South Sydney coach Michael Maguire has dismissed claims his side’s lack of finals experience will be a factor as the Rabbitohs begin their quest for a first premiership in 41 years.

Maguire has guided Souths to the finals in his debut season with the club – the first time in five years the Redfern outfit have finished in the top eight.

A trip to Melbourne on Saturday is the reward for a third-place finish for Maguire’s men, and the coach has found it hard to fathom why the people perceive his team to have a shortage of big-game know-how.

Co-captains Michael Crocker and Roy Asotasi have both won premierships with Sydney Roosters and Canterbury respectively and Matt King, who is also part of the leadership group, played in two with Melbourne.

Queensland and Australia superstar Greg Inglis was also part of four Storm sides that played in premiership deciders.

Maguire has called on the senior members of his side to relive their finals memories to the rest of the squad as he plots the Rabbitohs’ first-ever win in the Victorian capital.

“I’ve got a lot of experience in my side of finals football,” Maguire said.

“People say that we haven’t been there, but a number of my players have. I’ve called on those boys to share a bit of insight into what finals are about.

“It’s a very calm group at the moment and we know exactly what we have to do.”

Maguire cut his teeth as an assistant coach under Craig Bellamy at the Storm, but the 38-year-old on Thursday denied there will be any sentimentality when he returns to his former club.

He also said his side are far better now than in round two when the Storm cruised to a 24-10 win at AAMI Park after Souths faded badly in the second half.

It was after that game Maguire moved Inglis to fullback from centre – a decision that’s been vindicated fully, with the 25-year-old going into the game against his former employers as the NRL’s in-form player.

Maguire refused to be drawn on whether Inglis is a superior option to opposite number Billy Slater, but is fully aware of how fortunate he is to have him at his disposal.

“We have a lot of discussion about what he can do at fullback and he’s still learning,” Maguire said.

“He’s only been playing there for a few months and has done well on a number of occasions.

“He’s said himself recently he has a lot of improvement to make in his game at fullback.

“But Greg is a true professional, and without doubt a player who is a big part of what we are doing and where we want to be.”