2021 NRL – South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm taking place? Thursday 6th May, 2021 – 10:50 (UK)
Where is South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm taking place? Stadium Australia, Sydney
Where can I get tickets for South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm? Click here for ticket information on 2021 NRL matches
What channel is South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm on? Sky Sports Arena will be televising selected NRL games in the UK and you can find their schedule here. For Australian broadcasters, you can find a list here
Where can I stream South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Melbourne Storm? If televised on Sky Sports, then subscribers will be able to stream the match live via Sky Go. Alternatively, the match will be available to subscribers of Watch NRL
THE TEAM NEWS
SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS
Starting 13: Johnston, Marsters, Gagai, Burns, Milne, Walker, Marshall, Burgess, Cook, Tatola, Koloamatangi, Su’A, Arrow – Interchanges: Nicholls, Knight, Host, Mago – Reserves: Cartwright, Sele, Dargan, Hawkins
Unavailable: Blake Taaffe (Injured), Brock Gardner (Injured), Latrell Mitchell (Suspended), Josh Mansour (Injured), Adam Reynolds (Injured), Tautau Moga (Suspended), Cameron Murray (Injured), Campbell Graham (Injured), Jaxson Paulo (Injured)
- South Sydney Rabbitohs were relatively comfortable victors over Canberra Raiders last week as they were able to hold on despite their opponents threatening to make a late fightback but their seventh successive win came at a huge cost.
- The Rabbits have a backline crisis on their hands with Adam Reynolds, Campbell Graham and Jaxson Paulo joining an already lengthy list of unavailable players and that means it will be an almost unrecognisable three-quarter line that takes to the field in this one.
MELBOURNE STORM
Starting 13: Hynes, Jennings, R. Smith, Olam, Addo-Carr, Munster, Hughes, J. Bromwich, Grant, Welch, Kaufusi, K. Bromwich, B. Smith – Interchanges: Finucane, Kamikamica, Eisenhuth, Asofa-Solomona – Reserves: Ieremia, Lewis, Jacks, Pene
Unavailable: Max King (Injured), Darryn Schonig (Injured), Brenko Lee (Injured), Ryan Papenhuyzen (Injured)
- Melbourne Storm were slow starters having trailed at half-time of last week’s clash with Cronulla Sharks but a ruthless showing after the break saw the premiers blow their opponents away to earn a fifth straight win.
- The Storm ran in seven second half tries as they secured a 40-14 victory but there is still work to do for Craig Bellamy’s side defensively having missed 34 tackles last week with their edges looking particularly fragile at times.
THE PREDICTION
South Sydney Rabbitohs are on a seven-match winning streak thanks to last week’s success against Canberra Raiders but they have it all to do as they take on the only side to beat them so far this season. Melbourne Storm got the better of them in their season opener and reigning premiers come into this on the back of a five-game winning run of their own. The Storm took a while to get going but were devastating in the second half of last week’s victory over Cronulla Sharks and with Souths struggling with a long list of unavailable players, it would be a surprise if Melbourne failed to record a sixth straight success in this one.
