Thriller Expected
The Sydney Roosters and South Sydney Rabbitohs are two of the most exciting teams in the NRL and they collide in the final round of the regular season.
The Roosters have rattled off a significant winning streak to place sixth on the ladder, but the Rabbitohs are tough to beat and they’re the healthier unit.
NRL odds have the Roosters as -150 favorites.
Let’s review the latest Rugby picks, stats, injury reports, and Rugby odds for Roosters vs Rabbitohs. We’ve plenty of Rugby predictions for you to consider.
Roosters Down on Troops
The Roosters showed their NRL premiership credentials with an 18-14 win over the Storm last week, but it came at a cost.
Victor Radley was badly knocked out, Daniel Tupou left with a leg injury and Lindsay Collins has also been ruled out.
They have a deep squad so they’re able to cover with the likes of Adam Keighran and Terrell May entering the team, but it’s a big blow with the finals a week away.
It had been a glorious period of rugby league for the Roosters, who pumped the Tigers 72-6 and also racked up big wins over the Broncos and Cowboys. However, beating the Rabbitohs hasn’t been easy recently.
They are 0-2 against the Rabbitohs over the last two years, which should concern them.
Rabbitohs Ready for New Heights
The Rabbitohs are better than being seventh on the ladder. They’re a top-four side when they put their minds to the job.
That was the case last week when scoring a 20-10 win over the Cowboys. It might have come at home against a Cowboys side missing one of their best players, but it’s a similar situation against the Roosters.
Giving Latrell Mitchell a quick rest has benefited the Souths. He has been their best player
“He’ll play. He’s gone back to his farm, he’s had a few days up there,” NRL analyst Paul Kent told Fox Sports.“My understanding is he’s home tonight and he’ll be back tomorrow at training. There was an early fear he would be given the weekend off given what some teams are doing but he’ll play this week.
“I think it’s good coaching from Jason Demetriou … I think it’s a good idea. A little refresher before the finals.”
If Mitchell wasn’t in the side to face the Roosters, bettors would have expected +140 odds. However, he’s in and the +110 could be worth snapping up with betting online markets.
Roosters vs Rabbitohs Head-to-Head
The Roosters have a 28-18 edge over the Rabbitohs, but the visitors have won the last two contests.
They won 28-16 in March, which followed a 54-12 thrashing last year. It has been one-way traffic for the Rabbitohs, so that gives the outsiders confidence heading into one of the most important games of the year.
Roosters vs Rabbitohs Game Information
- Game: Roosters (14-9) vs Rabbitohs (14-9)
- Location: Allianz Stadium, Sydney
- Day/Time: Friday, Sept. 2, 5:55 a.m. ET
- Roosters vs Rabbitohs Live Stream: RugbyPass
Roosters vs Rabbitohs Betting Lines
| Team | Handicap | Moneyline | Total |
| Sydney Roosters | -1½ -140 | -150 | 44½-105o |
| South Sydney Rabbitohs | +1½ Ev | +110 | 44½-135u |
Roosters vs Rabbitohs Prediction
It’s always hard to predict the winner of the Sydney derby, but we’re going with the Rabbitohs to cause a minor upset.
When they put their minds on the job, they are one of the best teams in the competition and NRL betting markets have a generous line available.
We’re prepared to back the Rabbitohs at +110 as we expect the odds to shorten. The Roosters losing their best winger and impactful forward had a big impact on their offense last week, so we could see the same again on Friday.
