Dragons v Rabbitohs preview

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St George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs Saturday 3:00pm at WIN Stadium, Wollongong / Dharawal

Saturday afternoon footy heads down the South Coast as the St George Illawarra Dragons take on South Sydney at WIN Stadium in Wollongong.

The Red' V' suffered a narrow defeat to the Canterbury Bulldogs, going down 28-20 in a heated contest at Kogarah last week. The performance from the Dragons was far from perfect and may have flattered the Dragons after the Bulldogs opened up a 28-6 midway through the first half.

The Dragons have had a strong pre-season, and some key signings such as Valentine Holmes, Clint Gutherson, and Damien Cook put the Dragons higher up the expectations, and they were somewhat met but also left to be questioned. The impact of Gutherson was clear, but at times, it was a struggle for Holmes to get involved at times which would be a concern for the Dragons.

Dragons coach Shane Flanagan has been forced into one change, with Ryan Couchman being ruled out for the season due to an ACL injury. This sees experienced prop Blake Lawrie come onto the bench in place of Couchman. Tyrell Sloan is named in the reserves after a strong game in NSW Cup last week.

The pending appearance of Cyclone Alfred threw a spanner in the works for the Rabbitohs with their game against the Dolphins moving back to Sydney as South Sydney took a narrow 16-14 victory over the Dolphins at Commbank Stadium. The performance from the Rabbitohs was far from crisp as inconsistencies rued both sides' game, and the circumstances regarding the Cyclone could have played a big part in the Dolphins' performance with a less-than-fluid week.

Souths have had a mixed pre-season leading into Round 1. Still, the performances of Jamie Humphreys left many impressed. His performance in Round 1 showed that it could be a long wait for English import Lewis Dodd to get his go in Souths colours in the NRL. Two inconsistent performances in the trials, including a significant loss to the Dragons, might have Souths fans worried.

Team-wise, the Rabbitohs are forced into two changes, with Jack Wighton serving a suspension for one of his two charges out of last weekend's game. Fletcher Myers is named at centre, replacing Jack Wighton, whilst Tyrone Munro, suffering yet another collarbone injury, sees Bayleigh Bentley-Hape set to make his NRL debut on the wing. Lewis Dodd and Jacob Host are still chances to come into the side.

Last meeting: Round 10 2024 - Dragons 28 Rabbitohs 14

Who to watch: Dragons halfback Lachie Ilias comes up against his old side for the first time. There was a lot of commentary around his Round 1 performance, which was harsh because it wasn't a bad performance. Ilias was playing his first complete game in almost 10 months after suffering a broken leg during last year's NSW Cup game. The game time will do Ilias well, and developing new combinations with a pretty new spine is also going to take time.

On the other side of the teamsheet, Jamie Humphreys has caught the eye of many people for many reasons, but for his footballing skill, he's impressed many. Humphreys may have only played two NRL games, but he is already being touted as a lock for the famous seven jersey at the Rabbitohs. Humphreys's control of the game was key last week, and his impact during the pre-season challenge temporarily got Souths back into 

The favourite: The Dragons are hot favourites for the contest.

My tip: The Dragons should have enough to beat Souths here but the contest is not as cut and dry as the market as it expected. The Red' V' have a more potent lineup, and despite the moments when the Bulldogs completely outplayed them, there is still enough for them to beat the South. The Rabbitohs have the power to surprise, but key players being ruled out hurts them further. Dragons by 12.

1. Clinton Gutherson 2. Mathew Feagai 3. Moses Suli 4. Valentine Holmes 5. Christian Tuipulotu 6. Kyle Flanagan 7. Lachlan Ilias 8. Toby Couchman 9. Damien Cook 10. Emre Guler 11. Luciano Leilua 12. Jaydn Su'A 13. Jack de Belin 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Blake Lawrie 16. Raymond Faitala-Mariner 17. Hamish Stewart 18. Dylan Egan 19. Tyrell Sloan 20. Lyhkan King-Togia 21. Loko Jnr Pasifiki Tonga

1. Jye Gray 2. Isaiah Tass 3. Fletcher Myers 4. Campbell Graham 5. Bayleigh Bentley-Hape 6. Cody Walker 7. Jamie Humphreys 8. Sean Keppie 9. Peter Mamouzelos 10. Davvy Moale 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jai Arrow 13. Lachlan Hubner 14. Jayden Sullivan 15. Siliva Havili 16. Tallis Duncan 17. Tevita Tatola 18. Liam Le Blanc 19. Lewis Dodd 20. Jacob Host 21. Thomas Fletcher 22. Talanoa Penitani

Referees: Ashley Klein; Sideline Officials: Drew Oultram, Kieren Irons; Video Referees: Kasey Badger;