2025 Rabbitohs Round 7 - Vs Bulldogs

[speedster]

Round 7 Friday 18th April - Bulldogs v Rabbitohs at Accor Stadium, Sydney (9, Fox) - 4.05pm AEST​

HEAD TO HEAD	TOTAL	SOU	BUL	DRAWN
ALL MATCHES 1935-2024	169	81	84	4
NRL ERA 1998-2024 ACCOR	47 37	22 18	24 19	1 0

Overall winning % at this venue - Rabbitohs 57% - Bulldogs 54%.

Current standings -
5th Rabbitohs 4 wins 2 losses 0 byes -4 diff, 8 pts,
1st Bulldogs 5 win 0 losses 1 bye +66 diff, 12 pts

 

[speedster]

It will be quite the upset if we can defeat the Dogs this season with the continued outs that we must face yet again week after week.

What sort of side can we glue together this week? Will Cody be back a week early as suggested? It would be a bit of sunshine that would allow Latrell to go back to either centre or fullback. And unless they fight the grading, Dodd will definitely need to play in place of Sullivan in place of Humphreys.

*Keppie out also. Way too much chopping and changing. Campbell may be back though which will mean a big decision will be required by Wayne as to where to play Latrell if Cody is also back - unless he decides to play Cody at 7 and leave Latrell at 6.

 

[speedster]

Has to be said also that the Dogs have arrived as a genuine premiership contender under Ciraldo. Their defence is very impressive. They come up in 3s and they all hit at exactly the same time up around the torso and ribs, pushing the ball carrier sideways and off balance, dominating the tackle and getting to their feet first to set up the line speed for the next play and rinse and repeat.

Meanwhile, we are still very one out when it comes to rucking it out and just go one wide of the ruck. The Dogs will eat that stuff up unless we plan to string more passes together and look to hit it up a few passes wide of the ruck and go forward more through our edges to start before then going back to the middle and so on.

But, gone are the days of us throwing it around and scoring heaps of points against the Dogs of yesteryear. That era has ended and we now face the new real deal Bulldogs.

We'll be up against it regardless. It will be a fair dinkum upset if we win.

 

[speedster]

*Sean Keppie is still a chance to play in this game if he wins his challenge to downgrade the charge to a Grade 1 tomorrow night.

 

[speedster]

The South Sydney Rabbitohs’ squad for Good Friday’s clash with the Bulldogs is:​

Rabbitohs Head Coach Wayne Bennett has named Cody Walker to return as halfback and captain, as well as Campbell Graham onto the wing for the injured Alex Johnston. Lewis Dodd has been named on the interchange bench to make his NRL debut this week.

1- Jye Gray
2- Campbell Graham
3- Euan Aitken
4- Jack Wighton
5- Isaiah Tass
6- Latrell Mitchell
7- Cody Walker (c)
8- Sean Keppie
9- Peter Mamouzelos
10- Junior Tatola
11- Keaon Koloamatangi
12- Jai Arrow
13- Lachlan Hubner

Interchange:
14- Lewis Dodd
15- Siliva Havili
16- Tallis Duncan
17- Davvy Moale
18- Liam Le Blanc
19- Salesi Ataata
20- Thomas Fletcher
21- Declan Casey
22- Josh Schuster

Coach – Wayne Bennett

 

[speedster]

Tass goes okay on the left but is poor on the right side of the field. I expect Campbell to shore up the right side playing wing outside Jack who is still adjusting to the right side himself (unless Wayne swaps him with Aitken) while I'm guessing Wayne sticks Tass back on the left outside Aitken now that AJ is again injured. Not sure what the go is with AJ this week. I though he was right but maybe he came back too early and the rib is still no good?

 

[speedster]

Dodd on the bench and Cody at 7. I expect when Dodd does come on, there will be a reshuffle of Cody to 5/8 and Latrell to .... somewhere. Centre? Fullback? Lock?

Interesting

 

[handyman2190]

Dodd on the bench and Cody at 7. I expect when Dodd does come on, there will be a reshuffle of Cody to 5/8 and Latrell to .... somewhere. Centre? Fullback? Lock?

Interesting

Dodds there in case cody breaks down,

 

[speedster]

Dodds there in case cody breaks down,

Sure, but if Cody gets through the game, Dodd surely gets some game time and he's an out and out halfback so some shuffling around will be needed. Will be interesting as I say.

 

[handyman2190]

Sure, but if Cody gets through the game, Dodd surely gets some game time and he's an out and out halfback so some shuffling around will be needed. Will be interesting as I say.

Agree if we are having attacking problems,because cody dosent play that well at 7, he could move to 6, trell to centre
Also if campbell breaks down dodd 7 cody6 trell 3 whighton wing

 

[speedster]

Bulldogs team: 1. Connor Tracey 2. Jacob Kiraz 3. Bronson Xerri 4. Stephen Crichton 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Matt Burton 7. Toby Sexton 8. Max King 9. Reed Mahoney 10. Daniel Suluka-Fifita 11. Josh Curran 12. Jacob Preston 13. Jaeman Salmon 14. Kurt Mann 15. Sitili Tupouniua 16. Jack Todd 17. Bailey Hayward 19. Blake Taaffe 20. Blake Wilson 21. Jake Turpin 22. Lipoi Hopoi 23. Viliame Kikau

 

[Steenson123]

Canterbury are overrated. Really do most of their players actually scare anyone outside perhaps Crichton and Kikau? Mahony, Sexton and Tracey have never won anything despite playing for 60 years. Mann and Salmon Head are really B Grade players, as are a few of their others. Suluka-Fifita failed both here and at Easts and so on and so forth. They are NOT Bellamy's Melbourne.
On us. Will Burt be tempted to play Shuster? The guy can do anything on a football field if he wants to. Yes we know his dim history BUT can Burt be the one that ignites him?
And will we ever put the ongoing injury crisis in the rear view? Its become frustrating playing with the right fist tied behind one's back confronting virtual full strength outfits.

 

[speedster]

Canterbury are overrated. Really do most of their players actually scare anyone outside perhaps Crichton and Kikau? Mahony, Sexton and Tracey have never won anything despite playing for 60 years. Mann and Salmon Head are really B Grade players, as are a few of their others. Suluka-Fifita failed both here and at Easts and so on and so forth. They are NOT Bellamy's Melbourne.
On us. Will Burt be tempted to play Shuster? The guy can do anything on a football field if he wants to. Yes we know his dim history BUT can Burt be the one that ignites him?
And will we ever put the ongoing injury crisis in the rear view? Its become frustrating playing with the right fist tied behind one's back confronting virtual full strength outfits.

Individually, the Dogs ain't that much on paper. But they are playing and hunting like a pack of mongrels, especially in defence. Their defence is winning them games and they're scoring points off the back of that. We will need to see our attack really click just to get the ball movement required to get around them but only if our forwards can go forward a hell of a lot better than they did last week against the Cows.

Schuster needs much more match fitness to be considered for 1st grade and is probably at least another 2 weeks away minimum providing he gets more minutes in reggies under his belt.

As for a change of luck with injuries, I've given up wishing for that. Wake me when it happens.

 

[Dogmatix]

Schuster wants to play 6. He has been selected at 6 this week in NSW Cup to show what he can do in that position

Souths are 0 from 6 this season when it comes to winning the average metres per set stat. Souths big problem is they are losing the arm wrestle every week. Souths have been staying in the contest by making less errors so they get more sets than the opposition

 

[speedster]

Schuster wants to play 6. He has been selected at 6 this week in NSW Cup to show what he can do in that position

Souths are 0 from 6 this season when it comes to winning the average metres per set stat. Souths big problem is they are losing the arm wrestle every week. Souths have been staying in the contest by making less errors so they get more sets than the opposition

Well he can play 6 in reggies but if he wants to play first grade, he is going to have to roll his sleeves up and play in the forwards on an edge. If he just wants to throw miracle balls all day long, then he is playing in the correct grade now.

And Souths have stayed in the fight all the way and fought back late a number of times when they looked dead and buried because Wayne has instilled that never say die attitude back in the joint. I reckon getting Aitken and possibly a fit and motivated Schuster into the edge backrower positions will bolster our middles and make a big difference if we can ever get our full compliment of players out there all at once.

 

[Rabbits20]

Well a big TLT. Interesting Cody and Trell in the halves. Only issue I have with that is we might lack some direction but I tells me Wayne is going for all out attack. Be interesting to see which one of Cody or Trell plays right? Also I’m a bit shocked Dodd wasn’t named at 7 that says a lot to me about where the club think Dodd is at. There have been rumblings Wayne isn’t too impressed with him and it shows if Cody is fit that Dodd still can’t make it into the 7 jersey with Sullivan and Humphreys out.

A mate said to me Campbell on wing a bit of a waste I said to him what do you expect with AJ, Rava and Munro out. Stretch has played wing for Australia before and I like him there as well. Tass needs to be better this week if we had fit enough troops I think he would have been dropped.

Aitken stays at centre too which I guess has to happen for now.

Massive boost with Keppie free to play that will help. For us to be in this the forwards must aim up big time this week they didn’t last week. Also we can’t let in soft tries we need to be much better.

Finally I do expect we will have to beat 18 men this week. Cmon Souths pull off a win for the ages I’ll be very emotional if we can do it.

Let’s hope and pray Cody passes the fitness test on Thursday.

Level 6 tickets still quite cheap and selling a few bays sold out on one side!

Dogs fans are all saying now that Gerard Sutton isn’t ref they’ll win easy. I’d love to wipe the smile off their faces.

 

[Rabbits20]

Atkins ref is bad for us

 

[Rabbits20]

Bulldogs $1.31
Rabbitohs $3.46

 

[Rabbits20]

Dogs fans online are laughing happy Atkins is reffing over Gerry Sutton and say they’ll outnumber us 75-25 and out vocalise us in the stands by a country mile.


Geez it would be great to pull off a famous upset win

 

[speedster]

Bulldogs v Rabbitohs: Burton, Kikau on track; Cody back in business

A massive crowd will pour into Accor Stadium for the traditional Good Friday clash between the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs.

www.nrl.com

Bulldogs v Rabbitohs: Burton, Kikau on track; Cody back in business​

Good Friday is set to be very, very good for rugby league fans with a crowd of 70,000 predicted to pour into Accor Stadium for the showdown between the Bulldogs and Rabbitohs.
The Bulldogs are flying in 2025 and sit on top of the ladder with a 5-0 record while Wayne Bennett's return has sparked a Rabbitohs revival and they sit fifth with four wins and two losses.

The Good Friday clash has been essential viewing since 2015 when Souths got home 18-17 on the back of a late penalty against James Graham for making contact with Adam Reynolds' legs and the Bulldogs skipper infamously vented his frustration at referee Gerard Sutton.

The Rabbitohs have had the wood on the Dogs in the past six Good Friday clashes but Cameron Ciraldo's men will go in as hot favourites to continue their unbeaten start to the season.

https://www.nrl.com/draw/nrl-premiership/2025/round-7/bulldogs-v-rabbitohs/​

Team News​

Bulldogs: Five-eighth Matt Burton is back after missing three games with a knee injury and Viliame Kikau is part of the extended squad as he eyes a return from a knee injury. Bailey Hayward goes back to the bench after deputising for Burton in the past three games. Sitili Tupouniua returns from suspension on the bench. Blake Taaffe has gone to 18th man.

Rabbitohs: Skipper Cody Walker returns from a hamstring injury to partner Latrell Mitchell in the halves with Englishman Lewis Dodd named on the bench for his first NRL game. Another backline boost for the Bunnies with Campbell Graham (calf) returning on the wing in place of the injured Alex Johnston. Prop Sean Keppie is free to play after successfully having his Careless High Tackle charge downgraded at the judiciary. Jayden Sullivan is serving a one-game suspension. Former Sea Eagle Josh Schuster has been listed among the reserves after returning to the field in NSW Cup last weekend.

Stat Attack​

• The Bulldogs have conceded 14 points in their past three games.
• The Rabbitohs have won their last six Good Friday games against the Bulldogs.
• Bulldogs centre Stephen Crichton has scored 11 tries in 12 games against the Rabbitohs.
• Rabbitohs five-eighth Latrell Mitchell has won 11 consecutive games against the Bulldogs.
• The Bulldogs require one try for 1,000 tries at Accor Stadium.