NSW Cup Rd 1 Preview vs Rabbitohs

The Sea Eagles head to Brookvale for their first home game of the new season as they take on the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The Round One clash will kick off at 3pm on Saturday March 9 at 4 Pines Park.

Wayne Lambkin’s side will be looking to carry on the momentum for the side that won six out of their last seven matches in the 2023 season en route to their nail-biting 24-22 defeat to the Canberra Raiders in Week One of the Finals.

Similar to the Jersey Flegg side, the NSW Cup team haven’t had the best of luck in opening round clashes in recent years, tasting defeat in 2023 (36-16 loss to the Bulldogs) and 2022 (24-4 loss to the Panthers). The last opening round victory came in 2021 when they defeated the North Sydney Bears, with Manly prop Toafofoa Sipley scoring two tries in the victory. Josh Schuster lined up at halfback and hard hitting second-rower Haumole Olakau’atu also lined up for the side.

The Rabbitohs ran away with bragging rights in both fixtures in 2023, winning 26-12 in Round Four at Accor Stadium and 30-16 in the return fixture at 4 Pines Park in Round 17. Winger Raymond Tuaimalo Vaega, hooker Gordon Chan Kum Tong and winger Clayton Faulalo scored four of the five tries, with the latter crossing for a double in the second clash.

New signings Bailey Hodgson (fullback), Tommy Talau (winger), Brandon Wakeham (five-eighth) are just three of the many new faces in the club that will be looking to impress on the weekend following their performances in the trial matches. After joining the NRL side in Las Vegas, halfback Jake Arthur will be looking to continue his strong performances in the NSW Cup following his mid-year switch from the Parramatta Eels last season.

Gordon Chan Kum Tong will bring the energy off the bench, with coach Wayne Lambkin hoping to integrate him into the attack alongside Jamie Humphreys, who made the positional change from halfback last year. The 22-year-old won the 2023 Jersey Flegg Players’ Player award and turned in some fine performances in the NSW Cup last year, scoring one try, kicking 26 goals, kicking one field goal and registering six assists in only nine matches.