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Newcastle Knights vs South Sydney Rabbitohs: Souths win 34-12

28th August, 2016
Kickoff: 4pm (AEST)
Venue: Hunter Stadium, Newcastle
Referees: Henry Perenara and Jon Stone
TV: Live on Channel Nine and FoxSports 1
Betting: Newcastle $4.35, draw $23, Rabbitohs $1.23

Knights:
1 Jake Mamo 2 Cory Denniss 3 Dane Gagai 4 Peter Mata’utia 5 Brendan Elliot 6 Jarrod Mullen 7 Trent Hodkinson (c) 8 Sam Mataora 9 Tyler Randell 10 Korbin Sims 11 Sione Mata’utia 12 Mitchell Barnett 13 Jeremy Smith (c).
Interchange: 14 Joshua King 15 Daniel Saifiti 16 Jacob Saifiti 17 Pat Mata’utia

Rabbitohs:
1 Greg Inglis (c) 2 Alexander Johnston 3 Hymel Hunt 4 Aaron Gray 5 Joe Burgess 6 Cody Walker 7 Adam Reynolds 8 George Burgess 9 Damien Cook 10 Thomas Burgess 11 John Sutton 12 Kyle Turner 13 Sam Burgess
Interchange: 14 Jason Clark 15 Jack Gosiewski 16 Angus Crichton 17 Nathan Brown 18 Cameron Mcinnes 19 David Tyrrell 20 Zane Musgrove
Uate is back, baby. (AAP Image/Darren Pateman)
Editor
28th August, 2016
96
2002 Reads

Match result:

The South Sydney Rabbitohs dealt the Newcastle Knights another blow on Sunday, winning by 22 points.

» Click here to read the full match report

Final score
Knights 12
Rabbitohs 34

Match preview:

The more than struggling Newcastle Knights play host to the South Sydney Rabbitohs this afternoon for your dose of Sunday arvo footy. Join The Roar from 4pm (AEST) for all the live highlights and action.

It may be Old Boys Day in Newcastle for the club, but the Knights have lost their last 16 games on the trot and don’t look to be in good shape to celebrate the occasion that the players and fans thrive on each year.

The Knights fought hard last week against the Titans, but a slow start cost them in the end, going down by 20 to add to that rather impressive record run of losses.

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The Rabbitohs have faired much better in recent times after a disappointing overall season. The Bunnies took down competition heavyweights Cronulla last week after beating the Warriors in Round 23.

Even the week before that they only lost to league leaders Melbourne by a single point, showing off the form and ability that had them entrenched in the finals over the past seasons.

These two faced off earlier in the year, back in Round 2, with the Rabbitohs trampling the hapless Newcastle side 48-6 – the first real signs for Newcastle in what would turn out to be a record year of conceding points.

That loss was their sixth in a row against the Rabbits, having not beaten them in four years.

Unsurprisingly, the Knights have the worst defence in the competition (conceding over 33 points per game) and second worst attack, but the Rabbitohs are fifth and fourth last in those same disciplines.

To give the Knights fans something to get behind, Newcastle have only lost four of their last home games in 16 years since 2000.

Team News
Knights veteran playmaker Jarrod Mullen returns to boost his side this week from a leg injury, pushing youngster Will Pearsall out of the side.

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Nathan Ross and Dani Levi will also miss out this week for Newcastle, Ross with a suspension and Levi undergoing back surgery.

Cory Denniss and Pat Mata’utia both make their way into the side for Ross and Levi. Denniss will go out onto the wing while Mata’utia finds a spot on the bench.

For the Rabbitohs, coach Michael Maguire has kept his starting 17 from last week, but announced an extended bench including Cameron McInnes, David Tyrrell and Zane Musgrove.

Prediction
Newcastle have a strong record in their final home game, but their numbers against the Rabbitohs in recent years and a certain losing streak are all working against them.

While South Sydney haven’t had the year they wanted, they’re still a very strong side and they’ve proven as much in the last two weeks. They should be too good against a scrappy Knights outfit.

Rabbitohs to win by 22

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