Check out the match preview and prediction for the 2025 National Rugby League round 2 clash between the St George Illawarra Dragons and the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
MATCHDAY NEWS
MATCHDAY SCHEDULE
St George Illawarra Dragons Vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Venue: WIN Stadium, Wollongong
Date: Saturday March 15, 3:00pm (ADST)
MATCHDAY TEAM NEWS
Dragons: 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
Rabbitohs: 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
Referee: Ashley Klein
Bunker: Kasey Badger
MATCHDAY PREVIEW
After masterminding a defeat of his former club in round 1, Wayne Bennett is looking to beat another ex-club in round 2 as the South Sydney Rabbitohs head down to Wollongong’s WIN Stadium to take on a St George Illawarra team that were beaten at their other home at Kogarah in round 1 by the Bulldogs.
South Sydney weren’t at their best against the Dolphins, but they managed to grind out a 16-14 win at the unfamiliar grounds of CommBank Stadium after the game was moved from Brisbane due to Cyclone Alfred. Whilst not a vintage performance, there were some eye catchers: Keaon Koloamatangi seems to be heading back to his destructive best, Jai Arrow was feisty, and Dolphins recruit Lachlan Hubner looked good in his first game for the club. It was also encouraging to see Campbell Graham back from injury and putting in a strong performance. But the Rabbitohs’ bad luck with injuries continues with Tyrone Munro out, and with Jack Wighton suspended for round 2 the Rabbitohs’ backline has seen Fletcher Myers and Bayleigh Bentley-Hape drafted in with combined experience of five NRL games: all Fletcher Myers’.
St George Illawarra scored a few late tries to add respectability and almost threaten to make a game of it in their 28-20 loss to the Bulldogs in round 1. Dragons winger Christian Tuipulotu grabbed himself a hat-trick, and a little attention with his post-try gestures which hinted at money. Perhaps he was getting a bonus per try. Whilst hat-tricks are all good, the Dragons will need to lift their completion rate from round 1 which was a lowly 68%, compare that to South Sydney’s 86% after their hard-fought round 1 victory.
One interesting clash in this game will be the two halfbacks. For the Dragons their number seven is Lachlan Ilias, who was the reason that Adam Reynolds was shown the door, only to be dumped himself during 2024 after a promising 2023, then got a season-long injury break from playing in the NSW Cup. He’s found a new home at the Dragons and will be keen to show the Rabbitohs what they’re missing. But not much based on his round 1 performance, which was modest at best. His opposition number is Jamie Humphreys, who keeps the Super League recruit Lewis Dodd out of the side once again. Humphreys did ok in round 1, with his stats slightly better than Ilias’. Neither laid on a try assist or line break assist, but Humphreys did make 30 tackles to 11, and made more runs, passes and kicked nearly 300 metres more.
Not forgetting the Dragons also have the Rabbitohs’ former long-term hooker Damien Cook on their books this season too. So he may also want to show up his replacement Peter Mamouzelos. Jai Arrow against former Rabbitoh Jayd’n Sua could also be a good head-to-head.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe Dragons have the recent H2H form against South Sydney when playing at home, having won for the last three seasons, and also won this year’s Charity Shield comfortably 46-26. St George Illawarra also lead the H2H by five wins to two at WIN Stadium. Souths have the superiority for wins on a Saturday against the Dragons 10-5.
MATCHDAY PREDICTION
Rabbitohs by 6 points.
Check out all the NRL Predictions here.
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