Round 5: Rabbitohs v Dragons preview
Long time rivals look to get back in the winner's circle
The South Sydney Rabbitohs and the St George Illawarra Dragons will be out to kick start their underwhelming campaigns with a win at Accor Stadium on Saturday evening.
Enduring a difficult run against several premiership heavyweights over the opening month of the season, the South Sydney Rabbitohs will be wary of their similarly low-ranked opponents, despite holding a dominant record in recent times.
Winning 15 out of 18 NRL clashes against the joint venture since 2012, including the past seven in succession, coach Jason Demetriou will be hoping history continues after succumbing to a 26-12 loss at the hands of the Panthers during last week's grand final rematch.
Set to be without fan favourite Mark Nicholls for an extended stretch due to a syndesmosis sustained in the opening minutes last Friday, Tom Burgess will start in the front-row with youngsters Davvy Moale and Blake Taaffe joining the bench, while veteran winger Josh Mansour has also earned a recall in place of Jaxson Paulo.
Coming into Saturday's encounter in need of two premiership points, the Rabbitohs will be striving to continue a unique trend, whereby after opening a campaign with one win from their first four matches, the side has gone on to win in Round 5 every time during the NRL era (2005, 12, 14 and 20).
Slumping to their third loss in a row after starting the year with signs of promise, the St George Illawarra Dragons will be out to atone for a disastrous second half showing last Sunday.
Left shell-shocked after conceding six second half tries to go from a 12-8 halftime deficit to a humbling 48-14 defeat at the hands of the Eels, coach Anthony Griffin has made further changes to his side in a bid to hold players accountable for their performances.
Recalling Jadyn Su'A from suspension in the second-row, experienced campaigner Aaron Woods comes into the starting pack with Blake Lawrie dropping to the bench.
Holding a dismal record at Sydney Olympic Park, winning 12 of their 33 visits, in the years since claiming the club's sole premiership, only three players - Ben Hunt, Tariq Sims and Jack de Belin - remain from the last Dragons team to triumph over the Rabbitohs in the corresponding round four years ago.
Last meeting: Round 25 2021 - Rabbitohs 20 Dragons 16
Who to watch: Experiencing the highs and lows that come with wearing the number seven jersey during the first four rounds of the season, rookie halfback Lachlan Ilias will be eyeing new opportunities to develop his game on Saturday night. Handed the first crack at taking over from one of the club's all-time greats, the 21-year-old has grown in confidence with each performance, producing a try-assist and forcing two repeat sets with his kicking game last week. Unlucky to be denied his first try of the season last Friday, look for Ilias to play a steady role, allowing the likes of Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker to make their mark on the scoreboard.
Making the most of a change of scenery after falling down the pecking order at Manly last season, centre Moses Suli has offered a much-needed point of strike on the left edge for the Dragons over the early rounds. Relishing the opportunity to string together consecutive matches in the starting side for the first time in nearly a year, the 23-year-old Tongan representative has averaged 140 metres and 5.5 tackle breaks during his first four appearances at the club. Lining up opposite Campbell Graham in a key personal duel on Saturday evening, look for Suli to continue his impressive work with the ball and push for his first try wearing the Red V.
The favourite: Winning seven of their past eight appearances at Accor Stadium dating back to last season, the Rabbitohs are expected to have too much strike power for the Dragons to contend with.
My tip: While both sides head into the match in similar form on the surface, the defensive frailties shown by the Dragons over the past fortnight should give the Rabbitohs the edge to bounce back at home. Rabbitohs by 16.
