Souths look to next year after poor season | Rabbitohs Press Conference | Fox League

Ben they fought to the end what they have been doing the past few months what did you make of the final game of the season um well I was happy that we came back at the end because it could have got ugly and we didn't deserve that with the season we've had with all the injuries and all the other stuff that we've been through um and I was happy to see cookie kick a goal Tom kick a goal Tom Score a try and we we made him nervous for a little bit maybe just on that TR like just how special is that moment for a guy not just him but his family and everything they've contributed to this club for him to finish with that just how special was it yeah it was great I mean the fans loved it all these teammates and all the staff loved it as well it was just a it was just a fitting end really for Tommy's career here I thought he was great throughout the whole game actually we we started him today and he he showed what he's capable of still doing so um yeah it was a great moment for him and his family and everyone else cookie to share the field with him and obviously to have your farewell as well emotional out there tonight I held it together quite well uh thought I would have lost it a bit more but um it's been a special special week special couple of weeks the boys Benny uh the club they've all made it uh well known that we're leaving and doing everything possible to make it special for us um along with the the burrow and the members as well so I I drive in every day with with Tommy birders uh he's going to leave a massive hole at this club um you know it was a pleasure to play alongside him and it was awesome to see see him get over the line um and then to kick the goal as well been we've been talking we've been practicing about that and yeah you got it done Benny how do you assess I guess your time here as interim coach that comes to close down with this game I've got no idea um started off with a couple of losses we had good winning streak in the middle there and we lost at the end so um we've tried to make it as enjoyable as we can and tried to play as good a footy as we can as I've said the whole time like it's difficult winning NL games when you're full strength when you're not it's even harder so um we've done our best that's all we can that's all we can be judged on I think clubs should be chasing him that's for sure um we're com in a bad situation when he came in a lot of injuries everything going wrong and he put something spark something in us to make sure we finish off the te strong and everything against us we still turned up every week uh so it's a credit to him and if Wayne probably wasn't available and they took their time you never know he might have just gone on as head coach next to you as well what things have fallen apart of it for him do you think possibly it's it was um you know it's been a a year of learnings that's for sure me personally and and I'm sure for the club they will take a lot of learnings out of this year and bounce back um with the squad they have we have sorry but when next year um you know they won't double up this season that's for sure so lot of learnings Ben is is 16th an accurate reflection of just what's happened this year and to that e confident in 2025 that things can can turn around quickly yeah well the the scoreboard or the lad is usually pretty pretty fair after 27 rounds so we can't really argue with that but I think you've seen we' we've put in a lot of good efforts I mean when we had a side that was close to what we were capable of doing we were winning games and next year I can't see why if we're not somewhere near our full strength side we won't win games we got a lot of really really good players missing at the moment so we get those guys back and we do the right things and the winds will take care of themselves one of those players missing tonight how's he approach this week up and down here he's here everybody seatat move we doing yes that's far enough go off the stage sorry what was the question we'll be interviewing as a team I just going to say Obviously quite an up and down week for LR with kind of not really knowing where the sanction was going to be served how have you sent him respond today yeah know he's been good I mean it is what it is I mean there's nothing we can do about it nothing he can do about it either so um yeah he's been fine came for breakfast this morning in canola he was good we shouted him so he's happy Tom Tom you seemed pretty emotional when you came off with that first and got the standing ination from my club's members can I just ask what was going through your head when When you crush over for that try and kick the go he says he's been giving you some coaching list oh I just uh you know I was happy to you know get that in my last game wasn't um be all end all but you know it opened up I was surprised actually didn't they didn't come in on me I think they just let me in to be honest six pointer uh and then uh yeah back drawing numbers cookie said he was going to uh he had the kicking dut he was going to hand it to me if I got a try so I'm glad it wasn't any uh further out let's be honest we spoke to you on Tuesday had it sunk in and you said it was probably getting there now that the game's finished and and you walk around the stadium and you see the crowd acknowledging you has it kind of hit home just like how much you and your brothers have actually been and done for this club yeah it is as well as I've reflected a little bit through the week and you know I'm just like I'm just really grateful for what's what I've been able to do over here just um you know came out come out here as a young lad one year deal not really enough what to expect and um I suppose yeah I'll leave 12 years later and uh I spoke about earlier the games give me a lot more than I've give it so I'll take a lot with me and uh yeah you know I love Australia I'll be back here as well when I retire but um you know yeah I just can't thank enough for the bunnies and uh everything they've done for me and my family and yeah they're massive part of my life and just a word on cookie you spoke about the car drives you to have had to and training over years his service he's given you I guess close to the line how much has he meant for this club yeah he's been unreal mate you know he's yeah he was happy when I when I moved over to the Shy cuz he's you know he's a bit tight so yeah spit the Fiel he didn't want to drive all the time bit the fuel and he he makes me get coffees on the way in as well so but no it's been it's been an awesome uh teammate awesome friend uh someone just to lean on uh bounce you know problems off and that sort of thing but he's uh you know he's speaks for himself what he's done in his career and um you know I just I think we're all really uh blessed to have played a part in his career and you know it's not over for him yet and um I'm sure he'll uh keep going Ben how much of a ho do these two guys leave at this club not just in terms of what they do on the field but in terms of the leadership around the buies yeah massive I mean cook is everything you want in a player he trains hard on and off the field he's a great teammate does everything the team needs whatever the team needs at any time and Tom's exactly the same and Tom's obviously experienced pretty much everything in rugby league so he adds that to our forward pack who's quite quite young at the moment so uh he's not afraid to have a joke and and keep it pretty light around the group as well so they're going to be huge losses to the club we we know that and we've known that for weeks by how much the boys want to get there and and finish off the year with these blocks so um yeah big losses and yeah you couldn't find two better teams teammates or players to be involved in a club cheers guys