📰 Keppie Wary of Desperate Dragons

Sean Keppie says South Sydney cannot afford to take any opponent lightly as they prepare to face a desperate Dragons side this weekend, with the Rabbitohs determined to improve their slow starts after falling behind early against Canberra in Perth.

Dragons Danger

The Rabbitohs forward knows his side must be on guard against a Dragons team fighting for survival this weekend. Keppie drew on recent experience to highlight the danger of facing a desperate opponent.

"I don't think you can take any game light these days. They're always going to try to come for that win so I think we've just got to put our foot forward, play what we do best and try to get the outcome that we want," he said.

Having been in similar situations earlier in his career, Keppie understands the mindset of teams under pressure. He believes the Dragons will rally together despite their difficult circumstances. "Everyone's in contention for every game," he said. "As you can see, Bulldogs did a real good job last week and Canberra come out on the weekend firing, so I think we're taking each game as a must-win, trying to put our best foot forward and trying to get that win."

Slow Starts Must Improve

South Sydney's disappointing loss to Canberra in Perth has sharpened the team's focus on their opening efforts. Despite scoring 32 second-half points, the Rabbitohs couldn't overcome an early deficit against the Raiders.

The prop was frank in his assessment of what needs to change. "We talked about it today, it's probably not good enough to what we did to start the game. We're going to work on that during this week and that's probably going to be our main focus for this weekend is to get off to a good start," Keppie said.

He emphasised that while last year's team showed character in mounting comebacks, this season requires a different approach. The focus is on starting strongly rather than relying on second-half heroics to rescue matches.

Depth Players Ready

With Jye Gray's availability for the weekend still uncertain, Keppie remains confident in the squad's depth. Gray has been assessed this week following injury concerns, though the forward noted his teammate remains in good spirits around training.

Should Matthew Dufty be called upon to step up, Keppie believes he's ready for the opportunity. The former Rabbitoh has been performing well in reserve grade and fits the energetic mould the team values. Keppie praised Dufty's non-stop communication at training and expects him to bring plenty of energy if selected.

The return of Brandon Smith to the middle has also provided a boost. "He's another energizer bunny we have in our team," Keppie said. "Just hearing him out on the field today and he gets his little two cents in into all the video and stuff, it's really good to have him a part of the team. He's got lots of experience, he's a great player and can't wait to be on the field with him."