Check out the match preview and prediction for the round 18 clash between the Warriors and Rabbitohs.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
New Zealand Warriors Vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Venue: Go Media Stadium, Auckland
Date: Friday June 30, 6:00pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Warriors: 1.Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Rocco Berry 4. Adam Pompey 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Luke Metcalf 7. Shaun Johnson 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Wayde Egan 10. Bunty Afoa 11. Jackson Ford 12. Josh Curran 13. Tohu Harris 14. Dylan Walker 15. Mitchell Barnett 16. Bayley Sironen 17. Tom Ale 18. Freddy Lussick 20. Brayden Wiliame 21. Ronald Volkman 22. Kalani Going 23. Zyon Maiu’u
Rabbitohs: 1. Blake Taaffe 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Campbell Graham 5. Richard Kennar 6. Cody Walker 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Tevita Tatola 9. Damien Cook 10. Hame Sele 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Michael Chee Kam 13. Cameron Murray 14. Siliva Havili 15. Shaq Mitchell 16. Davvy Moale 17. Thomas Burgess 18. Tyrone Munro 19. Taane Milne 20. Dean Hawkins 21. Peter Mamouzelos 22. Jacob Gagai
Referee: Ashley Klein
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
The Warriors return home to a sold-out Go Media Stadium aiming to record four-straight wins for the first time since beginning the 2018 season with five straight. The match is the earliest sell-out in club history and a win could potentially put them as high as second.
After six straight wins earlier in the season, the Rabbitohs form has fallen away badly, losing four of their past five, coinciding with the injury to Latrell Mitchell. Of particular concern is their defence, with the lowest score they’ve conceded in that time being the 28 points that they let Gold Coast score in their 46-28 win at CBUS Super Stadium.
Andrew Webster has made only one change to the side that thrashed St George Illawarra in Wollongong, with Mitch Barnett returning to the side for the suspended Marata Niukore.
For the Rabbitohs, Michael Chee Kam takes Jacob Host’s place in the starting side after Host was suspended for a shoulder charge. Siliva Havili and Shaquai Mitchell also return to the side, taking the places of Jed Cartwright and Peter Mamouzelos.
The Rabbitohs have dominated matches between these two sides in recent years, winning 13 of the 14 matches played between the two sides since 2013, including the past seven straight. The Warriors last win over the Rabbitohs came in the opening round of 2018, before that was Round 7, 2012, in Auckland.
Shaun Johnson is the only player to taste victory over the Rabbitohs in a Warriors jersey and will need to keep his outstanding form going if the Warriors are to continue their charge for the top 4.
Even though their defence has been an issue recently, the Rabbitohs will back their offence, having scored at least 30 points in 11 of their last 13 games against the Warriors.
LAST TEN MATCHES
Rabbitohs 9, Warriors 1
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Warriors by 4 points.
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