The St George Illawarra Dragons will meet the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Saturday, August 12th at Barlow Park, Cairns. This is your game day guide.
Red V make maiden Cairns journey
The Dragons will make the trip to Cairns’ Barlow Park for the first time in club history to do battle with the Rabbitohs on Saturday afternoon.
The clash will mark the Red V’s sixth and final Queensland trip this season.
The Rabbitohs have hosted six games in Cairns since 2013 having won three and lost three but have not travelled there since 2018.
The Dragons have won back-to-back games against the Rabbitohs – a 32-12 Thursday night explosion in Wollongong last year and a 36-30 shootout in front of a bumper Kogarah crowd earlier this season.
Key timings:
Kick-off: 3.00pm
Where: Barlow Park, Cairns
Watch: Kayo & Foxtel
Double the Couchman
Toby and Ryan Couchman have been named alongside each other for the first time at NRL level with the twin brothers both named on the interchange to face South Sydney on Saturday.
Zac Lomax and Jack Bird will both miss the clash after picking up shoulder issues in the side's loss to Parramatta with Moses Suli returning from a calf complaint to partner Max Feagai in the centres.
Francis Molo has also been ruled out after displaying category one concussion symptoms after an opening-minute knock on Sunday with brother Michael shifting into the front row and Ben Murdoch-Masila starting at lock.
Burgess missing for Bunnies
The Rabbitohs will be without Thomas Burgess after the English international was hit with a three-match ban for a careless high shot in the side's last-start loss to the Sharks in Perth.
Shaquai Mitchell starts up front whilst former-Dragon Jacob Host comes into the second row for Michael Chee Kam.
Taane Milne replaces rookie Tyrone Munro on the wing.
Finals race heating up for Rabbitohs
With just three wins from their past 10, the Rabbitohs find themselves in a dogfight for the final top eight spots.
Jason Demetriou’s squad are currently sitting at eighth on the competition ladder after being atop it at the end of Round 11.
Fresh off a disappointing loss to the Sharks in Perth, they will face the Dragons and Knights away from Sydney before a Round 26 bye and a final weekend blockbuster against the Roosters at Accor Stadium.
Last time they met…
The Dragons and Rabbitohs clashed just two months ago in Round 15 with the Red V coming away with a 36-30 victory in front of 17,357 people basking in Saturday afternoon sunshine at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium.
A pair of quick tries to Ben Hunt and Mikaele Ravalawa put the Dragons on the front foot early before the Rabbitohs responded with a Keaon Koloamatangi four-pointer just shy of the break to cut the deficit to four.
Second half tries to Jacob Liddle, Jaydn Su’A, Michael Molo and Jaiyden Hunt saw the Dragons jump out to a 36-14 lead before a late South Sydney flurry gave the hosts a scare, but they managed to hold on for a key win.
Match highlights: Round 15 v Rabbitohs
