Rabbitohs v Warriors preview

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South Sydney Rabbitohs v Warriors Sunday 2:00pm at Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park / Wanngal

Forward domination the key as Souths and New Zealand look for consistency

The South Sydney Rabbitohs are shooting for three straight wins when they take on the third place New Zealand Warriors at Accor Stadium.

South Sydney have had a strange season so far. They started brilliantly, before crashing down to earth following a series of shortages in the backs and the halves. The foundation club has since rebounded, winning their past two matches with an emphasis on forward domination. Keaon Kolomatangi made it personal last time out against the Tigers while Latrell Mitchell and Campbell Graham have returned from injury with vengeance over the past fortnight, giving Souths an edge heading into a critical point of their season.

To beat the Warriors, they need to match the middle third. Since the move of Kolomatangi and Jai Arrow to the middle third, they have seemed to hit another gear in the last two weeks but are going up against James Fisher-Harris, Mitch Barnett (Origin pending) and Erin Clark in one of the more improved middle thirds of the game. If they win that battle, they will have the spark to attack the edges with Graham, Mitchell and Alex Johnston there to finish off opportunities.

Onto team news, Sean Keppie returns from his demotion to the NSW Cup with Liam Le Blanc reverting to the reserves. Latrell Mitchell has been named to back up.

Now we switch to the Warriors, the New Zealand-based club has been great this season, finding a way to grind out a win when it looked unlikely. At times, they look like one of the top attacking sides in the competition with a fluid attack and Luke Metcalf running riot. They are one of the best first half teams in the NRL and are begging to remain on the field and not go into the sheds.

Then, a switch occurs and the Warriors are stuck in quicksand and struggle to remain in the contest. That is a trend that needs to be eradicated quickly, especially if they want to remain into the top 4 as they did in 2024. Especially against Souths who play in a similar way to the Warriors in which their attack can be slow to start but lightning to finish. Metcalf and Chanel Harris-Tavita need to take the game by the scruff of the neck when the going gets tough.

Onto team news. James Fisher-Harris returns from suspension and centre Rocco Berry (hamstring) is also back on deck. Mitch Barnett has been named to back up from Origin One. Leka Halasima goes back to the bench after starting against the Raiders and Jacob Laban moves to 18th man.

Last meeting: Round 5 2024 - Rabbitohs 4 Warriors 34

Who to watch: The focus for Souths is on their half Jamie Humphries. Having proven to be an excellent game manager and a strong defender, it is time for the former Manly junior to deliver in attack. It's a heavy reliance on Cody Walker and Latrell Mitchell in good ball territory, but Humphries is a great attacking player with a great passing game, if he can exploit the edges, it lessens pressure on the aforementioned Souths stars.
For the Warriors the focus is on their lock forward Erin Clark. One of the signings of the season, Clark has filled the void left behind by Josh Curran's 2024 departure by filling the middle third in a strong way. His minutes have been higher following Dylan Walker's mid-season departure to Parramatta, but his production has increased with the former Titan averaging over 60 minutes a game and career highs in running metres, offloads and tackle breaks through this point of the season.

Favourite: The Warriors are favourites for this one. In the head-to-head, Souths haven't beaten the Warriors at Accor Stadium since 2017 thanks to a weird schedule quirk.

My tip: Before the Origin period, this was a lock for a Warriors win with the way Souths pack was looking, but the movement of Arrow and Kolomatangi makes this one just the more interesting. Both sides have been inconsistent in attack (yes, even the Warriors) but I have a feeling that the Warriors will click out wide and take advantage of some match-ups. Warriors by 4.

1. Latrell Mitchell 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Campbell Graham 5. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 6. Jayden Sullivan 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Jai Arrow 9. Siliva Havili 10. Keaon Koloamatangi 11. Euan Aitken 12. Tallis Duncan 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Jye Gray 15. Sean Keppie 16. Davvy Moale 17. Tevita Tatola 18. Liam Le Blanc

1. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad 2. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak 3. Adam Pompey 4. Rocco Berry 5. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck 6. Chanel Harris-Tavita 7. Luke Metcalf 8. James Fisher-Harris 9. Wayde Egan 10. Mitchell Barnett 11. Kurt Capewell 12. Marata Niukore 13. Erin Clark 14. Te Maire Martin 15. Leka Halasima 16. Demitric Vaimauga 17. Jackson Ford 18. Jacob Laban

Referees: Wyatt Raymond; Sideline Officials: Phil Henderson, Jon Stone; Video Referees: Kasey Badger;