Saturday’s NRL 2018 Round 18 match is between Canterbury Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs. The opening kick is set to commence at 15:00 local time with the game to be played at ANZ Stadium, Sydney. The away team South Sydney Rabbitohs are the favourites for the match.
View our preview and teams for the game between Canterbury Bulldogs and South Sydney Rabbitohs.
When: 15:00 | Saturday 14/07/2018
Where: ANZ Stadium, Sydney
Preview:
The Bulldogs have definitely had a year to forget both on and off the field with players leaving mid-season and injuries, however they have managed to look somewhat a little more settled now.
They are a proud club that is under the pump but the playing group is still trying their best in difficult circumstances.
The toughest test will be this week against the competition leaders and a team that is in white hot form.
The one positive if any, is that they will have a stack of players backing up but the skipper Greg Inglis is missing due to injury, which is a big loss because for mine as I was really enjoying how GI had approached his footy through the last six weeks and felt he was making a real difference like we know he can.
KEY BATTLE: David Klemmer v Sam Burgess
Battle between the two big boppers, David Klemmer and Big Burgess, take your pick.
They’re both the enforcers of their side’s attack and will be doing their best to help.
The Verdict
I love how the Dogs will turn up and compete but unfortunately, I can’t see them getting close if the Bunnies are fair dinkum.
Bunnnies to get the job done late with a flurry.
The Rabbitohs have a 9-3 (75.0 percent) record as an away team in day matches since 2013.
Unibet Odds:
Canterbury at $4.00
South Sydney at $1.26
Odds:
Tip: South Sydney Rabbitohs at $1.26
Value Tip: First Try Scorer: Alex Johnston at $11.00
More Info:
Teams:
Canterbury Bulldogs:
1 Will Hopoate, 2 Brett Morris, 3 Josh Morris, 4 Kerrod Holland, 5 Reimis Smith, 6 Lachlan Lewis, 7 Jeremy Marshall-King, 8 Aiden Tolman, 9 Michael Lichaa, 10 David Klemmer, 11 Josh Jackson (c), 12 Rhyse Martin, 13 Adam Elliott
Interchange: 14 Fa’amanu Brown, 15 Clay Priest, 16 Ofahiki Ogden, 17 Danny Fualalo
Reserves: 18 Asipeli Fine, 19 Matt Frawley, 20 Francis Tualau, 21 John Olive.
South Sydney Rabbitohs: 
1 Alex Johnston, 2 Campbell Graham, 3 Hymel Hunt, 4 Dane Gagai, 5 Robert Jennings, 6 Cody Walker, 7 Adam Reynolds, 8 Thomas Burgess, 9 Damien Cook, 10 George Burgess, 11 John Sutton, 12 Angus Crichton, 13 Sam Burgess
Interchange: 14 Adam Doueihi, 15 Cameron Murray, 16 Mark Nicholls, 17 Tevita Tatola
Reserves: 18 Matt McIlwrick, 19 Braidon Burns, 20 Dean Britt, 21 Kyle Turner, 22 Billy Brittain.
NRL News:
North Queensland coach Paul Green has accused his side of throwing away two points after having their hearts broken 21-20 by South Sydney in Cairns.
Despite pushing the NRL premiership favourites all the way on Sunday, Green was pointed in his criticism after his side gave up a halftime lead to leave them languishing in second-last.
After a stellar outing that saw him set up two tries and play a key hand in a third, skipper Johnathan Thurston cut a devastated figure after missing a field goal attempt on the siren.
It was the side’s 12th loss of the season and with eight games remaining they are in danger of copping the club’s first wooden spoon since 2000.
“I was really disappointed with the effort, to be honest,” Green said.
“I thought the game was there, we had the game won. There was just a couple of plays we didn’t make when we had to.
“We lost the game because of it.”
Green described Cody Walker’s try just before the halftime siren as “soft” as the Cowboys’ lead was reduced to 14-12 at the break.
Queensland forward Coen Hess rushed out of the line and Sam Burgess produced brilliant footwork to beat him before offloading for Walker.
The Cowboys were the better side in the first-half but Souths got themselves back into the game either side of halftime.
Green was critical of the fact the Cowboys’ failed to complete their first three sets after the resumption and it took them until the 12th minute of the second half to get to their kick.
“There was a really soft try right on halftime and then the way we started with the footy in the second half, we didn’t complete a set there for a handful of sets,” Green said.
“In the conditions, you just can’t do that. We handed the game to them.”
