RUGBY LEAGUE BETTING PREVIEW - SOUTH SYDNEY RABBITOHS VS NORTH QUEENSLAND COWBOYS

Rugby League

2025-04-12 - South Sydney Rabbitohs vs North Queensland Cowboys

A Sports Betting Preview by Stu

South Sydney Rabbitohs v North Queensland Cowboys
Rugby League : Australia : NRL Season 2025
Saturday 12th April 2025 - KO 1730 AEST

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South Sydney Rabbitohs

The South Sydney Rabbitohs have had a promising start to the 2025 season under the experienced guidance of coach Wayne Bennett, currently placed 5th on a 4-1 record. Bennett's return to the club has brought a renewed sense of optimism, and the Rabbitohs currently reside in the top 8 of the NRL ladder.

Key players like Latrell Mitchell and Cody Walker have been instrumental in their performances, with Mitchell's dynamic play in the centres on show for all to see and Walker's creativity in the halves driving the team's attack, sadly for Rabbitohs fans, Walker and Humphries have suffered hamstring injuries and will not play.

The Rabbitohs have faced significant injury challenges already with the absence of Cameron Murray due to an Achilles injury and Latrell Mitchell's hamstring tear has been setback albeit he got through 80 minutes last weekend. The Rabbitohs defence has been solid, conceding an average of 19.4ppg but they will need to maintain their consistency to counter the Cowboys potent attacking threats.

South Sydney Rabbitohs Team changes – Jayden Sullivan replaces Walker in the halves and will partner Mitchell. Alex Johnston and Euan Aitken make a timely return and Liam Le Blanc has joined the bench.

North Queensland Cowboys

The North Queensland Cowboys have had a mixed start to the 2025 season, currently sitting in 13th with a record of 2-3. Under the guidance of coach Todd Payten, the Cowboys have shown flashes of brilliance but have struggled with consistency, losing their first 3 with heavy defeats to Manly and Cronulla followed by 2 great wins, defeating Canberra and Penrith. Key players like Reuben Cotter and Tom Dearden have been pivotal, with Cotter's leadership and Dearden's playmaking abilities being crucial for the team.

The Cowboys defence has been a major area of concern to start the season, often conceding points in crucial moments and failing to stand up once behind on the scoreboard. However, their recent victory over the Canberra Raiders has boosted their confidence, and they will look to build on this momentum. The Cowboys' attacking prowess, led by Scott Drinkwater and Jeremiah Nanai, will be crucial in this upcoming match.

North Queensland Cowboys Team Changes – Reuben Cotter returns after he was a late scratching due to illness last Friday. Sam McIntyre reverts to the bench – no other changes expected.

Odds

The visiting Cowboys will start as slight favourites, $2.15 to $1.72, the line is 2.5 points and combined points 49.5

The Betting Verdict

This match is to be played in Perth, this is one of the 2 matches being played at Optus stadium this weekend and this is a first for both teams at this venue. H2H is very close, 19-19 with 1 draw from the 39 matches played. The Cowboys have had the upper hand in recent encounters, including a 6-31 victory in 2023 and last season winning a close one 22-28 at Suncorp stadium. This recent head-to-head advantage could play a psychological role in the upcoming match.

Key matchups to watch include the battle between Latrell Mitchell and Scott Drinkwater. Both players are crucial to their teams attacking setups, and their performance could significantly influence the outcome of the game. Additionally, the forward battle between the in-form Keaon Koloamatangi and John Bateman who looks to be back to his best, this will be a physical contest that could determine the dominance in the middle of the park.

Given the current form of North Queensland who for lack of execution from their opposition could well be 0-5 it is very hard to pick the Cowboys here. The crazy part is South Sydney Rabbitohs have 2 new halves this weekend and a makeshift backline too making their chances just as poor, but someone must win and I think I would favour the Cowboys just in this encounter.

Given the disruption to both teams and the average attacking stats for both, going under the 49.5 combined points is a great option here as I expect a number of errors, lessening the points tally.

The Pick :

South Sydney Rabbitohs 18-22 North Queensland

FIXED ODDS BETTING :

Take the combined total points under 49.5 points at $1.91 with Bet365