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Rabbitohs
1 Greg Inglis
2 Nathan Merritt
3 Joel Reddy
4 Bryson Goodwin
5 Lote Tuqiri
6 Dylan Walker
7 Adam Reynolds
8 George Burgess
9 Apisai Koroisau
10 Sam Burgess
11 Chris McQueen
12 Ben Lowe
13 John Sutton (c)
Interchange
14 Ben Te'o
15 Joe Picker
16 Kyle Turner
17 Dave Tyrrell
18 Kirisome Auva'a
19 Nathaniel Neale
Coach: Michael Maguire
Raiders
1 Anthony Milford
2 Reece Robinson
3 Jarrod Croker
4 Matt Allwood
5 Bill Tupou
6 Jack Wighton
7 Terry Campese (c)
8 Shannon Boyd
9 Glen Buttriss
10 Brett White
11 Jarrad Kennedy
12 Joel Edwards
13 Shaun Fensom
Interchange
14 Josh McCrone
15 Paul Vaughan
16 David Shillington
17 Dane Tilse
Coach: Ricky Stuart
Rabbitohs v Raiders preview
By Chris Kennedy, National Correspondent
NRL.com
3:45pm Wed 26th March, 2014
Rabbitohs v Raiders
ANZ Stadium
Sunday 2pm
Ok, hands up who expected these two sides to be entering Round 4 level on the ladder with one win apiece?
In what is already a topsy-turvy season of results, that is the situation the side that were competition front-runners and a side some are still tipping for the wooden spoon find themselves in.
After swamping the premiers in Round 1 the Bunnies have been shocked by Manly and then, in one of the boilovers of the season, a very impressive Wests Tigers outfit last week.
The Burgess brothers have been making more impact on headlines than opposition forwards, with Manly's Jason King and Wests Tiger Aaron Woods taking the fire right up to the Yorkshiremen, with impressive results.
The Rabbitohs have also been hampered by a series of injuries – Chris McQueen was excellent on their left edge in Round 1 but hasn't featured since due to an ankle injury, although he has been named this week.
Five-eighth Dylan Walker, himself a replacement for the injured Luke Keary, appeared hampered in the red and green's Round 2 loss and didn't feature last week, and he has also been named to return.
However in a massive blow for the cardinal and myrtle, gun Kiwi hooker Issac Luke picked up a shoulder injury last week and could be out for as long as 10 weeks. His place in the starting side has been taken by promising Fijian rake Apisai Koroisau. The 21-year-old will be making his NRL debut although he has played four Tests for Fiji.
John Sutton has been moved from five-eighth back to lock, while the returning players force Ben Te'o and Joe Picker to the bench and Nathanial Neale to an extended interchange along with Kirisome Auva'a, although Neale will come into calculations if George Burgess fails to have a Grade 2 Careless High Tackle charge downgraded. Luke Burgess has been dropped to NSW Cup.
The Raiders can consider themselves a little unlucky in defeat – they completed 93 per cent of their sets last week, making fewer errors and being awarded more penalties.
In the end it was some high-class Titans defence and a couple of freakish tries to in-form half Albert Kelly that denied the Green Machine, who have made two changes – workhorse lock and NRL Fantasy gun [hyperlink http://fantasy.nrl.com/] Shaun Fensom returns, pushing Paul Vaughan to the pine and Matt McIlwrick back to NSW Cup, and Bill Tupou replaces the injured Edrick Lee on the wing.
Public transport to and from ANZ Stadium for this match is free.
Also, the Rabbitohs have announced a Family Fun Day for Sunday, with $40 general admission tickets for two adults and two kids, a relay on the field between Rabbitohs and Raiders fans, an opportunity for seven lucky fans to take part in a game of touch footy against Rabbitohs legends including Mario Fenech, and other prizes and giveaways including the chance to win a trip to Perth for the club's Round 13 match against the Warriors.
Watch Out Rabbitohs: Electric fullback Anthony Milford is showing everyone why Canberra were so desperate to keep him in the nation's capital. Milford has racked up a season-high 18 tackle-breaks in three games, running an average of 143 metres per game, with one try and two try assists. There is no doubt he is Canberra's X-factor and with a couple of Souths' own X-factors in Luke and Inglis either injured or under a cloud Milford could break this game wide open.
Watch Out Raiders: For the first time since Round 1 the Bunnies go in with both Walker and McQueen on deck and that spells danger for Canberra through the middle. The pair looked to be forming a very intuitive combination in Round 1, with some sublime short balls form Walker sending McQueen through the Roosters line at tricky angles resulting in one long line break and almost a late try (which ended up being the play on which McQueen's ankle was folded beneath him). Having these two back on deck is massive for the Rabbitohs.
Plays To Watch: The aforementioned Walker short ball to a wide-running McQueen on the left edge will be a feature, and doubly dangerous if Inglis is fully fit and able to sweep through the back of the play cleaning up scraps and getting one on one with Milford.
For Canberra the developing partnership between halves Terry Campese and Jack Wighton will see Wighton produce some more instinctive play close to the line, particularly in terms of ball running, as well as short passing and kicking.
Where It Will Be Won: The home straight. Or more generally, the second half – the Raiders have been starting on fire then getting run down badly, while the Rabbitohs have been starting way too slowly before working their way into it. The Raiders scored first in their first two games and held first-half leads in every game, but been badly outscored in the second halves of their two losses 18-nil and 18-six, and even trailed against the Knights with 15 minutes to go until they were saved by two late tries. Meanwhile the Bunnies were level with the Roosters at half time before launching a second-half blitz, narrowed the gap against the Tigers in last week's loss and looked a stronger side in a drawn second half with Manly, going down by the two-point deficit they had taken into half time. On current form you'd back the Rabbitohs to track down whatever lead Canberra can generate early so the Raiders will need to stay with them through the back end of this one.
The History: Played 48; South Sydney 21, Canberra 27. Canberra racked up some good numbers against Souths in the '80s and '90s when they had such a dominant team but Souths are coming back, having won the last five on the bounce. Souths hold a 4-3 advantage at ANZ Stadium.
What Are The Odds: The money coming in at Sportsbet.com.au suggests this one will play out as expected, with the Rabbitohs clear $1.36 favourites. There has been some punter interest in the Raiders at $3 who represent some value.
Match Officials: Referees – Jared Maxwell & Grant Atkins; Touch Judges – Jeff Younis & Adam Reid; Video Referees – Steve Clark & Paul Mellor.
Televised: Fox Sports, Live, 2pm.
The Way We See It: Although they did scrape a win in Newcastle the Raiders aren't renowned travellers and the Bunnies will have a massive point to prove after being manhandled two weeks in a row. We don't discount Canberra by any stretch but you feel the Rabbitohs really should be able to control this one. Souths by 10 points.
Rabbitohs v Raiders
Rabbitohs: The serious shoulder injury to Issac Luke will see Apisai Koroisau debut at hooker. Fellow young rake Cameron McInnes was not named for lower grade duty and reportedly trained with the NRL team yesterday, but it is not thought he will play. Kirisome Auva’a and Nathaniel Neale are set to drop from an extended bench. Greg Inglis has been named at fullback despite a head knock last Friday, while five-eighth Dylan Walker and back-rower Chris McQueen will return from ankle injuries. Ben Te’o has been shifted to the bench and Luke Burgess dropped to NSW Cup.
Raiders: No changes expected. Shaun Fensom returns from suspension at lock and Bill Tupou will replace Edrick Lee on the wing after his season-ending foot injury.
Rabbitohs Api with Luke's rookie ring-in
By Jack Brady, National Correspondent
NRL.com
6:00am Sat 29th March, 2014
The Rabbitohs were meant to be left reeling after losing their tough-as-nails, New Zealand representative hooker Issac Luke for anywhere between four and 10 weeks with a shoulder problem.
Instead, Australian Test superstar Greg Inglis reckons debutant replacement Apisai Koroisau will make it tough for Luke to regain his spot.
Stepping into the NRL cauldron for the first time is undeniably a nerve-wracking experience but Koroisau, 21, has an ace up his sleeve ahead of facing Canberra on Sunday – last year’s World Cup.
Representing Fiji with the likes of Petero Civoniceva, the Sims brothers and Akuila Uate, Koroisau managed to play four of his country’s five World Cup matches in the UK late last year – including two games against the Kangaroos. Averaging a respectable 24.3 tackles and 49 metres from the bench during the tournament, Koroisau faced the best players in the game and signalled his intentions to go one step further in the NRL.
"We had a glimpse of what he can do in the World Cup last season for Fiji. He’s well capable of filling that [hooker] role and he’s a talented young player and there’s no doubt about that but I think he’s going to send a few shockwaves and put pressure on Issac to be honest," Inglis said.
"We’ve just been working that combination with the new guy coming in. He’s been in our system for two years now, so I know how he works. He’s just got to work with our halves and obviously I’ll just filter in there.
"They’ve got different games [Koroisau and Luke] but like I said, he’s going to put a lot of pressure on Issac when he gets back."
Rabbitohs and Queensland back-rower Chris McQueen, himself on the comeback trail from an ankle injury, believes Koroisau will handle the occasion.
"Api’s been in our squad for a couple of years. Played for Fiji in the World Cup and went really well over there too. He knows our structures ... he knows his job and he knows how to handle himself out there, so I think he’s going to fit straight in," McQueen said.
"Api’s probably a little bit different [than Luke]. He’s pretty quick and he’s good with the ball in his hand so I think he’ll bring in his own twist for us."
Playmaker Dylan Walker, who played several seasons with Koroisau in the NYC, knows better than most how the debutant will perform when the Rabbitohs play the Raiders at ANZ Stadium."
He’s his own style of player. It’s always exciting to play with a player you’ve played with before. I’m just excited for him as well because he’s making his debut game," Walker said.
"Everyone believes he can do the job there. Me and [Api] can work together. He can work the squad and everything in the team."
Souths vs Raiders
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Wheels have fallen off the Gladiators boys