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Why Walker kept faith in Souths juggernaut

Scott BaileyAAP
Cody Walker has been a key part of South Sydney's revival in the latter stages of the NRL season. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS)
Camera IconCody Walker has been a key part of South Sydney's revival in the latter stages of the NRL season. (Dan Himbrechts/AAP PHOTOS) Credit: AAP

Cody Walker claims there was never an ounce of panic about South Sydney's attack before it rebounded to a legitimate juggernaut ahead of the finals.

The Rabbitohs are poised to enter the final part of the regular season as the NRL's form team, highlighted by their 26-0 win over Parramatta on Friday.

Data shows that since the NRL's representative weekend, Souths have scored more points than any other team at an average of 32 a game in that time.

The Rabbitohs are also one of just two clubs to have a 6-1 record in that time, while their record of 15.86 points conceded is bettered only by Cronulla.

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It's a far cry from the way in which they started the year, losing six of their first 11 games with a new coach in Jason Demetriou and no Adam Reynolds.

At the time questions were asked about Walker's ability to adapt without his regular No.7, with the absence of Latrell Mitchell also allowing teams to pile pressure on him.

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But the five-eighth insists he never lost faith in the Bunnies' ability to rebound.

"Not really at all ... I know what I'm capable of," he said.

"I've played a lot of footy. You had to understand, we've had a lot of change at the club.

"I mean to what how many games have I played with Lachy (Ilias) now, 20 games?

"That always going to take a bit of time with different edges and that sort of thing.

"But we've turned it around through hard work, through our defence. Once we've gone into games with a defensive mindset, that's where it changed for us."

Walker's comments came after Jason Demetriou also spoke about the need for him to play the long game, after a shortened and interrupted pre-season.

Now, the rookie coach stands a chance at being the first coach to take a club to the top-four in the year after Wayne Bennett's exit.

The Rabbitohs' revival has coincided with Mitchell's return from a hamstring injury, with the Souths fullback now clearly back to his damaging best.

But Demetriou has also been quick to point out the hot run of form from Cameron Murray at lock and Walker's return to his lively best.

"It was probably just my movement around the field (that wasn't there early in the year)," Walker said.

"So for example, (Damien) Cook is about to jump, I'm there.

"That's probably what was missing throughout the season because I have done a lot of organising and sitting around the back.

"I took away from my game where I wasn't pushing up. That wasn't a natural part of my game. '

"Probably over the last couple of weeks I've started to anticipate when offloads are going to happen. I've started following the ball.

"That's where I feel I'm at my best."

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