Bennett praises Burgess and Burns for revival

Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett has praised huge stints from forward Sam Burgess and centre Braidon Burns for helping the Rabbitohs turn around a 12-6 deficit into a runaway 34-18 win.

The Bunnies piled on four tries in the space of 17 minutes early in the second half to break the game open, with Bennett praising Burgess as the best forward in the world and Burns as the best player on the field.

Burgess finished with two tries and 167 metres while Burns had game-highs in metres (176) and tackle busts (seven).

"We obviously played better than we did the first half," was Bennett's succinct summary.

"The Dragons were playing with a lot of energy and we weren't. It turned around in the second half."

He described Burgess as one of the best forwards to have ever played the game.

"He just put his stamp on the game didn't he? That's what the good ones do," he added.

Bennett was happy with a pre-season decision to switch superstar Greg Inglis to  right centre with Burns having struck up a combination with left side attacking weapons Cody Walker and John Sutton in the pre-season.

"I like what he brings. I made a decision with GI to put him on the other side so Braidon could have the opportunity to develop into a player. He hasn't played a lot of NRL so we think he can get better," Bennett said.

"He made his own decision [to take that left side spot]. Every training session he [put] himself in the centres. I thought 'This guy knows a bit more than I do'. I just let him train there, he seemed to have a good relationship with Cody Walker.  The more he trained the more I liked of him.

"He didn't give up his position when GI came back, he didn't say 'Oh I'll go and play on the other side coach' so I thought he thinks this is where he should be playing.

"I just liked what he did in the pre-season. He's a much better player than people probably think he is. I don't know why he hadn't played much first grade at Souths before, I haven't even asked the question. It's a new era, I'm not worried about what they did in the past."

Inglis appeared troubled by a shoulder or chest complaint late in the game but Bennett dismissed it as "nothing serious". John Sutton left the field in the 27th minute and did not return but Bennett also believed that wasn't a concern.

"He hurt his chest. I don't think it's too serious but it was pretty sore and tender. In the second half we didn't need him because the boys were getting the job done, that's the way it pans out sometimes," Bennett said.

Of the team's 2-0 start to the year with two big scalps in the Roosters and Dragons, Bennett said he was "not too excited".

"I don't think we played all that great tonight except for 20-odd minutes in the second half. The first half I didn't like and I don't think we finished the second half all that great either. The scoreboard flattered us," he said.