressure on Brisbane.

"The Rabbitohs are not controlling where the opposition gets the ball and also drop their heads when things go against them.

"You should never give up and if you can just hold on, make the extra effort at vital times, it's amazing how many times you'll be in contention at the end of a game. But they'll win soon."

The Rabbits have now strung together five wins in a row.

Why? Well, it would be too simplistic to say they've stopped dropping the ball and stopped dropping their heads when things go against them. But that's it, in a nutshell.

The real question, though, is why the turnaround in attitude?

I put this down to one player: young halfback Chris Sandow.

From the moment Sandow came on the scene, the whole complexion of their play as a football team changed dramatically.

I'm not sure yet if this 19-year-old is a great player. I just know he exudes a great attitude, and that attitude can change the world.

He's cocky, confident and enthusiastic. He's not influenced by the scoreboard or the clock. He has no regard for the reputations of his opponents. He has an unshakeable belief in his own ability. He never gives up. He thinks he can "will" anything to happen on the football field. On the evidence available to us so far, it appears he can.

All these things have nothing to do with ability. It's all attitude. His influence on his teammates, his style of footy and his skill set remind me a lot of a young Allan Langer.

Now before you go putting words in my mouth, I never said he is as good as Allan Langer. Not yet, anyway.

But there's definitely something about him that gives me flashbacks to the impact Langer had when he first burst onto the rugby league scene.

Langer had me fooled for a long time. To be honest, in the early days I'd watch him play and think to myself: "What's the hype all about?"

He was small. He struggled in defence. His passing game was adequate without being brilliant. He certainly couldn't throw long passes as could the other halfbacks of the day and his kicking style looked awkward.

When he tried to kick long it looked like he was kicking bricks. When he kicked short you'd swear he nearly missed the ball.

But he kept winning games. He kept winning games because he was a winner. He was super-competitive but somehow managed to play without stress. Right until the end of his career he carried this carefree demeanour about him and you could see him cracking jokes with his teammates, even though they were in the middle of the fiercest of battles.

It took me a long time to work out that he was only ever playing one man in the opposition team.

Langer played only the tired man in front of him.

He moved the ball wide so his teammates could run you ragged. He'd constantly turn you around with his well-timed kicks.

All the while he was waiting for the big man in front of him to tire.

It was like watching one of those nature channel documentaries where the lion lies in wait in the long grass for his unsuspecting prey. He'd wait, almost silently, then he'd pounce.

Before you knew it he'd dummied and stepped past the big forward who had just, for that one moment, planted his feet with fatigue.

Game over.

As a rival coach I used to have nightmares about those moments.

Sandow plays the same way. I'm not sure yet if it's by design or just plain boyish instinct.

Like Langer, he seemingly plays without stress, regardless of the situation. His energy permeates the entire team. He doesn't allow his teammates the luxury of giving up. His skill set is adequate but not elite.

What I do know, though, is that he passes when he has to pass. He kicks when his team needs him to kick.

And when oppositions take their eyes off him for even a nanosecond, he is away and gone.

His domination of the No.7 jersey has also allowed the likes of Issac Luke and Craig Wing to play in their best positions of hooker and five-eighth respectively.

This has been a huge bonus for coach Jason Taylor who, before Sandow's introduction, had used a succession of halves and hooker combinations in the last 18 months.

The Souths pack has also been inspired by this kid and looks as though it has something to play for.

Thanks to Sandow the Rabbitohs now have attitude and self-belief. These qualities go a long way to winning games. It might even take them to the finals.

Today, though, they need to get over the Tigers. That won't be easy - but I guess anything's possible! LeagueHQ