Check out the match preview and prediction for the final round clash between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
South Sydney Rabbitohs Vs Sydney Roosters
Venue: Accor Stadium, Sydney
Date: Friday September 6, 8:00pm
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Rabbitohs: 1. Jye Gray, 2. Tyrone Munro, 3. Taane Milne, 4. Richard Kennar, 5. Jacob Gagai, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Dean Hawkins, 8. Tallis Duncan, 9. Damien Cook, 10. Thomas Burgess, 11. Keaon Koloamatangi, 12. Jacob Host, 13. Davvy Moale, 14. Peter Mamouzelos, 15. Liam Le Blanc, 16. Sean Keppie, 17. Siliva Havili, 18. Michael Chee Kam, 19. Izaac Tu’itupou Thompson, 20. Brock Gray, 21. Fletcher Myers, 22. Dion Teaupa
Roosters: 1. James Tedesco, 2. Fetalaiga Pauga, 3. Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii, 4. Joseph Manu, 5. Dominic Young, 6. Luke Keary, 7. Sandon Smith, 8. Spencer Leniu, 9. Connor Watson, 10. Lindsay Collins, 11. Angus Crichton, 12. Sitili Tupouniua, 13. Naufahu Whyte, 14. Zach Dockar-Clay, 15. Siua Wong, 16. De La Salle Va’a, 17. Terrell May, 18. Michael Jennings, 19. Blake Steep, 20. Mark Nawaqanitawase, 21. Jake Elliott, 22. Xavier Va’a
Referee: Grant Atkins
Embed from Getty ImagesMATCHDAY PREVIEW
The latest chapter of an age-old rivalry will be written on Friday night as the struggling South Sydney Rabbitohs host a Sydney Roosters team coming off the back of nightmare loss to Canberra.
Souths have spent much of the year with a lengthy injury list, while in the span of one game the Roosters have also experienced a huge increase to their casualty ward.
Cody Walker returns to five-eighth with Jack Wighton suffering a calf strain in their loss to the Panthers. Dean Hawkins joins the team at halfback. Thomas Burgess, in his final game in the NRL before joining Huddersfield next year, will start at prop, with Sean Keppie on the bench. Damien Cook will also make his final appearance for the club before moving to St George Illawarra next year.
It’s changes galore for the Roosters after their shocking injury toll last weekend. With Sam Walker and Brandon Smith both suffering season-ending ACL injuries, Sandon Smith joins the team at halfback with Connor Watson at hooker and Zach Dockar-Clay on the bench. Victor Radley is also out having fractured his scapula; however he has opted to delay surgery in a desperate attempt to return before the end of the season. Sitili Tupouniua takes his place in the back row while Naufahu Whyte will start at lock with Nat Butcher unavailable through the NRL’s 11-day concussion stand down. Daniel Tupou is being rested, with Junior Pauga making his first appearance in first grade since mid-year. In some good news for the Roosters, Joseph Sua’ali’i returns to the side after missing last week’s game with a shoulder complaint, while American Samoa-born 19-year-old Roosters Academy product De La Salle Va’a will make his first grade debut from the bench. Reports emerged on Wednesday that rugby convert Mark Nawaqanitawase will make his NRL debut after a strong run of form in NSW Cup.
After a number of losses between 2019 and 2022, the Roosters have since dominated this fixture, winning four of the past five. The most recent result was a 48-6 win at Allianz Stadium in Round 3, the Roosters biggest win against Souths since a 62-0 flogging in 1996. Their last meeting at Accor Stadium saw the Tricolours storm to a 26-12 win to take the Rabbitohs’ top 8 spot in the final round of the 2023 season. In between, the Roosters claimed a 46-10 win in the Preseason Challenge, albeit with no first graders due to the Las Vegas trip.
While the Rabbitohs are almost certain to finish 15th, the Roosters have a lot to play for. It’s an opportunity to get their new combinations working before the finals, while they a win would leave their hopes of a top 2 finish hinging on Penrith losing against Gold Coast. A defeat could see Cronulla push them to 4th and a qualifying final trip to Melbourne should the Sharks beat Manly.
Since 2007, the two clubs have played for the Ron Coote Cup, awarded to the team that has the best aggregate across the two regular season matches. The Rabbitohs hold a 9-8 advantage since then, however the Roosters seem almost certain to tie up the ledger.
On the topic of Coote, the recently unveiled 14th Immortal will be honoured before the game on Friday night. In addition, Souths’ lock Tallis Duncan will wear the number 8 jersey that ‘The Prince of Locks’ was famous for.
The disrupted preparation might leave the Roosters in danger of being upset by the lowly Rabbitohs, however they still have a quality line-up, including Luke Keary playing against his former club for the final time, and should get the job done.
Head-to-head stats can be found at Number Crunch Stats.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
Roosters by 6 points.
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