Rabbitohs confident

NEARING full strength and with a healthy Sam Burgess finally back on deck, South Sydney are threatening to click into top gear a month out from the NRL finals.

The Rabbitohs have been a shadow of the side that won 10 of their first 11 games.

But coach Wayne Bennett insists his top-four aspirants aren’t as far off as some fans may think entering tonight’s clash with in-form Canterbury.

The 26-16 loss to Melbourne last Sunday convinced Bennett the Rabbitohs were genuine title contenders.

“We’ve played every team in the comp now. We hadn’t played the Storm up until the weekend,” Bennett said yesterday. “So we know what we bring. It was a test for us.

“We walked away with enough confidence that if we play well … we’re a chance in September.”