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St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Tips & Preview - Rabbits to win NRL Charity Shield

Ryan Tucker

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Last updated: 20 Feb 2025

Ryan Tucker 20 Feb 2025

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St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs expert predictions for Saturday’s Charity Shield NRL game
Rabbitohs favored with a strong past record in the Shield
Tyrone Munro is a notable tryscorer and backed to cross

Expired

Charity Shield verdict (Getty)

St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Preview
Head to Head
St George Illawarra Dragons Form
St George Illawarra Dragons Team News
St George Illawarra Dragons Team List
South Sydney Rabbitohs Form
South Sydney Rabbitohs Team News
South Sydney Rabbitohs Team List

St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs Preview

South Sydney Rabbitohs have a commanding record over the past 12 years of Charity Shield matches having lost only once since the 2013 edition.

Take the Rabbitohs to win as underdogs as well as to cover the line. Tyrone Munro has scored six tries in his seven NRL games at the Rabbits and is backed to cross for a try.

St George Illawarra have lost 5 of their last 6 games at Glen Willow Oval.
South Sydney have lost only 1 of their last 12 Charity Shield games.
3 of the last 5 Charity Shield games have gone Under this Game Total.
The Rabbitohs left winger scored the most tries for the team in 2024 while the Dragons conceded the most tries to left wingers of any position last season.

Head to Head

Since the inception of the Charity Shield event in 1982, the Rabbitohs hold a 19-17 record over the Dragons (St George & St George Illawarra combined). A further five games have ended in a draw.

South Sydney won 28-6 in 2024 and have won or drawn in 11 of the last 12 years.

St George Illawarra Dragons Form

The Dragons had the majority of their top line squad on the field in the first half against the Roosters last week but were far from convincing.

Two of the three tries that were scored were in broken play off kick ricochets and they completed just 16/21 sets while allowing the Roosters second string team 54% of Territory and 19 tackles inside 20m.

Given the mediocre strength of their opponent the expectation was that St George should have been able to perform better in both attack and defence. In that first half they amassed 754 run metres but only 10 tackles in their attacking 20m zone.

With the high turnover of players the Dragons had this off-season there will still be moments of discourse which could be telling in close matchups.

St George Illawarra Dragons Team News

Shane Flanagan has once again opted to name a full strength side as he aims to get his new faces to gel together before the season proper begins.

Jacob Liddle did not play last week and is named on the bench. Tyrell Sloan is in jumper 18 and is expected to see game time.

St George Illawarra Dragons Team List

1. Clint Gutherson

2. Sione Finau

3. Moses Suli

4. Val Holmes

5. Mathew Feagai

6. Kyle Flanagan

7. Lachlan Ilias

8. Toby Couchman

9. Damien Cook

10. Emre Guler

11. Luciano Leilua

12. Jaydn Su'A

13. Jack de Belin

Interchange

14. Jacob Liddle

15. Raymond Faitala-Mariner

16. Ryan Couchman

17. Hamish Stewart

Reserves

18. Tyrell Sloan

19. Hame Sele

20. Jonah Glover

21. Kade Reed

22. Loko Pasifiki Tonga

23. Dylan Egan

24. Nathan Lawson

25. Hayden Buchanan

South Sydney Rabbitohs Form

The Rabbitohs went down in their first pre-season hitout last weekend against the Sea Eagles but played only a few of their top 17 and not for the entire game.

Manly also had their reserves on the field for the majority of the matchup which gives little insight as to what to expect from a more experience team that will line up this weekend.

Jye Gray was one of the players that did play last weekend and is now likely to play fullback for the first two months of the season with Latrell Mitchell expected to out until at least round 7. Gray had 82 run metres off 11 runs with a try in the game against Manly.

Souths have welcomed back Wayne Bennett to the coaching ranks in what is likely to be his last tenure as head coach in the NRL. Bennett had a 53-24 record as coach of the Rabbitohs from 2019-2021, the best percentage of his coaching career which dates back to 1977.

South Sydney Rabbitohs Team News

Latrell Mitchell has suffered a hamstring injury at training and is set to miss up to 7 weeks. Jye Gray is his likely replacement.

Jack Wighton, Tyrone Munro, Tallis Duncan and Keaon Koloamatangi all sat out last weekend’s game but have been named to play here.

Lewis Dodd will start in the halves as he did last weekend with new Bunnie, Jayden Sullivan coming in at five-eighth. Jamie Humphreys was pulled out just before the game last weekend but is named on the interchange for this one.

Cody Walker, Josh Schuster and Tevita Tatola have not been named with Cameron Murray also out after rupturing his achilles during the week.

South Sydney Rabbitohs Team List

15. Jye Gray

2. Isaiah Tass

3. Declan Casey

4. Jack Wighton

5. Tyrone Munro

6. Jayden Sullivan

7. Lewis Dodd

8. Sean Keppie

9. Peter Mamouzelos

10. Davvy Moale

11. Keaon Koloamatangi

12. Tallis Duncan

13. Lachlan Hubner

Interchange

14. Jamie Humphreys

16. Thomas Fletcher

17. Liam Le Blanc

18. Salesi Ataata

Reserves

19. Ashton Ward

20. Fletcher Myers

21. Bailey Biondi-Odo

22. Luke Webley

Verdict

St George Illawarra Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs

Take the Rabbitohs on the moneyline as the underdogs for the best value or on the line if you are cautious.

Three of the last five Shield games have gone under 47.5 points so that is the best play. Tyrone Munro has scored six tries in his seven NRL games at the Rabbits get him to cross.

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