Walker, Graham train in bid to start season for Souths

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Walker, Graham train in bid to start season for Souths

Cody Walker and Campbell Graham are firming to play for South Sydney in round one, as the Rabbitohs consider flying to Queensland early to avoid travel disruption from Cyclone Alfred.

With Friday night’s NRL clash with the Dolphins under threat due to rain and heavy winds, Souths attempted to take a business-as-usual approach on Monday.

Walker (calf) and Graham (hand) both trained at the club’s Heffron Park base, with the latter allaying initial fears he could miss the opening month of the season.

Jai Arrow is certain to return from his shoulder surgery after missing the pre-season trials, and is set to play on one edge with Keaon Koloamatangi on the other.

That will leave Tallis Duncan and ex-Dolphin Lachlan Hubner vying for the No.13 jersey, following Cameron Murray’s season-destroying Achilles rupture.

“Those boys are more than capable,” Arrow said.

“Tallis showed what he can do at 13, he is good with ball in hand. He is aggressive, doesn’t mind the niggly and tough stuff. He will get his opportunity there.

“Lachy Hubner will be like a bull out of gate. What he brings defensively and with his energy, he will be there to be aggressive and play some footy.”

Walker and Graham’s participation in training on Monday comes as a significant boost to Wayne Bennett’s Souths side who have endured a horror pre-season.

Jye Gray will play fullback after Latrell Mitchell’s hamstring tear ruled him out of the opening six rounds, while Isaiah Tass will move to the wing outside Graham.

Jamie Humphreys and Jayden Sullivan both trained in the halves on Monday, with English import Lewis Dodd failing to impress in pre-season trials before being suspended.

“It hasn’t been ideal to lose players, but we’ve probably handled it better than anyone in the NRL with the amount of players we’ve lost,” Arrow said.

“We’re excited with the boys that come in and hopefully make those positions their own for the time being.

“We handled it really well. It happened in a five-minute span at training losing Cam and Latrell. We had to move on pretty quickly, and we feel like we’ve done that.”

Rabbitohs bosses are in contact with the NRL about travel plans for Friday’s game, with Cyclone Alfred forecast to hit on Thursday or Friday.

Beyond the damaging winds, the system is expected to bring daily rainfall of up to 600mm.

A Test between Australia and New Zealand at Suncorp Stadium in 2015 was postponed when 100mm of rain fell in a day.

Souths and the Dolphins will meet twice this year, but swapping venues is not an option with Sydney’s Accor Stadium covered in asphalt for the Race of Champions this weekend.

“I don’t know if we’re going up Wednesday or Thursday yet,” Arrow said.

“But if it is going to hit Thursday arvo, I am not flying in the cyclone, I know that much.”

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