Six weeks is a long time in Rugby League, and the last six weeks have been highly eventful for the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
In this time, the Rabbitohs have found success with a new halves pairing in Cody Walker and Jack Wighton. They have also had key players Cameron Murray and Latrell Mitchell return to the side, adding some spark in attack and starch in defence. As a result, the Rabbitohs have managed to put together an impressive four-match winning streak, defeating the Eels, Titans, Broncos and Sea Eagles.
This Thursday night, the Rabbitohs will meet the team against whom that winning run began – the Parramatta Eels. Six weeks ago in Indigenous Round, the Rabbitohs put Parramatta to the sword, inflicting a heavy 42-26 defeat on the Eels.
Enforcer Keaon Koloamatangi, who has found a home in the lock forward position in recent times, led the charge for the Red and Green. He was simply impossible to stop, finishing the game with two tries, 33 tackles (the most of any Rabbitoh) and 231m (the most on the field) – earning himself the Eric Simms Medal for the man-of-the-match.
He was by no means a one-man-team though, with Jai Arrow, Dion Teaupa, Sean Keppie and Damien Cook all crossing for tries, while Alex Johnston scored a very special try which saw him draw level with Billy Slater on the all-time try-scorers list in equal second place with 190 tries, who he has since surpassed.
The Rabbitohs will take plenty of confidence out of the prior result, as well as their recent record over the Eels which has seen them come out on top in nine out of eleven starts.
Speaking of confidence, Latrell Mitchell and Cameron Murray will both be full of confidence after returning to the Rabbitohs from New South Wales’ 38-18 defeat of Queensland last Wednesday. With Souths having the bye in round 17, Murray and Mitchell will be fresh and raring to go for this one, having been afforded the rare luxury of not having to back up for their club just days after a gruelling Origin match.
The return of these two champions will see a slight reshuffle for Ben Hornby’s side compared to the team that defeated the Sea Eagles in round 16.
Mitchell’s return will see Jye Gray shift to 18th man after a filling in admirably against the Sea Eagles. Meanwhile, the return of Murray on the edge will see Michael Chee Kam shift back to the bench, where he will look to provide plenty of energy and impact when he enters the game.
Stat Attack
- The Rabbitohs defeated the Eels 42-26 in their last meeting just six weeks ago.
- Rabbitohs have won nine of their last eleven games against Parramatta going all the way back to 2018.
- The Rabbitohs have a three from four record against the Eels at Commbank Stadium, winning their last match there 26-0 in 2022.
- Alex Johnston has scored in his last four straight outings against the Eels.
- AJ has scored ten tries in his last five games versus the Eels.
