Gear up for an exhilarating NRL showdown as the Rabbitohs square off against the Bulldogs in an electrifying clash at Accor Stadium.
Following an impressive comeback performance, the Rabbitohs are eager to maintain their winning streak, while the Bulldogs are looking to bounce back from a lacklustre display. With both teams positioned at opposite ends of the competition ladder, this match holds significant importance for their respective ambitions.
Join us as we delve deeper into this thrilling encounter and analyse the potential outcomes of this highly anticipated fixture.
NRL Round 19 Preview & Betting Tips
South Sydney Rabbitohs vs Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs
Saturday 8th July, Accor Stadium, 7:35pm (AEST)
After winning just one of their past 5 matches, the Rabbitohs needed a victory against the Warriors on the road. They delivered in style too, returning with a 28-6 victory to their name. Despite conceding the opening points in the 15th minute, they maintained their composure and played disciplined rugby league, completing at 92% in horrendous conditions (Warriors 69%). This allowed them to dominate every area in attack, placing themselves in strong attack positions and turning that into points. Their defence was also improved. This effort saw them move higher on the NRL Power Rankings, proving that they are still a dangerous team.
The Bulldogs were the opposite of that in their 66-nil thrashing by the Knights. Expected to be competitive, the Bulldogs dished up one of their worst team performances in recent years. They were booed from the field at HT, trailing 30-nil and it didn’t get any better. Their woeful display saw them complete at just 61% with 40% possession, make just over 1,100m while allowing close to 2,00m to their opponents, they conceded 13 line breaks and missed 63 total tackles. It was a performance which demonstrated a potential issue in attitude, but they have an opportunity here to turn it around against an opponent who is missing plenty of players to injury and representative duty. Only time will tell if their manner is up to this challenge.
The Rabbitohs were short-priced favourites at the start of the week but that drastically changed once the NSW Origin team was named. Now, they only have 1 player from their first-choice spine remaining. It will be up to reserve players to create the same momentum that Cook, Walker and Mitchell do. This makes the task of winning much more difficult and gives the Bulldogs the unique opportunity of winning this game. As far as statistics go, the Rabbitohs have an edge. They have a superior record at this ground (58% vs 53%) which both teams call ‘home’. For the season, they average 24ppg in attack compared with the Bulldogs 15ppg, while they allow fewer points in defence, averaging 18ppg as the Bulldogs allow 29ppg. The Rabbitohs have also won their past 5 against the Bulldogs, including a 50-16 victory in Round 6 this year, with that margin being 1 of 3 13+ victories on their 5-game winning streak.
With these two sides meeting twice a season, every season, there is a pattern which should be acknowledged. Since 2019, the second game has been decided by less that 12 points, with the average winning margin in those 4 games sitting at 8.5 points. That aside, there is still a slight lean towards the Bulldogs, but not in Head-to-Head markets. The safer option is take either team under 10.5 points. As abysmal as they were last week, how they bounce-back will say a lot about the culture of this team moving forward through their rebuild. There is every chance that the Rabbitohs have the confidence to overcome their opponents, but this game will be far closer than the odds are suggesting ($1.53 vs $2.50) and the option below allows for either team to win the match.
Either Team By Under 10.5 Points
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Same Game Multi
Popular bookmaker Picklebet have launched their Same Game Multis for both the AFL and NRL. There are plenty of markets to choose from an excellent odds on offer, so make sure to check them out!
Total Points Over 43.5 – The last 5 matches has seen an average of 55.2 points scored. The average points in the past 5 games played, which have been the second meeting of the season, sits at 42.4 points. This game should go over.
Either Team By 1-12 – Adding this leg for the same reasons mentioned in our preview above.
Johnston 1+ Try – Johnston has recently rediscovered his try scoring brilliance and loves crossing the line at this ground, regardless of the opponent.
