Russell's Rabbits are simply B-grade shockers: poll

Adrian Proszenko and Will Swanton | May 4, 2008

SOUTH SYDNEY has the softest pack, the least appealing coach, a vice-like grip on the wooden spoon and is the last club most players would consider joining.

And if that wasn't bad enough, National Rugby League players believe Souths and other clubs are cruelling their premiership hopes by making the soulless ANZ Stadium at Homebush their home ground.

These are only a few of the revelations from a Fairfax poll of 100 NRL players.

Despite the involvement of high-profile owners Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes a Court, Souths topped the list of clubs players least wanted to play for.

And, after a winless start to the season, the Rabbitohs' forward pack that includes New Zealand internationals Roy Asotasi, David Kidwell and David Fa'alogo was rated the game's softest.

Souths coach Jason Taylor also didn't escape unscathed. After guiding the Rabbitohs to the semi-finals for the first time in almost two decades last year, Taylor was rated the coach for whom most players didn't want to play, relieving Knights mentor Brian Smith of the unwanted title by a vote.

To make matters worse, 87 players tipped the Rabbitohs to take the wooden spoon.

The extensive poll of up-and-comers, veterans, state-of-origin and Test stars across all 16 NRL clubs also revealed that Cronulla captain Paul Gallen has surpassed St George Illawarra's Simon Woolford as the game's most annoying niggler, although he also was equal-fourth behind Carl Webb, Dallas Johnson and Petero Civoniceva as the NRL's toughest player.

Despite the scintillating early season form of Scott Prince and Billy Slater, Australian half-back Johnathan Thurston is still considered the NRL's pre-eminent player.

But Thurston's on-field histrionics haven't endeared him to his opponents, who have labelled him the biggest whinger in the game.

Predictably, Melbourne was labelled the masters of the grapple tackle and other wrestling moves, but is still the team to beat. However, the Gold Coast has emerged as the dark horse for the title.

Seventy per cent believe using the video official slows the momentum of the game and that, more often than not, he still comes up with either a wrong ruling or a 50-50 decision.

Tony Archer is considered the best referee, while Shayne Hayne was voted the game's worst whistleblower.