Match Centre

Round 12: Rabbitohs v Eels preview - 2017 Round 12

Underperforming powerhouses keen to take advantage of quiet Origin period.

Both Parramatta and South Sydney sit outside the top eight coming into Round 12, and for the Eels at least, 10th place isn't where they ideally would've liked to be coming into the start of the Origin-affected period of the NRL competition.

Both sides have had their lineups littered with inconsistency throughout the opening eleven weeks. Injuries and suspensions have meant neither side has been able to put a top-line outfit on the park week after week, but strangely enough this weekend these sides are amongst the stronger of the eight named. Neither side has had a single player named in the Origin squads and the Rabbitohs are welcoming back George Burgess after a five-week suspension, a welcome boost to their forward which has struggled for consistency over the past month.

Parramatta have lost Michael Jennings just a week after Corey Norman succumbed to injury, but the return of Brad Takairangi will offset those concerns somewhat, while Bevan French's return last week also boosted the Eels' attacking stocks and allowed Gutherson to quickly replace Norman in the halves. With all that said, the Eels are the ones who'll likely struggle - the Rabbitohs' spine boasts far greater experience and quality.

Last meeting: Round 15 2016 - Rabbitohs 12 Eels 30

Parramatta dominated the most recent clash between these sides last year, but the Bunnies have the overall edge back to 1947, winning 68 of 128 clashes over seventy years. The pair have met 13 times at ANZ Stadium since 2007, with the Rabbitohs dominant with 9 wins to 3 (one draw).

Who to watch: In a constant battle to find a fullback in the absence of Greg Inglis, coach Michael Maguire has experimented a few different ways, but has appeared to settle on Cody Walker in the #1 jumper. As a result, all eyes are on John Sutton, who replaces Walker in the #6 jumper. Making the move to the second row in recent seasons, Sutton is frequently called on to partner Adam Reynolds in the halves and will need to step into the role he once held permanently in a positive way.

Having lost Corey Norman to injury, the Eels have turned to fresh signing Mitch Moses in the halves and if last weekend is anything to go by, he has a ways to go before he's considered a successful catch. Debuting with the Tigers in 2014, Moses has had plenty of praise over the four seasons he's featured at NRL level, but in the last 12 months his efforts - particularly in defence - have come under scrutiny. He'll be hoping Beau Scott gets some game time on his edge in defence, the utility backrower being a genuine edge defender, and will help patch up the deficiencies in his defensive game.

The favourite: South Sydney hold the edge with the bookies after a solid performance in going down to the Storm.

My tip: The updated squads for this one released on Thursday night have me leaning toward the Parramatta side. Souths' backline is disrupted with the loss of Bryson Goodwin while the Eels welcome Beau Scott into the starting side. It'll be a close one though! Eels by 4.