South Sydney Rabbitohs v Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks
Stoic Souths scare sloppy Sharks
4 hours ago | Andrew Ferguson
Rabbitohs v Sharks preview
Run. Perhaps its what Souths need to do because the Sharks form has taken a dramatic turn in the last fortnight for the better. Their attack looks vastly improved.
But run is also the thing Sharks hooker Blayke Brailey has started to do and it is tearing teams to shreds through the middle. Against the Dolphins in Round 19 he ran for 111 metres and the following week he made another 118. On both occasions the Sharks won and looked the stronger team.
Over the last 2 seasons, Brailey has made 64 metres or more on 10 occasions and the Sharks won every one of those games. On the 20 occasions over the last 2 years that he ran for more than 45 metres, the Sharks have won 18 of 20 games. When he's run for 45 metres or less, the Sharks have won 9 of 25 matches.
This is no coincidence. He's a smart, elusive and fast runner out of dummy half. He makes good decisions when to run and backs himself close to the line. He's scored just 4 tries over the last 2 seasons, but each time he crossed the line, he ran for 50 metres or more in the match.
Souths come into this match having lost their last 7 straight games and in that period have conceded 231 points (33 points per game). Not the sort of form you want to bring into a contest against a side whose attack is invigorated and powering through the middle. Souths boast one of the best completion rates in the NRL which, given they are second last on the ladder, suggests a very one-dimensional attack. Only the Knights have a worse attack than the Bunnies in 2025.
They rank second last for post contact metres, last for tackle breaks, last for metres gained, last for offloads, last for line breaks and have more missed tackles, on average, than every other team. Maybe they should be referred to as Safe Sydney. The surrender in tackles quickly in order to get quick play-the-balls, they do run from dummy half more frequently than most teams, but do absolutely zero off the back of it. If the Sharks defence can remain tight in the middle, Souths most prominent attacking strength will be nullified.
The Bunnies need to start running. Harder and straighter. This safe approach is sending them further South on the table. They have zero to lose now, so try something different. That may well happen and will be the only way they will beat this Sharks side.
Last meeting: Round 3 2025 - Sharks 27 Rabbitohs 12
Who to watch: Most notably, Blayke Brailey will be the one to watch. Everything is happening around him right now and that's on the back of his own hard work and his new running game which compliments the side so well. Because he has the side rolling forward constantly, its creating space for his halves, especially Nicho Hynes who is also at his best when running the ball. When Hynes has less room to work with, he plays sideways and the Sharks attack shuts down. His running game has always been a strength and now that he's playing straighter, he's a real weapon.
Alex Johnston is always one to watch. While the prolific try scorer is just 5 tries away from reaching the record of 212 set by Ken Irivine, he has historically struggled to score against the Sharks, scoring just 4 times in 11 games against them. Apart from the record he's approaching, Johnston is a gifted finisher and is a key target for the Souths attack. Watch for Souths to go his way frequently.
Favourite: The Sharks are comfortable favourites here. Sharks have had a form reversal and playing good footy and are back inside the top 8. The Bunnies are besieged with injuries and languishing at the bottom end of the table and stuck on a 7 game losing streak. The Sharks have won 27 of their last 35 games against sides placed 15th or lower on the ladder since 2016.
My tip: Sharks to be too much for the understrength Bunnies. Cronulla by 20.
1. Jye Gray 2. Alex Johnston 3. Isaiah Tass 4. Tallis Duncan 5. Tyrone Munro 6. Jack Wighton 7. Lewis Dodd 8. Tevita Tatola 16. Ryan Gray 10. Sean Keppie 11. Euan Aitken 12. Jai Arrow 13. Lachlan Hubner 9. Siliva Havili 14. Liam Le Blanc 15. Jacob Host 17. Ashton Ward 18. Thomas Fletcher
1. William Kennedy 2. Sione Katoa 3. Jesse Ramien 19. Chris Veaila 5. Ronaldo Mulitalo 6. Braydon Trindall 7. Nicho Hynes 8. Addin Fonua-Blake 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Oregon Kaufusi 11. Billy Burns 12. Teig Wilton 13. Cameron McInnes 14. Daniel Atkinson 15. Jesse Colquhoun 16. Toby Rudolf 17. Braden Hamlin-Uele 20. Hohepa Puru
Referees: Belinda Sharpe; Sideline Officials: Damian Brady, Michael Wise; Video Referees: Ashley Klein;