Matchday Details
Saturday, 11 April 2026 – 3:00pm AEST – Optus Stadium, Perth
📺 Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Liam Kennedy | Senior Review Official: Wyatt Raymond
South Sydney Rabbitohs: 1. Jye Gray, 2. Alex Johnston, 3. Latrell Mitchell, 4. Jack Wighton, 5. Campbell Graham, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Jamie Humphreys, 8. Tevita Tatola, 9. Brandon Smith, 10. Keaon Koloamatangi, 11. David Fifita, 12. Tallis Duncan, 13. Cameron Murray (c), 14. Peter Mamouzelos, 15. Lachlan Hubner, 16. Sean Keppie, 17. Liam Le Blanc, 18. Bronson Garlick, 19. Jayden Sullivan, 20. Edward Kosi, 21. Thomas Fletcher, 22. Latrell Siegwalt
Canberra Raiders: 1. Kaeo Weekes, 2. Savelio Tamale, 3. Simi Sasagi, 4. Sebastian Kris, 5. Jed Stuart, 6. Ethan Strange, 7. Ethan Sanders, 8. Josh Papalii, 9. Tom Starling, 10. Joseph Tapine (c), 11. Hudson Young, 12. Noah Martin, 13. Corey Horsburgh, 14. Jayden Brailey, 15. Zac Hosking, 16. Ata Mariota, 17. Morgan Smithies, 18. Daine Laurie, 19. Joe Roddy, 20. Owen Pattie, 21. Matthew Timoko, 22. Chevy Stewart
Match Preview
The NRL is giving their Western Australian fans an early taste of what’s to come next season with a double header at Optus Stadium, the first game being the South Sydney Rabbitohs taking on the Canberra Raiders.
The Rabbitohs have started 2026 well, sitting fourth with eight competition points from three wins and a bye. South Sydney were in a similar position last season after five rounds, having eight competition points and lying fifth on the ladder, but their form dropped thereafter as the injury toll climbed and they won just two of their next 15 matches. Canberra, on the other hand, are struggling early with a one win, four loss start to 2026 and sit second last on the ladder. This time last year after five rounds the Raiders sat seventh with a W3 L2 start to the season, and then went on a run of 16 wins in 18 games to claim the minor premiership.
Despite the contrasting fortunes, both sides have made minimal change for this weekend’s clash. South Sydney welcome back Brandon Smith and he returns straight into the starting line up, with the Rabbitohs now having two hookers on their bench in Peter Mamouzelos and Bronson Garlick. Canberra have one enforced change with Jed Stuart replacing the injured Xavier Savage in what will be Stuart’s first start of the season. Owen Pattie might be the wildcard on the bench in the number 20 that the Raiders need to turn around their fortunes.
Canberra are struggling for points so far in 2026 as they continue to allow their new halves combination of Ethan Strange and Ethan Sanders to grow and for now coach Ricky Stuart is sticking by the duo. The Raiders are currently averaging 15.8 points per game and their total points scored after five rounds is lower than four of the five teams who have had the bye. Souths are scoring at 27.5 points per game and have the experienced Cody Walker in fine form (sitting in the top six for Try and Line Break Assists), and the return of Jamie Humphreys has seen Souths win two in a row.
Despite struggling for points, Canberra are leading the competition for Tackle Breaks, with 42 more than the dominant, table-topping Panthers, with three Raiders players in the top seven – Kaeo Weekes, Savelio Tamale, Simi Sasagi. Plus they are only two Line Breaks behind the top four Newcastle Knights. Slow starts don’t help either, with Canberra currently the only team not to have led at all at half-time this season: their first half record is one draw and four losses.
South Sydney’s big advantage in scoring is having the highest try scorer of all time in their side in Alex Johnston, playing outside of Latrell Mitchell, who is in fine form so far in 2026. Between them they have scored 10 tries so far in 2026.
The two forward packs look evenly matched, with both sides full of workhorses and game breakers, with key battles looking evenly matched. Keaon Koloamatangi vs Joseph Tapine as the star props, Hudson Young vs David Fifita as the game breakers, and the workhorses in Cameron Murray vs Corey Horsburgh. One wildcard was the form of Tallis Duncan last weekend, who was South Sydney’s best in their Good Friday win over the Bulldogs.
Looking at the stats, perhaps the Rabbitohs are a good team for Canberra to be playing. They come into this weekend’s game on a four game winning run against South Sydney, and the Rabbitohs have lost their last five games in Perth. The quirky stat of the week is that South Sydney have won their last two Saturday home games by the same scoreline (20-16).
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Rabbitohs by 4
Bold call: A South Sydney winger to score the first try, and why not a third consecutive Saturday home win by 20-16, with the Rabbitohs leading 20-0 at half time and Canberra scoring all the second half points.
Related
- NRL Round 6 2026 Predictions & Tips
- NRL Round 6 Team Lists – 2026 Season
- NRL 2026 Results Tracker
- 2026 NRL Match Review Results Tracker: Charges, Suspensions & Fines
- NRL Injury List 2026
