Veteran winger Matt King admits he’s been blown away by South Sydney’s strength in depth and compared the mood around the camp to what he experienced during his time at Melbourne.
A hard-fought 22-18 win, the team’s sixth in succession, over an in-form Gold Coast on Sunday virtually assured the Rabbitohs a top-four finish and a first NRL finals appearance in five seasons.
King, who spent five years at Melbourne and appeared in two grand finals before his switch to Super League side Warrington at the end of 2007, revealed Souths’ coach Michael Maguire has forbidden his players from talking about playing in the finals.
However, the 32-year-old is sensing an atmosphere around the NRL’s perennial under-achievers that is primed for success.
“One thing that is exactly the same is that it is a really happy place,” King said on Monday.
“The boys bounce into training in the morning and everyone is messing around and joking and that’s exactly what we had in Melbourne.”
Souths sit in second spot on the ladder, and a win against premiers Manly on Friday in Gosford will be a giant step towards securing at least two home semi-finals, giving the club a huge opportunity of securing a first premiership in 41 years.
“That top-four spot gives a bit of confidence and assurance,” King said.
“We’re working really hard to finish in the top four and, if we finish in the top two, that would give us a home semi which is a huge advantage.”
Despite the feel-good factor at Souths, whose players arrived at their recovery session at the South Juniors Leagues Club to a huge round of applause from a group of seniors waiting to play bingo, King is well aware that difficulties can lie ahead.
“We’re winning games without two of our best players at the moment. And I suppose you might go into games a little more nervous without someone like Greg Inglis at the back,” he said.
“In 2006 at Melbourne, Mick Crocker blew his knee out the week before the grand final. That really hurt us and the Broncos beat us so anything can happen.
“But I have been so impressed by some of the young guys who have come in this season from our NSW Cup team.
“When I first turned up at the club and I knew a handful of the guys, but a good few of the young blokes I never knew about.
“But the first thing that struck me was what champion blokes they are and make my job the best job in the world.”