Parramatta will travel down the road to Accor Stadium on Saturday night looking to put a six-point shock to South Sydney opponents on the Telstra Premiership ladder.
The Eels lead the Rabbitohs by four points of competition in sixth place and if the results go well, they could be in the top four at the end of the round.
South Sydney is producing a very inconsistent season and has to find some form if they want to hurt themselves in this year’s competition after falling 20 points to the Dragons in round 15.
The return of Latrell Mitchell will help, but overall Jason Demetriou’s team can’t rely on the side’s comeback after a long-term hamstring injury to cause a resurgence.
The Rabbitohs have had the upper hand over Parramatta in recent games for an overall score of 78-32 in 2021.
Parramatta is expected to win, something they have sometimes struggled with teams below them on the ladder, while the Rabbitohs are on the verge of falling out of the top eight.
599 “,”> 809 “,”> 959 “]” data-eqio-prefix = “video-post-screen” ref = “root”>
Until next time
/
Play Play Next
Sportsbet: Rabbitohs v Eels betting preview
The Rundown
Team news
Rabbitohs: Latrell Mitchell has returned from injury for his first game since the fifth round, leaving Kodi Nikorima to return to the bench. Damien Cook, Cameron Murray and Jai Arrow will start after playing in Origin II. Taane Milne gives way to debutant Isaiah Tass in the centers, while Hame Sele starts ready ahead of Mark Nicholls, who will leave the interchange.
Eels: Marata Niukore will start on the block after Ryan Matterson left the team on Friday night. Near Junior Paulo is good to play after playing 43 minutes in Origin II. The other Eels representative players Dylan Brown, Waqa Blake and Maika Sivo will play, with Tom Opacic joining the exchange instead of Matterson.
Key match
Cody Walker vs. Dylan Brown: Two players at different stages of their careers, but of vital importance to their respective teams. Walker has been at the end of some criticism for his yo-yo form to match the inconsistency of the Rabbitohs this year, but he no doubt responds when he’s on the side. It’s a similar case for Brown, who this year has taken his game to another level and acts as the perfect foil for Mitchell Moses. After an international debut for the Kiwis, Brown will look to bring that experience to the game this weekend.
Statistical attack
Parramatta has the best NRL completion rate along with the Panthers. No wonder below the two clubs in west Sydney are the Broncos, Storm and Cowboys, who are in the top six as they stand. South Sydney ranks last in this area with an average of 72%. There was a time in the last few years when completion rates weren’t everything, but this year’s trends keep the ball going and you’ll win the game.