Round 18 - Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs: Sunday 18th July 6:15pm @Cbus Super Stadium

[callmack1]

Time to look forward to the next game of this 2021 Season as we take on the Bulldogs this week in the Sunday night clash. Always love playing the Dogs and the rivalry will ignite again come Sunday. They're a traditional rival of ours and our history with them stretches back over 80 years now. Plenty of bumper clashes in there including Finals and Grand Finals. It's always a firery clash with a lot of feeling so I expect that to be no different this weekend.

Canterbury are no doubt struggling. They sit dead last on the ladder and have been there for some time. However, I don't want to see them be underestimated come Sunday. As always, we must treat them with respect and we have to earn the victory, can't just go out there and expect it to happen. Anyways, they're a side that is gritty and is capable of being tough. They drag you down to their level if you let them. I mean, just look at the results in this fixture the last two years. Both times we've played them in our home game, it's been a terrible performance from us and they've stood up to get the win. We must make sure that doesn't happen this time.

It's a bit of an unknown week for us. We're obviously relocating and have no idea where the team will be based and no idea what Stadium we'll be playing out of. However the boys can't let that bother them. It's gotta be business as usual. We're lucky we have the Sunday game as that'll give the Origin boys more time to recover however, I'd like to see all of them rested this week if we can. We'll see what happens there. Aside from that, I just want to see us continue to improve. Hold that ball, complete sets and defend well, the rest will fall into place.

An exciting clash coming up. I know I said we can't underestimate them and we shouldn't but being realistic, this is a game we should win. Looking forward to it!

 

[NovoBunny94]

Dogs played well against the chooks. Can’t underestimate or come out with half energy otherwise they will do what they did last year and beat us

 

[NovoBunny94]

Also considering our draw we have to win this game and win well

 

[Travitoh]

Call them what they are - a poor side. Anything short of a comfortable win will be a disappointment.

 

[Jim Rockford]

Wayne will have us primed and ready to rumble. I think our point scoring spree will definitely continue this week. Look for AJ to get yet another hat trick and Reyno to move that much closer to becoming our #1 point-scorer of all time.

 

[callmack1]

I'm predicting that we'll name the same line up as last week for this one. If I was Wayne, I'd be resting all our Origin players, yes all of them, and naming the same young fullas that played and did a good job last week. This is as good an opportunity as any to give them a rest. A few days after Game 3, a few days after a big celebration for the NSW boys, playing a weaker opponent (with respect to the Dogs). It just makes so much sense to rest them, give them a good physical and mental break, and have them primed for a run to the Finals.

We haven't had the luxury of even being able to consider this in recent years so let's make the most of it. The side from last week proved they can do a job.

 

[Travitoh]

Currently as strong a team as possible named. Playing last game of the weekend will help.

Hame Sele out though - injury or has he opted against relocating?

 

[callmack1]

Rabbitohs Team List for Round 18: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/13/rabbitohs-team-list-for-round-18/

Pretty hard to not be happy with that!! It's a very strong side, basically the strongest we could possibly name, all the Origin players are there, we're just missing Tatola and Sele. A but surprised to see that to be honest, I thought Wayne would name at least a few of the Origin lads to be rested but I can't argue. However, I don't think that's how they'll line up on Sunday, there are the guys that played last week that can step in and I still think that's what will happen. Depends how our boys get through Game 3 I guess. The absence of Sele obviously isn't good. No reports of an injury so maybe he had opted against relocating to Queensland?

Anyway, a great side that will still be great even if those Origin players don't back up. Keen for Sunday!

 

[callmack1]

Game confirmed for Cbus Super Stadium.

Nicholls reflects on his career ahead of his 100th NRL game: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/13/mark-nicholls-media-round-18/

Campbell Graham is feeling positive ahead of the NRL Relocation: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/13/campbell-graham-media-round-18/

Rabbitohs' right-side enjoying showing off their own talent: https://www.nrl.com/news/2021/07/13/rabbitohs-right-side-enjoying-showing-off-their-own-talent/

 

[Rabbits20]

Sele has a very minor hammy strain Chaps from Rabbitohs Radio said. He could have played but they’re taking precaution.

 

[callmack1]

Rabbitohs Insider 2021 Round 18: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/14/rabbitohs-insider-round-18/

 

[Rabbits20]

After that I don’t expect Trell, Murray or Gagai to back up.

I think Cook is likely to back up he just played 58mins tonight!

 

[NovoBunny94]

Any news on our origin players backing up?

 

[callmack1]

Any news on our origin players backing up?

None yet.

I do know that Benji is out for this one though. He stayed in NSW and was meant to come to Queensland but with the ongoing drama of getting families there, he's been stuck in Sydney. Hopefully it gets sorted soon but he's certain to miss this one.

South Sydney superstar Benji Marshall is stranded in Sydney and faces the prospect of being locked out of Queensland long-term.

Marshall was due to fly out of Sydney on Saturday but the ongoing border uncertainty now places the 36-year-old’s immediate playing future in doubt.

He was granted permission to extend his stay in Sydney before re-joining the rest of his Rabbitohs teammates in Brisbane. Marshall’s wife Zoe gave birth to the couple’s second child – a baby girl — last month.

The entire Marshall family had planned on relocating, but that has now changed. South Sydney officials were scrambling to work out a way for Marshall to re-join his teammates and not be impacted by quarantine restrictions.

The NRL is hoping family members who live in Newcastle and Canberra will still be able to fly on Saturday. Marshall may be part of that flight but even if he does fly out he may be forced to quarantine for 14 days.

He was named to play the Bulldogs on Sunday. Marshall could be in the final season of his glittering NRL career after being thrown a lifeline by the Rabbitohs this year on a one-year deal.

Cronulla’s Will Chambers is facing similar uncertainty with the veteran centre stuck in Melbourne.

 

[Jim Rockford]

Shame about Benji. He had a cracker of a game last time out.

 

[NovoBunny94]

Does that mean Taafe will come onto the bench as 14?

 

[callmack1]

"We are still grateful enough to play our game" - Reynolds: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2...-grateful-enough-to-play-our-game---reynolds/

"It's something I don't take for granted" - Koloamatangi: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/16/its-something-i-dont-take-for-granted---koloamatangi/

Does that mean Taafe will come onto the bench as 14?

Most likely, yes.

 

[callmack1]

Wayne Bennett Media - Round 18: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/17/wayne-media-round-18/

Rabbitohs 19 man squad for Round 18: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/17/rabbitohs-19-man-squad-for-round-18/

So it looks as though all the Origin guys will back up.

Mark Nicholls Brings Up 100 NRL Games: https://www.rabbitohs.com.au/news/2021/07/17/mark-nicholls-brings-up-100-nrl-games/

 

[callmack1]

Here we go, game day is finally here!!! We take on the Bulldogs tonight in what is always a bumper clash. The Dogs are a traditional rival, I'd say in our top three biggest rivals and there is plenty of genuine hatred between our two clubs. This hatred stretches back over 80 years. I know I'd speak for many of our fans when I say I certainly feel it. This always makes for a firey clash and I expect that to be no different tonight.

Look, To be honest, this is a game we should win. The Bulldogs sit last on the ladder and we're hopefully in contention for a Premiership. So on paper, this should be a lopsided affair. However, I don't want to see the boys go out there with that kind of attitude. On their day, Canterbury are a tough, gritty side that is capable of dragging their opposition down to their level and if you look at the last two years we've played them in this fixture with us as the home team, that has certainly been the case. Both times, in 2019 and 2020, we took the Bulldogs lightly, they wanted it more and managed to get one over us in a huge upset. Therefore, we must be wary that they'll try to do the same thing tonight, I'm sure they will.

Tonight is all about attitude for us. I want to see the boys run out fired up and ready for this one and as I alluded to earlier, I don't want to see us take the Bulldogs lightly. We need to go out there focussed, hungry and with attention to detail. Having all our Origin boys backing up will certainly help with that attitude and hopefully they can drive the standards. Our defence needs to be strong and I'd like to see it continue to improve, and if we can hold that ball, it'll go a long way to getting the win.

Just a quick side note, congrats to Mark Nicholls who plays his 100th NRL game tonight. Great milestone! It's taken him a while to get there but I'm so glad he's finally found a home here at Souths. Hoping for a big game from him tonight.

Let's all fire up tonight! I know a lot of us will be watching from our lounge rooms but let's be loud enough that the boys can hear us all the way up there in Queensland! Bring it on!

 

[Jim Rockford]

I can see us racking up another big score. I expect AJ to keep his hat-trick streak going and Reyno to close the gap on Simms for the all-time Souths pointscorer title. Most importantly if we win big or small is that we get through unscathed. The reason we are playing so well is because we are playing as a team with everyone playing their part to perfection.