Sharks vs. South Sydney at Shark Park during Women’s League Round
WOMEN IN LEAGUE ROUND TO FACE SHARKS AT SHARK PARK SOUTH SYDNEY

The Rugby League calendar is filled with notable events, but none are quite as significant as the NRL’s yearly Harvey Norman Women in League Round.

There is no end to the contributions made by women to the South Sydney Rabbitohs and to Rugby League in general. From top-tier players, officials, and administrators to the mothers who manage the canteens at their neighborhood football facilities every Sunday for more than half the year, there is no end to what they do.

The Rabbitohs will be hoping to honor the women who make rugby league the greatest game of all time when they play the Sharks at Shark Park this Saturday night. Women in League Round, which is about to enter its 18th year, is the ideal opportunity to do just that.

In addition to honoring the outstanding female athletes, South Sydney has a lot to gain from this matchup. The Rabbitohs, who are now two victories short of the top eight, will be trying to secure a crucial two

points to stay within striking reach of a spot in the finals.

History doesn’t always repeat itself, but South Sydney will be full of confidence from their last visit to the Sharks’ home field, which coincidentally happened to be around the same time period as this weekend’s match. It was the 2023 first round. This time, the Red and Green defeated the host team by a score of 27 points to 18, kicking off their 2023 season in spectacular fashion.

Lachlan Ilias’s early score gave South Sydney a great start, and eight minutes before halftime, Keaon Koloamatangi added another. The Sharks were then unable to win the game when Campbell Graham scored a double in the second half. Latrell Mitchell, who kicked five goals and a field goal, was also quite helpful with the boot.

Cameron Murray, the captain of South Sydney, has returned after missing the previous two games due to a suspension sustained in the third Origin match, which gives them additional confidence going into this match. A South Sydney team hoping to win seven of their previous nine games will be happy to have Murray’s skill, toughness, leadership, and never-say-die mentality.

Three additional changes have been made to the team that was defeated by the Raiders in round 21 by head coach Ben Hornby. After missing last week’s game because of a head knock he received during the previous week’s victory over the Wests Tigers, Richie Kennar is back in the centers. As a result, Michael Chee Kam, who last week filled in at right center for the injured Kennar, will now be benched.

Due to a calf injury, Cody Walker was unable to finish Captain’s Run and will not play on Saturday. Walker won’t be playing this week, and Ben Hornby confirmed as much to the media on Friday. Dion Teaupa will take Walker’s position at halfback. Hornby stated that the Club hopes Walker would participate in the Storm game the following week.

Hornby has also been forced to start teenage talent Fletcher Myers in his first-grade debut in place of South Sydney’s most prolific try-scorer due to an achilles injury sustained by Johnston. Myers got a hat-trick in his first-ever South Sydney game against the Eels in the Knock-On Effect NSW Cup, his first game since joining the Rabbitohs from Newcastle in the middle of the season.

Myers has a great chance to secure a spot in the NRL team for the whole of the season, and he may do so with ease if he plays well against the Sharks this weekend. Johnston is sadly out for the season.

Attack Stats
Since 2018, the Rabbitohs have defeated the Sharks five times in their previous nine meetings.
When South Sydney last played at Shark Park, they defeated the Sharks 27–18 in the first round of 2023.
In their last three Women in League Round games, the Rabbitohs have won two of them.

Raiders defeat the Souths big-time at home.

At GIO Stadium on Sunday night, the Toyota Forklifts Canberra Raiders overcame South Sydney 32–12 to earn a significant victory.

Over the weekend, Captain Elliott Whitehead celebrated his 200th Raiders game with a historic game.

The first points of the game were scored by Canberra thanks to an early offload by Hudson Young to Jordan Rapana.

Xavier Savage successfully put the ball down with a kick and chase as the Rabbitohs failed to hold their defensive line, increasing the Raiders’ advantage to 12-0.

Twenty minutes remaining saw Canberra exploit holes in the Rabbitohs defense, allowing Sebastian Kris to cross the line and make it 18-0.

After successfully breaking past Taane Milne’s defense, the Rabbitohs reduced the deficit to 18-4.

Jordan Rapana scored easily thanks to Jamal Fogarty’s quick thinking and a kick to the left side of the field.

Cody Walker raced through on the wing for a four-pointer as the Rabbitohs responded.

Canberra was determined to carry over their success into the second half as they entered the locker room with a 20–4 point lead.

A few minutes into the second half, Raiders forward Ata Mariota scored between the goalposts, breaking past the Rabbitohs defense to increase the margin to 30-8.

Tallis Duncan’s touchdown put the Rabbitohs ahead 30–12, and the Raiders were unable to hold the Rabbitohs defense.

With nine minutes left, Jamal Fogarty scored from a penalty kick to give the team a 32–12 lead.

At the very end of regulation, Captain Elliott Whitehead was sent off for a professional foul. The Raiders won 32–12 by defending the game’s last play.

The Raiders will want to build on this momentum when they play the Bulldogs at Belmore Sports Ground on Sunday.