Rabbitohs eye NRL's top four once again

Defying the naysayers, South Sydney have swatted away talk their premiership window has slammed shut as the Rabbitohs once again eye the NRL's top four in 2022.

With super-coach Wayne Bennett and influential captain Adam Reynolds both defecting to Queensland clubs, veteran playmaker Benji Marshall retiring and fellow rep stars Dane Gagai and Jaydn Su'a moving on, the critics have been quick to write off the 2021 grand finalists.

But hooker Damien Cook says he's heard it all before, pointing out the departures of club greats Greg Inglis, Sam Burgess and 2014 premiership-winning captain John Sutton triggered similar doubts about the Rabbitohs' title prospects in recent years.

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Yet Souths still qualified for three consecutive preliminary finals before finishing runners-up to Penrith last year when they went within a Reynolds sideline conversion of setting up extra time.

Little wonder Cook isn't buying into talk the Rabbitohs under new captain Cameron Murray and first-year NRL coach Jason Demetriou can't be heavyweight contenders again this season.

"That's been the comments for the past few years when we lost Greg, then we lost Sam and we lost Sutto and Reyno," Cook said on Tuesday.

"It's just like every club, we've got some great players here that just have to move on or retire.

"The good sign for the club is that for the past few years we have managed to get it done the next year as well and step up with the next man up and it shows that we've got some great juniors coming through."

Cook said top four was "definitely" the goal entering the side's season-opener against Reynolds' Brisbane Broncos at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

"Has been for a long time.