Round 9: Rabbitohs v Wests Tigers preview
Long-standing rivals meet in prime time clash
Winning four of their opening eight matches respectively, the South Sydney Rabbitohs and the Wests Tigers will be looking to press their top eight credentials on Friday evening.
Scoring a solid 26-10 victory over the last-placed Bulldogs on Sunday night, the South Sydney Rabbitohs will be hoping to claim the scalp of a top eight team for the first time since the opening round.
Downing the lowly Titans, Warriors and Bulldogs in three of their past four matches to sit on the precipice of the top eight, coach Wayne Bennett will be eager to gauge his team's standing among the NRL hierarchy after falling short against premiership front-runners the Roosters, Storm and Panthers.
Losing Braidon Burns with a dislocated kneecap that looks set to rule the speedster out for the remainder of 2020, Bayley Sironen returns after being a late withdrawal last week.
Clinging to eighth position on for-and-against following last Saturday's hard-fought 19-12 loss to Penrith, the Wests Tigers will be viewing Friday night as a must-win if they hope to feature beyond the regular season.
Gaining confidence off the back of comprehensive wins over the Cowboys and Bulldogs - along with solid showings against the Raiders and Panthers in recent weeks - coach Michael Maguire will have a personal incentive to get one over the Rabbitohs on Friday night having been shown the door by the club at the end of 2017.
Naming versatile second rower Michael Chee-Kam in place of suspended centre Joseph Leilua, veteran Chris Lawrence comes onto the bench for his first match in a month.
Last meeting: Round 15 2019 - Wests Tigers 14 Rabbitohs 9
Who to watch:Set to become only the 55th player since 1908 to reach 100 matches for South Sydney, hooker Damien Cook will be out to cap his century with a win on Friday evening. Joining the foundation club four years ago in pursuit of regular game time, the 29-year-old has thrived in the ensuing years to become one of the game's premier number nines at club, state and international levels. Capable of destroying teams with his blistering speed out of dummy half, look for Cook to run early and often as the Rabbitohs strive to move back into the top eight.
Producing a match-winning effort when the two sides faced off last season, utility Michael Chee-Kam will be hoping for a similar impact to cement the Tigers place in the top eight. Gaining his first start of the season after being used exclusively off the bench in 2020, the 28-year-old Samoan international will be hoping to increase his game time after averaging 25 minutes over the first eight rounds. Capable of producing moments of individual brilliance with the game on the line, look for Chee-Kam to feature prominently as the Tigers look to bounce back from the disappointment of last week.
The favourite: With the Tigers missing a number of players headlined by erratic centre Joseph Leilua, the Rabbitohs are expected to prove too strong for their historic foes.
My tip: With both teams winning three clashes apiece over the past three seasons, fans can expect a tight contest on Friday likely to be decided by the slimmest of margins. Wests Tigers by 1.
