The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their squad for their NRL pre-season match against the North Queensland Cowboys to be played this Saturday 19 February at 5pm AEST local time (6pm AEDST Sydney time) at Barlow Park in Cairns.
Rabbitohs Head Coach Jason Demetriou has named a squad featuring nine players with NRL experience including 2021 NRL Grand Finalists Blake Taaffe and Jaxson Paulo, as well as new recruit Siliva Havili who will wear the Rabbitohs jersey for the first time in this match. Other players with NRL experience include Lachlan Ilias, Hame Sele, Peter Mamouzelos, Davvy Moale, Jed Cartwright and Richie Kennar, who will be joining far north Queensland product Jack Campagnolo in the Rabbitohs’ team for their first game of the 2022 pre-season.
The Rabbitohs return to Cairns for the first time since 2018 when they defeated the Cowboys 21-20 in an NRL Premiership match. The Rabbitohs played home premiership games in Cairns for six consecutive seasons between 2013 and 2018, returning to host the Cowboys in this pre-season fixture again in 2022.
This match is the culmination of a six-day camp in far north Queensland for the Rabbitohs who have connected with the local community in Cairns and the surrounding regions through the Club’s charitable arm, Souths Cares.
This match, and the community engagement of the Rabbitohs’ charitable arm, Souths Cares, is proudly supported by Cairns Regional Council and the Queensland Department of Tourism, Innovation and Sport. A percentage of proceeds from the match will be going to the FNQRL junior programs.
The gates at Barlow Park will open at 2:20 pm AEST with the curtain-raiser match between Yarrabah and Northern Pride Invitational set to kick off at 2:50 pm AEST. The NRL match will commence at 5 pm AEST.
Tickets are available for pre-purchase from www.123tix.com.au, Intersport Cairns, Brothers Leagues Club Innisfail or the gate on game day if not sold out prior. All ticket holders must show proof of full vaccination upon entry to Barlow Park.
Ticket holders and Rabbitohs Members attending the match also receive free entry to the Cairns race meeting on Friday 18 February starting at 12pm. All they need to do is show their match ticket or Membership card to gain free entry. All race day attendees must provide proof of vaccination.
The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ squad for Saturday’s pre-season clash with the Cowboys is:
- Blake Taaffe
- Zane Bijorac
- Jaxson Paulo
- Josiah Karapani
- Richie Kennar
- Jack Campagnolo
- Lachlan Ilias
- Hame Sele
- Peter Mamouzelos
- Davvy Moale
- Ben Lovett
- Jed Cartwright
- Siliva Havili
Interchange - Tallis Duncan
- Tyson Hodge
- Shaquai Mitchell
- Lachlan Gale
- Izaac Thompson
- Jacob Gagai
- Isaiah Vailalo
- Nick Mougios
- Romano Cook
- Shannon Gardiner
- Trent Peoples
Head Coach: Jason Demetriou