Super Saturday in the NRL concludes with a blockbuster contest between the Rabbitohs and Eels. Returning to their spiritual home for Indigenous Round, the Rabbitohs performance holds Finals implications, and a victory will be at the forefront of their minds. The Eels are out of contention and will be playing for pride. With a bigger campaign ahead in 2027, some players are also competing for their futures. This sets the stage for a thrilling contest and Before You Bet is here to take a deeper look at this contest.
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Rabbitohs vs Eels Predictions & Tips: NRL Round 23 2026
Trying hard but falling short
Outplayed in their 32-16 road loss to the Sharks last week, the Rabbitohs have several areas which need to improve should they wish to remain inside the Top 8. After a strong start which saw them score first, they soon trailed 18-6 at HT and were the inferior team in every area. With just 44% possession, they completed at 74%, they averaged 8.5m per carry and made 429 PCM’s. Their shortcomings came defensively, as they missed 51 tackles, continually allowing the Sharks to dominate the middle and create their own attacking momentum.
An ugly win is still a win
Somehow, the Eels prevailed 16-13 against the Tigers last week in an away fixture at their regular home ground. The proof of their poor execution is in the statistics. With just 45% possession, they completed at 67%, made 8.6m per carry, and had just 387 PCM’s. They were poor defensively too, missing 48 total tackles. The fact that they prevailed should be celebrated; a case can be made that the way they fought to stay in the contest should be celebrated ahead of the 2027 preseason. How they perform in this match will add or remove validity from that performance.
Stats that matter
- These two sides met in Round 17 with the Rabbitohs prevailing 32-12. They will need to draw upon that performance as they have an inferior record at this ground (32% vs 41%).
- The past 5 games have seen comfortable victories, with the average margin being 15.2 points. They have been relatively high scoring too, with the average sitting at 49.6 points.
- The Rabbitohs are the superior team on both sides of the ball in 2026. They score an average of 27ppg in attack compared to the Eels 19ppg. Defensively, they concede 24ppg compared to the Eels 28ppg.
Quality prevails
The Rabbitohs receive a huge boost ahead of this game with Murray, Duncan, and Fifita all returning for this game. This gives them an edge over their opponents that places them in a strong position to capture victory. The Eels were horrendously bad last week and on the back of a short turnaround, they may struggle to avoid the same mistakes made. That doesn’t mean they are without a chance; 2026 has had moments whereby they have performed well, pushing teams but rarely playing for 80 minutes. If they can avoid a time limit on their performance, perhaps they will be successful.
On the other hand, the Rabbitohs have plenty of power to call upon. A positive of players returning to a team is that it strengthens their interchange. The Rabbitohs need this victory to maintain (or improve) their standing on the competition ladder. This should ensure that they are at their attacking best and pull away from their opponents late in this contest and fatigue sets in for the visitors.
Rabbitohs 13+
$2.30 (2 units)
Rabbitohs vs Eels Same Game Multi
Leg 1 = Total points over 45.5 – see above for justification.
Leg 2 = Duncan to score – returning and at centre, Duncan will aim to pick up from where he left off. Hard to defend, he also has 4 tries in his past 2 games against the Eels.
Leg 3 = Walker to score – if the Rabbitohs are to win, Walker needs to have a positive impact on this game. He has had a few quiet weeks but will look to bounce back to form against the Eels, a team he has 5 tries against in his past 5 games.
Rabbitohs vs Eels Betting Odds & Match Info
Date: Saturday 8th August
Location: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
Time: 7:35pm (AEST)
Odds: Rabbitohs $1.36 vs Eels $3.10
Line: -9.5
Points: 45.5
Where to Watch Rabbitohs vs Eels
Watch the Rabbitohs vs Eels match live and ad free on Kayo Sports.
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