Wests Tigers
14
Match Complete
Rabbitohs
9
| E. Marsters |  | 76 | ||
| M. C. Kam |  | 75 | ||
| 73 |  | A. Reynolds | ||
| E. Marsters | | 38 | ||
| C. Thompson | | 37 | ||
| 30 | | A. Reynolds | ||
| 28 | | C. Allan | ||
| 20 |  | A. Reynolds | ||
| E. Marsters | | 6 |
| 2 | Tries | 1 | ||
| 2 | Conversions | 1 | ||
| 1 | Penalty Goals | 1 | ||
| 0 | Field Goals | 1 |
Round 15 of the NRL kicks off with the Wests Tigers taking on the South Sydney Rabbitohs at Bankwest Stadium. Join The Roar for live scores and a blog, starting from 7:50pm (AEST).
Where the Eels seem to grow an extra leg when playing at Bankwest Stadium, the ground’s other part-time NRL tenant, the Wests Tigers, are yet to record a win from their two starts.
They will have their work cut out again tonight with a raft of players coming back into the Rabbitohs line up.
Following their golden-point win over the Cowboys in Townsville a fortnight ago, the Tigers have reached the edge of the top eight. With a tough draw over the next month, the Tigers will want the two points tonight to stay in touch.
Benji Marshall wound back the clock playing for New Zealand last weekend against Tonga. He will be looking to continue that form tonight behind an underrated Tigers pack keen to match it with South Sydney.
Chris Lawrence has been elevated to the starting team while John Aloiai starts at prop in place of Ben Matulino. Elijah Taylor comes into the 17.
After a tremendous start to the season, a combination of injuries and Origin has halted the Rabbitohs charge, dropping their last three matches to the Panthers, Knights and Eels.
Having said that, Souths sit in second spot on the ladder and, with a bye next week, have the chance now to start their run into the finals.
Adam Reynolds returns after a few weeks on the sidelines, in a massive boost for South Sydney. Braidon Burns plays his first game since Round 3, with Kyle Turner starting on the bench. George Burgess returns to the starting line up with the impressive Tevita Tatola also starting the game on the sideline. All Origin players are expected to start.
Prediction
This is an important game for both teams as the second half of the season is well underway and spots in the top eight are up for grabs.
Adam Reynolds have been sorely missed by the Rabbitohs and his organisational skills behind a strong pack will be key.
The Tigers will be valiant, but I expect South Sydney to get home in this one.
Rabbitohs by 10 points
When: 7:50pm (AEST)
Where: Bankwest Stadium
TV: Fox League
Online: Live Pass, Kayo
Betting: Wests Tigers $2.65, South Sydney $1.47
Teams
Wests Tigers
1. Corey Thompson 2. Robert Jennings 3. Moses Mbye 4. Esan Marsters 5. David Nofoaluma 6. Benji Marshall 7. Luke Brooks 8. Josh Aloiai 9. Robbie Farah 10. Alex Twal 11. Ryan Matterson 12. Chris Lawrence 13. Matt Eisenhuth
Interchange: 14. Jacob Liddle 15. Thomas Mikaele 16. Elijah Taylor 17. Michael Chee-Kam
South Sydney Rabbitohs
1. Alex Johnston 2. Dane Gagai 3. James Roberts 4. Braidon Burns 5. Campbell Graham 6. Cody Walker 7. Adam Reynolds 8. George Burgess 9. Damien Cook 10. Liam Knight 11. John Sutton 12. Ethan Lowe 13. Cameron Murray
Interchange: 14. Tevita Tatola 15. Mark Nicholls 16. Dean Britt 17. Kyle Turner
David lyons
Guest
Neither have the dogs since i cant remember haha.
DC
Guest
Pity indeed. That was hard to watch as a tigers fan. Oh well we got the two points
Chris.P.Bacon
Guest
What happened to your boys last night PS? (I didn't have the opportunity to watch the match - by all accounts it was a poor game)
Insider
Roar Rookie
Mushroom we finished second last in 2018, just in case you didn’t notice we won’t this year! And your rabbids won’t be Premiers
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
I'll pay that. But then Roosters don't need eyes when you live in the Rabbitohs shadow.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Chee-Kam has been a match winner for the Tigers. Brilliant effort from him late in the game against two tired defenders. Hard to watch as a Bunnies fan but not as hard to watch as Corey Allan's piss weak attempt to tackle him or George's eye gouge!
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Only if he brings his Dragons and Broncos 2015 form!
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Pity!
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Not this far out they aren't. The Rabbitohs and the Roosters will finish over the top of them by the time we get to the business end of the season. Last year at this point Souths were in the Storm's position and look what happened. It's always better to not peak too early and time your run for later in the season in the run to the finals. Souths and the Roosters haven't had their best team on the field since about round 8!
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Why not the guillotine? Since you are being a complete clown!
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
4 losses not 5. Laugh now because as the season progresses you will have very little to laugh about and boy will I rub it in. Manly supporters be warned!
Forty Twenty
Roar Rookie
The Bunnies don't look like one of the top teams at the moment. They possibly get all of their swagger when a fit Sam Burgess is on the field but have looked like plodders when he's missing or playing wounded. Cameron Murray has lost his spark , maybe he's run out of gas or is injured. Doesn't take much to derail a season.
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Funny how the conditions were far worse but it didn't affect NSW in game 2. Yes, players were losing their footing but there are strategies to exploit that. Short kicks in behind the defensive line and changing your line to angled runs outside in to take advantage of that. The game management was poor from Souths and they had two halves who have BOTH played Origin. Due to errors and an inability to complete their sets Souths only had 38% possession at half-time and 46% possession at fulltime with a 69% completion rate to the Tigers 76%! Remember, Souths were coming 2nd and the Tigers 9th going into this game. Not good enough from Souths and they had enough talent on the field to do much better. The only positive for Souths from this was that Braidon Burns looked good on his return and James Roberts seems to be improving each week.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Baaaaaaa so that’s 5 on the trot then Manly makes it 6 L
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
AJ and Sam and Tom Burgess as well. But no excuses for that pathetic performance with 3 Origin players and Reynolds back in the side. Most FB's would have stopped Chee-Kam, Allan didn't even try! Souths will come again but that was performance was extremely disappointing. None of Souths forwards stood up to cover for Sam and Tom and that is where Souths failed to dominate. The Tigers were more deserving of the 2 points than Souths. No excuses. Congrats Tigers fans.
Insider
Roar Rookie
Bennett can’t say it was an eye gouge, like Kevvie can’t say NSW, spare us your insults Skeletor
Insider
Roar Rookie
Been here every week bud ain’t going anywhere
Insider
Roar Rookie
1 more week than Hudson ? Tell em he’s dreaming, he will get 10, 6 for the gouge and 4 cause he’s a rabbidsho
Papi Smurf
Roar Rookie
Souths forwards looked lost with Sam and Tom Burgess missing. That is where they had to dominate but didn't. I don't blame Reynolds for being rusty but I am disappointed with Walker. Do you remember the Rabbitohs vs Broncos game at Suncorp stadium a couple of years back? The one where Milford dropped the ball cold in front of the refs and then picked it up to kick the winning field goal? The same game where Milford passed the ball off the ground for Moga to score after Milford was tackled over the tryline and 5 seconds later passed the ball? Well, in that game Korbin Sims was 5 metres offside in front if the kicker and 5 metres away from Sutton who played at the ball. They said that because Sutton had played at the ball that effectively put Sims onside so the try was allowed. My question is Mark Nicholls called offside tonight after the same thing hsppened? Brooks played at the ball, Nicholls was more than 10 metres away from him but only 2 metres, not 5 metres, in front of the kicker. So WHY was Nicholls not called onside after Brooks played at the ball? That ruling cost Souths the game!
Insider
Roar Rookie
Baaaaaaaa onya David