Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks v South Sydney Rabbitohs
Vale: Terry Hill
8 hours ago | National Rugby League
MAGIC ROUND: Cronulla v Souths preview
If there were ever two teams in need of some spark from Magic Round it is the Sharks and Rabbitohs, with both heading to Brisbane off the back of embarrassing defeats.
South Sydney's 50-0 drubbing at the hands of Melbourne caught everyone off guard.
Sure the Rabbitohs were missing a host of first graders but this is a team that is supposed to be contending for a premiership.
Instead they were made to look like anything but as Josh Addo-Carr ran in six tries to expose South Sydney's right-edge defence.
The Rabbitohs are boosted though by the return of halfback Adam Reynolds.
He may not plug the defensive holes that saw Souths stumble last week but his composure and long-range kicking game will be much-needed if the Rabbitohs again struggle to dominate up front.
Meanwhile, Taane Milne comes onto the wing with Dane Gagai back to the centres and Steven Marsters dropped back to the extended bench.
There is also movement in the forwards with Liam Knight switching to lock in place of Jai Arrow who drops back to the bench while Hame Sele also joins the pine, knocking off Patrick Mago.
While many anticipate South Sydney's loss to Melbourne will be a one-off, the opposite is true for Cronulla, who have been on a downward spiral since John Morris' exit.
The Sharks' error-prone performance last Friday did not go close to challenging the ladder leaders, with Penrith running out 48-0 winners.
Halfback Chad Townsend was also hooked in the second half with Matt Moylan brought in off the bench.
The musical chairs in the halves surely cannot go on much longer as the Sharks put a red line through 2021 and instead plan for the upcoming season, settling on whether Moylan or Johnson is part of their long-term plans.
An injury to Jesse Ramien sees Josh Dugan recalled while Andrew Fifita also gets a chance to impress in place of Bill Magoulias.
Last meeting: Round 1 2020 - Rabbitohs 22 Sharks 18
Who to watch: The battle of the fullbacks shapes as an interesting one. William Kennedy had his most disappointing game of the season last week for Cronulla, with minimal involvement in attack. That though spoke volumes to how poor the Sharks were in building pressure as opposed to his own individual effort. It also signalled the need for Cronulla's halves to make sure to give him early ball in the red zone as Kennedy's combination of speed and ball playing makes him a dangerous option worth pursuing with out the back.
Meanwhile, Cody Walker also could wreak havoc out the back against a Cronulla side lacking in defensive resilience. The Sharks were incredibly passive in defence last week against Penrith and cannot afford Walker the same amount of time and space to make decisions. Otherwise they stand to be on the wrong end of another lopsided scoreline. While not on Walker's mind, the opportunity to stamp his claim at fullback before Latrell Mitchell's return could also strengthen his Origin hopes. No - he won't be another fullback playing out of position, five-eighth is undoubtedly his best spot but showing off his versatility will certainly only help his chances.
The favourite: Souths are well backed to take this one out.
My tip: The Rabbitohs' collapse was a one-off last week. Cronulla's wasn't. Simple as that. South Sydney by 24.
1. Will Kennedy 2. Mawene Hiroti 3. Josh Dugan 4. Will Chambers 5. Connor Tracey 14. Matt Moylan 7. Chad Townsend 8. Aiden Tolman 9. Blayke Brailey 10. Aaron Woods 11. Briton Nikora 12. Wade Graham 13. Toby Rudolf 15. Teig Wilton 16. Jack Williams 17. Andrew Fifita 18. Braydon Trindall 19. Billy Magoulias
1. Cody Walker 2. Alex Johnston 3. Dane Gagai 4. Braidon Burns 5. Taane Milne 6. Benji Marshall 7. Adam Reynolds 8. Thomas Burgess 9. Damien Cook 10. Tevita Tatola 11. Keaon Koloamatangi 12. Jaydn Su'A 13. Liam Knight 14. Mark Nicholls 15. Hame Sele 16. Jed Cartwright 17. Jai Arrow 19. Patrick Mago
Referees: Chris Sutton; Sideline Officials: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski, Darian Furner; Video Referees: Alan Shortall;