Check out the match preview and prediction for the 2025 National Rugby League round 8 clash between the Melbourne Storm and the South Sydney Rabbitohs
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
Melbourne Storm Vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
Date: Friday April 25, 8:10pm (ADST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Storm: 1. Ryan Papenhuyzen 2. Kane Bradley 3. Grant Anderson 4. Nick Meaney 5. Xavier Coates 6. Cameron Munster 7. Jahrome Hughes 8. Stefano Utoikamanu 9. Bronson Garlick 10. Josh King 11. Shawn Blore 12. Eliesa Katoa 13. Trent Loiero 14. Tyran Wishart 15. Alec MacDonald 16. Joe Chan 17. Lazarus Vaalepu 18. Ativalu Lisati 19. Sualauvi Faalogo 20. Keagan Russell-Smith 21. Coby Williamson 22. Nelson Asofa-Solomona
Rabbitohs: 1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 3. Jack Wighton 4. Campbell Graham 5. Isaiah Tass 6. Cody Walker 7. Jayden Sullivan 8. Sean Keppie 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Tevita Tatola 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Euan Aitken 13. Jai Arrow 14. Jye Gray 15. Siliva Havili 16. Davvy Moale 17. Tallis Duncan 18. Liam Le Blanc 19. Lewis Dodd 20. Thomas Fletcher 21. Salesi Ataata 22. Declan Casey
Referee: Peter Gough
Bunker: Adam Gee
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
The Melbourne NRL Anzac Day tradition continues, and it’s kind of appropriate that South Sydney are the visitors as the Rabbitohs are usually cannon fodder for the Storm, this H2H being the most lop-sided of any current NRL combination excluding the Dolphins.
After a Good Friday that could be described as anything but, the Rabbitohs have made some key changes ahead of the clash in Melbourne on Friday. Latrell Mitchell moves back to his preferred position of fullback, and at the expense of the unlucky Jye Gray who has been a standout for the Rabbitohs this season. Gray at least retains a spot in the squad, selected in the utility number 14 role. This sees a few other players return to preferred positions too, with Cody Walker moving back to five eighth, Campbell Graham into the centres, and Jayden Sullivan returns from suspension. Walker moving back to five eighth sets up a great showdown between himself and Cameron Munster, where there will no doubt be plenty of skills and niggle on display.
Euan Aitken moves to the second row and forms a very handy trio with Keaon Koloamatangi and Jai Arrow. But those three players will need to be at their best as the Storm back row, especially Eliesa Katoa who is playing as well as ever, and features in the top five of most key player stats for back row players.
Melbourne don’t have everything going their way heading into Friday’s clash, as they have some injury worries like Jack Howarth’s potentially season-ending shoulder injury and Harry Grant is out again after being a late withdrawal last Friday in Brisbane. The silver lining of Howarth’s injury for the Storm is the return of the steady hand of Nick Meaney in the centres. There’s also the added firepower of man mountain Nelson Asofa-Solomona, who is named in the number 22 jersey, but you would think he won’t miss such a big clash.
Both sides head into this game after humiliating losses on Good Friday. Souths were dominated by the Bulldogs and failed to score a point. While in Brisbane the Storm lost to the Dolphins for the first time, going from a 16-2 lead to a 44-16 deficit before the definition of a consolation try. For South Sydney it was the first time in nearly four seasons that they failed to score a point in a match. Melbourne’s loss was almost historic as it was only the second time since 2004 that the Storm have conceded over 40 points. The last time was in 2023 vs North Qld during Origin.
With strikepower all over the park for both sides, a key difference is the halfback position. While South Sydney have run a few different players in that position, Melbourne have the reigning Dally M winner Jahrome Hughes, who has looked good so far in 2025.
As previously mentioned this fixture is the most one-sided of the current NRL teams in the NRL era, excluding the Dolphins, and so the stats are awfully one-sided. Melbourne’s win % over South Sydney since 1998 is 83%, the next most one-sided H2H is Roosters-Wests Tigers at 77%. Worse than that, South Sydney have won just one away game vs Melbourne, that was in 2023 and at Suncorp Stadium. So the Rabbitohs have never beaten the Storm in Melbourne. The Storm have also won eight Anzac Day games in a row with a last loss in 2014. On a normal Friday Melbourne have also won 22 of their last 24 home games at AAMI Park, and 12 of their last 13 on a Friday night. Souths had at least won their first two Friday games in 2025 before last weekend’s Good Friday thrashing by the Bulldogs.
But there’s hope for the Rabbitohs: Melbourne have lost their only home game on Anzac Day on a Friday vs the Warriors in 2014. And Melbourne average the third highest total of points scored against for the second half in 2025. The problem being Souths average the second worst second half total in 2025.
Everything points to the south. Melbourne, not South Sydney, that is.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Melbourne by 20 points.
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
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