NRL Match Preview: Raiders v Rabbitohs

Off the back of their fourth loss this season, the Raiders are on the hunt for a win to kickstart their slow start to the year.

Xavier Savage is out for eight weeks with an ankle injury suffered in Sunday's game against the Knights. In the meantime, Jed Stuart has big shoes to fill out on the wing as he makes his first appearance of the season on Saturday.

The Rabbitohs are on a roll after dominating the Bulldogs in an electrifying Good Friday match. With Brandon Smith returning and the remainder of the squad untouched, a victory will have the Bunnies searching for that top spot on the ladder.

A win on Saturday is crucial for Canberra to regain momentum and begin their climb up the ladder. Up against a top-four side, the Raiders will need a big push to take down the Bunnies.

Talking Points:

• Jed Stuart is playing his first NRL game of the season, replacing Xavier Savage while he is out with an ankle injury.
• Brandon Smith makes his return to hooker after a calf injury delayed his start to the season.
• The Raiders are looking for their first win since round one against Manly.
• The Raiders have won six of their last seven games against the Rabbitohs.
• The Raiders have won five from five in Perth but have not played in the west since 1997.

Last Time They Met:

The Canberra Raiders defeated the South Sydney Rabbitohs 36-12 in Round 14 of the 2025 season.

Key Matchup: Simi Sasagi v Latrell Mitchell

Simi Sasagi and Latrell Mitchell go head-to-head for a key matchup in the centres. Both players left it all on the field in round five and are here to bounce back and lead their teams to a win.

Simi Sasagi’s phenomenal performance in the Raiders game against the Knights last Sunday proved the young gun’s talent. Pinned up against his debut club, Sasagi walked away with the most runs and line breaks of the Canberra side. His speed gifted the Raiders an early lead against the Knights with a try under the post and fierce defence that saved a certain four points from Sandon Smith.

Latrell Mitchell had a high-point scoring game for South Sydney’s last week, scoring 20 points for the Rabbitohs and leading them to a 32-24 win against the Bulldogs. Mitchell was thrilling to watch, finishing off two great tries off kicks.

Mitchell leads Sasagi in point scoring, with his remarkable tries and kicking ability. However, Sasagi’s high speeds and defensive abilities are unmatched. Sasagi doubles Mitchell’s stats with 83 successful tackles compared to 42 and an extraordinary 836 running metres compared to 411.

It will be a competitive matchup between the two centres, with each player making the most of their high-impact talents to secure their team a win.