Bulldogs v Rabbitohs preview - 2017 Round 7

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The Easter Show is on and the football is coming at you, thick and fast around the Easter break. To start us off this Friday - is the traditional Canterbury Bankstown vs South Sydney fixture. A few years back this fixture was marred in controversy so this clash is always heated.

Neither team will be impressive with their 2017 thus far - Bulldogs have remained stodgy in attack and a lot of their points come from Josh Reynolds brilliance while Souths have been hampered by injury early in the piece which leaves the burden on the young shoulders of Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds. It makes for an intriguing contest between two very different styles of attack.

It is also the battle of Britain in the forwards - as James Graham and Sam Burgess come up against each other as both teams come off impressive victories. Bulldogs taking down the gallant Knights in the Hunter while the Rabbitohs downed the Panthers. Sitting ninth and eleventh won't suit two rabid fanbases which adds some extra spice to tomorrow's contest.

Last meeting: Round 26 2016 - Bulldogs 10 Rabbitohs 28

South Sydney finished their 2016 campaign on a high with four straight victories which included the Round 26 28-10 victory over the Bulldogs who limped into the finals, beaten by Panthers the next week.

Who to watch: It is odd to say an interchange player is the player to watch but Matt Frawley has provided a spark to a stunted Bulldogs attack. The young half was inserted off the bench last weekend and steadied the boys from Belmore after the Knights worked their way back into the contest. He gives them a much needed kicking option that both Josh Reynolds and Moses Mbye lack which will be key to move around a big Souths pack tomorrow.

While the forwards provide the platform for the stylish play of South Sydney's five-eighth - after his impressive display against Panthers, Cody Walker is a tough ask for any defensive line. His combination of pace and footwork will keep the young Rabbitohs backline on their toes as the Bunnies look to give him space to create.

The favourite: Canterbury have slight favouritism with the bookies on the back of two consecutive wins, but by kickoff - who knows.

My tip: It is hard to split these two sides, as the four Good Friday games are split 2-all albeit Souths hold the narrow advantage over the last ten. So it makes for the toughest choice of the weekend between two teams evenly matched and ready to resume hostilities. Rabbitohs by 4.


1. Brett Morris 2. Kerrod Holland 3. Josh Morris 4. Brenko Lee 5. Marcelo Montoya 6. Josh Reynolds 7. Moses Mbye 8. Aiden Tolman 9. Michael Lichaa 10. James Graham 11. Josh Jackson 12. Adam Elliot 13. Greg Eastwood 14. Sam Kasiano 15. Danny Fualalo 17. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 20. Matt Frawley

1. Alex Johnston 2. Braidon Burns 3. Siosifa Talakai 4. Robert Jennings 5. Bryson Goodwin 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Burgess 9. Damien Cook 10. Kyle Turner 11. John Sutton 12. Angus Crichton 13. Sam Burgess 14. Robbie Farah 15. Jason Clark 16. Zane Musgrove 17. George Burgess


Referees: Matt Cecchin, Alan Shortall; Sideline Officials: Nick Beashel, Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski; Video Referees: Bernard Sutton, Luke Patten;



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