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Rabbitohs v Warriors: Milne in for Graham; RTS ruled out

Things are getting desperate for the Warriors when it comes to them featuring in the finals.

Not only are they four points adrift of the top eight with seven games remaining, there are six teams between them and eighth spot. Another loss this week could just about end their hopes of playing beyond round 25.

There are no such problems of that nature for the Rabbitohs. They would need to lose three of their final seven matches to have any chance of missing a top-four finish. 

The minor premiership is still in the equation for Wayne Bennett's side.

The rundown

Team news

Rabbitohs: Campbell Graham has been ruled out (concussion protocols) with Taane Milne elevated to the starting side at centre and Braidon Burns the new face on the interchange. 

Milne has shifted to the interchange with Jaxson Paulo and Josh Mansour earning recalls on the edges with Alex Johnston sidelines with a hamstring injury.

Latrell Mitchell returns at fullback following a post-Origin III rest by coach Wayne Bennett.

Jai Arrow returns on the bench after serving a suspension for a breach of COVID protocols while in Maroons camp.

Blake Taaffe is the 18th man. Jed Cartwright was trimmed from the extended bench an hour before kick-off, after Dean Hawkins was culled from the reserves on Friday.

Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker has scored eight tries in his past six games against the Warriors.

Warriors: Kodi Nikorima returns to the starting side at five-eighth with Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (concussion) sidelined.

Adam Pompey comes into the centres in place of Rocco Berry (hamstring) while Jazz Tevaga takes over at hooker for Wayde Egan (shoulder). Bunty Afoa and Taniela Otukolo are the new faces on the bench.

Edward Kosi is 18th man, with Kane Evans dropping off the reserves list on game day. Reserve forward Ben Murdoch-Masilia and utility Sean O'Sullivan dropped out of the extended squad 24 hours before kick-off.

Team Lists

Backs

  • Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Latrell Mitchell
    Fullback for Warriors is number 1 Reece Walsh
  • Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Josh Mansour
    Winger for Warriors is number 2 Dallin Watene-Zelezniak
  • Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Dane Gagai
    Centre for Warriors is number 3 Adam Pompey
  • Centre for Rabbitohs is number 14 Taane Milne
    Centre for Warriors is number 4 Euan Aitken
  • Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Jaxson Paulo
    Winger for Warriors is number 5 Marcelo Montoya
  • Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 6 Cody Walker
    Five-Eighth for Warriors is number 6 Kodi Nikorima
  • Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Adam Reynolds
    Halfback for Warriors is number 7 Chad Townsend

Forwards

  • Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Mark Nicholls
    Prop for Warriors is number 8 Addin Fonua-Blake
  • Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Damien Cook
    Hooker for Warriors is number 9 Jazz Tevaga
  • Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Thomas Burgess
    Prop for Warriors is number 10 Matthew Lodge
  • 2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon Koloamatangi
    2nd Row for Warriors is number 11 Jack Murchie
  • 2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Jaydn Su'A
    2nd Row for Warriors is number 12 Bayley Sironen
  • Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Cameron Murray
    Lock for Warriors is number 13 Josh Curran

Interchange

  • Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Jacob Host
    Interchange for Warriors is number 14 Taniela Otukolo
  • Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Patrick Mago
    Interchange for Warriors is number 15 Eliesa Katoa
  • Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 17 Jai Arrow
    Interchange for Warriors is number 16 Bunty Afoa
  • Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 18 Braidon Burns
    Interchange for Warriors is number 17 Leeson Ah Mau

Reserves

  • Reserve for Rabbitohs is number 20 Blake Taaffe
    Reserve for Warriors is number 20 Edward Kosi

Match Officials

  • Referee: Chris Butler
  • Touch Judge: Drew Oultram
  • Touch Judge: Ziggy Przeklasa-Adamski
  • Senior Review Official: Grant Atkins

Last updated:

Key match-up

Adam Reynolds v Chad Townsend: Both men will be wearing different colours in 2022, but right now their focus remains on maximising the results of their respective sides this season.

It will be sad to see Reynolds walk off the field in Rabbitohs colours for the last time, but for Townsend, his half-season at the Warriors carry nowhere near as much sentimentality.

Stat attack

Addin Fonua-Blake arrived at the Warriors as one of the prized recruits of 2021. A knee injury meant a lengthy stint on the sidelines, but last weekend he showed just why the Warriors were so keen to sign him.

He ran for a momentous 257m, with 123 of those coming after contact. He also had a tackle efficiency rate of 94 per cent.

 

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Acknowledgement of Country

The New Zealand Warriors honour the mana of the Indigenous peoples of Aotearoa, Australia and the Pacific. We acknowledge the traditional kaitiaki of the lands, elders past and present, their stories, their traditions, their mamae and their mana motuhake.

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