It was a tale of two halves for South Sydney this season - from a high-flying attacking and defensive force in the first-half, to a complete shambles and a club in crisis by the end of Round 27.
Three months into the season, the Rabbitohs were sitting in top spot on the NRL ladder as the likes of Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker dominated their opposition.
But somewhere along the way, things went pear-shaped at Redfern and it led to some of the most negative publicity the proud foundation franchise have faced in well over a decade.
From the time Latrell went down with a calf injury at the beginning of the State of Origin period, the Bunnies would win just four games from their final 14, including their final-round death knell at the hands of local rivals the Roosters.
Jason Demetriou would have plenty of scrutiny come his way for giving 'preferential treatment' to some of Souths' star players, leading to Sam Burgess abruptly walking out towards the conclusion of their campaign.
This year would mark the first time the Rabbitohs had missed the finals since 2017 under Michael Maguire, and with more questions than answers regarding their internal dramas, it shapes up to be a crucial off-season for the club.
The Sporting News takes a deep dive into South Sydney's tumultuous season below.
Did the Rabbitohs over-deliver or under-deliver in 2022?
It's no secret that Souths massively UNDER-DELIVERED this season, missing the finals for the first time in six years despite boasting a star-studded roster and leading the NRL after 11 rounds as premiership favourites.
With an abundance of representative talent at their disposal and the side in a great position mid-way through the year, the fact they fell out of the finals at the back-end of the year is borderline disgraceful.
Yes, the absence of Latrell for an extended period was tough to cover and the Origin period is always tricky to navigate, the Bunnies had a run-home that should have seen them at least sneak into the top-eight.
Instead, the side packed their bags for a post-season holiday far earlier than expected.
When did it fall apart for the Rabbitohs in 2023?
While the losses during the Origin period to Canterbury and St George Illawarra are tough to judge, their performance in Round 17 against the Cowboys with a closer to full-strength lineup certainly raised some alarm bells.
With only Latrell sidelined from their regular 17, Demetriou's side were blown off the park by a North Queensland outfit that also failed to book a spot in September.
From there, Souths would paper over the cracks with wins against the Warriors, Tigers and Dragons towards the back-end of the year, but their issues were on full display against a struggling Cronulla side in Round 23.
From there, the Rabbitohs needed to win just one of their final two games against the Knights or Roosters, but failed in both and were sent packing by their local rivals.
The best period to be a Rabbitohs fan in 2023
While the negatives certainly outweigh the positives for the Bunnies this season, there were still plenty of highlights in the first-half of the season - highlighted by their performances against Brisbane, Penrith and Melbourne.
With the side sitting inside the top-four heading into Round 8, Souths would escape with a narrow 20-18 victory against the minor premiers and reigning back-to-back champion.
A week later, the Rabbitohs would record perhaps their best win of their rollercoaster campaign, defeating the high-flying Broncos 32-6 at Suncorp Stadium.
Fast-forward to Round 10 and Souths were on the road again and managed to beat their bogey side in the Storm 28-12 in another display of their seemingly profound premiership credentials.
Unfortunately, it all unravelled by Round 12 against Parramatta when they were blown off the park, beginning an ugly downward spiral.
Shining light: Cody Walker
While there were plenty of negatives for the Bunnies in the back-half of the season, the performances of Cody Walker were a clear highlight and it earned the classy playmaker a representative recall.
Despite the late-season collapse from his side, the 33-year-old still managed to finished in the top-five across the NRL for both try assists (24) and linebreak assists (32).
Walker would be selected for NSW in the final game of the State of Origin series, steering the side to an impressive victory in the dead-rubber, placing his name at the top of the list for next year.
The five-eighth will be disappointed with the side's struggles and his own form as their collapse ensued towards the end of the 27 rounds, but can hold his head high for his individual efforts earlier in 2023.
Cody Walker 2023 NRL stats
| Games | 22 |
| Tries | 9 |
| Try Assists | 24 |
| Linebreaks | 11 |
| Linebreak Assists | 32 |
| Offloads | 14 |
| Avg. Run Metres | 81m |
| Avg. Kick Metres | 203m |
| Forced Dropouts | 11 |
| Avg. Tackles | 19 |
| Tackle Efficiency | 81% |
Will the South Sydney Rabbitohs improve in 2024?
Things can't possibly get any worse for a side with as much quality and star-power as South Sydney possess.
While it's a bitter bill to swallow to go from top spot to missing the finals in the space of a few months, the Rabbitohs will need to wipe the slate clean and look towards keeping their premiership window open.
The addition of Raiders star Jack Wighton - who is capable of playing a number of positions - will give them an added X-factor, while the club will be hopeful Latrell Mitchell can get through an entire year with no injury issues.
If the Bunnies are at full-strength for the majority of next season and can put the internal issues to bed, there's no reason why they can't make their way back into the top-four and challenge the likes of Brisbane and Penrith.
South Sydney Rabbitohs player movements 2024
Gains:
Jack Wighton
Losses:
Hame Sele, Jed Cartwright, Blake Taaffe
Unsigned
Dean Hawkins, Michael Chee Kam, Terrell Kalo Kalo
