Matchday Details
Saturday, 25 April 2026 – 8:10pm AEST – AAMI Park, Melbourne
📺 Kayo / Foxtel
Referee: Adam Gee | Senior Review Official: Wyatt Raymond
Melbourne Storm: 1. Sualauvi Faalogo, 2. Will Warbrick, 3. Jack Howarth, 4. Nick Meaney, 5. Manaia Waitere, 6. Cameron Munster, 7. Jahrome Hughes, 8. Stefano Utoikamanu, 9. Harry Grant (c), 10. Josh King, 11. Joe Chan, 12. Cooper Clarke, 13. Trent Loiero, 14. Tyran Wishart, 15. Alec MacDonald, 16. Shawn Blore, 17. Davvy Moale, 18. Jack Hetherington, 19. Hugo Peel, 20. Trent Toelau, 21. Josiah Pahulu, 22. Moses Leo
South Sydney Rabbitohs: 1. Matthew Dufty, 2. Alex Johnston, 3. Latrell Mitchell, 4. Jack Wighton, 5. Campbell Graham, 6. Cody Walker, 7. Jamie Humphreys, 8. Tevita Tatola, 9. Bronson Garlick, 10. Sean Keppie, 11. Brandon Smith, 12. Tallis Duncan, 13. Cameron Murray (c), 14. Peter Mamouzelos, 15. Lachlan Hubner, 16. Jayden Sullivan, 17. Keaon Koloamatangi, 18. Euan Aitken, 19. Liam Le Blanc, 20. Latrell Siegwalt, 21. Thomas Fletcher, 22. Edward Kosi
Match Preview
The last of three Anzac Day clashes sees a match that will be a historic statistical moment for either side, as the Melbourne Storm look to avoid six straight losses for the first time, and South Sydney look to win their first ever game in Melbourne.
It’s the ultimate stats vs form match, but one wonders if the Storm’s bulletproof record against Souths in the southern state will be enough to turn around five straight losses. South Sydney do head into the game in better form than Melbourne, but their four wins, two losses, and a bye is good but not setting the world on fire. But it is good enough for fourth spot on the ladder, while the Storm are in the very unfamiliar depth of 15th.
The Rabbitohs can score points: even in defeat, they have scored 96 points in three games since their first bye. Melbourne’s inability to score has coincided with their winless streak: they started the season with two wins and 98 points, but have scored 84 points in total in the subsequent five-game losing run, that’s with one of the better statistical fullbacks this season in Sualauvi Faalogo and the international-standard halves pairing of Cameron Munster and Jahrome Hughes.
That’s the strange thing about Melbourne, their overall 2026 stats are good. They are first for line breaks, they have the fewest errors, they have missed the fewest tackles of all the teams yet to have a bye, and their completion rate is the second best in the competition at 82.6%. In Hughes they have the competition leader for try and line break assists and Faalogo is second for line breaks himself, although worth noting that South Sydney’s Alex Johnston and Latrell Mitchell both have more line breaks per game.
They are just lacking a few things in their recent winless run – points – only the Dragons have scored fewer over the last five rounds, and that includes teams with a bye. Run metres are also down, with their 2026 total being the second lowest of all the teams yet to have a bye. Another noticeable decline are the stats for Munster: at this stage last season he had 14 try and line break assists, so far in 2026 he’s has six.
Points don’t seem to be a worry for South Sydney, who have passed 30 points in their last three games, and on occasion look like a team that is happier to outscore an opponent than grind out a win. Why wouldn’t you when you have rugby league’s greatest try-scorer in your team outside Mitchell, who has looked back to his very best since his 2026 move to the centres.
The Rabbitohs have the ability to put on those points on the back on gaining big metres in their games – their starting forward pack has the fourth highest run metre total this season, ahead of Penrith, and this is despite a bye. Keaon Koloamatangi was leading the way before injury slowed him down, but the return of Cameron Murray this season and the blossoming of Tallis Duncan have been key.
On the team news front, South Sydney have seen no need for major changes ahead of Saturday’s clash, with Euan Aitken returning from injury to an extended bench spot and some positional and bench swapping between Bronson Garlick, Brandon Smith, and Lachlan Hubner. Koloamatangi is named on the bench again as Wayne Bennett manages his injury. Despite their run of losses Craig Bellamy sees no need for changes either, although they will surely come if a historic sixth straight loss eventuates.
The big stat for this game was mentioned in the opening, with South Sydney having lost all 20 games against Melbourne in Melbourne at their two homes Olympic Park (seven losses) and AAMI Park (13 losses). At least the Rabbitohs’ record at AAMI Park is better than Olympic Park, as it took Souths six games to reach double figures at Olympic Park and their for-and-against at the old ground (-244) is worse than AAMI Park (-181) despite six fewer games.
Whilst that record is bad, the overall record for South Sydney vs Melbourne isn’t much better. Their 16.3% H2H win rate over the Storm since 1998 is the worst H2H of all the current teams excluding the Dolphins, and if the Dolphins are included only two of their head-to-heads are worse than Souths vs Melbourne.
South Sydney’s record on a Saturday vs Melbourne doesn’t help – as on a Saturday in Melbourne the Rabbitohs’ record is W0 L10, and they average less than eight points. Melbourne are Anzac Day masters, having won the last 10 games in a row and 14 wins and four losses overall. The only statistical vulnerability for Melbourne is they have a weak spot at home on a Saturday to Sydney teams: since 2021 it’s only four wins and nine losses. It may be all that Souths need, and want.
With all the stats on Melbourne’s side for this fixture and this special day to play rugby league, if the Storm do lose to the Rabbitohs then Melbourne are officially broken. As may well be the window in the coaches box.
Prediction
RLZ Tip: Rabbitohs by 4
Bold call: Latrell Mitchell scores the last try and converts from the sideline to seal the win.
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