Just nowFri 3 Apr 2026 at 5:04amLive updates: Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs

Just nowFri 3 Apr 2026 at 5:04am

Big crowd

You LOVE to see it.

(Getty Images)

1m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 5:03am

A battle of the midfield bullies

Here’s a couple of pre-game stats for you ahead of this blockbuster clash.

The Rabbitohs have won six of their last seven Good Friday games against the Bulldogs. That’s no mean feat given how good the Bulldogs can be and how inconsistent the Rabbitohs have been over the last couple of years.

The Bulldogs did win last year though, 32-0 too…

Additionally, the Bulldogs have lost their last three games at the Sydney Olympic Stadium.

From a try-scoring perspective, a few players come into this game with impressive records they’d like to maintain.

(Getty Images)

Bulldogs captain Stephen Crichton has scored 11 tries in 13 games against the Rabbitohs, while Rabbitohs centre Latrell Mitchell has scored 12 tries in 14 games against the Bulldogs.

I don’t know about you, but their battle in the midfield is one that I am incredibly excited about, two players who it can reasonably said have the size, skill and mentality to bully their rivals when they put their minds to it, coming up against each other.

Yeah, I know Crichton will line up more against Jack Wighton and Mitchell will be up against Enari Tuala – but I like to think they’ll cross paths at least a couple of times.

Additionally, Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston has scored a frankly ridiculous 96 tries from 98 games at Homebush.

Given the strength of the Rabbitohs left edge, I’d say he’s a good chance to add to that tally tonight.

Because, why not.

3m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 5:01am

Bunnies or Bulldogs to prevail today?

Hello Simon, I’m tipping the ‘Bennetted’ Rabbits to have a happy Easter…

– Mike

Afternoon Mike, thanks for being with us.

The Bunnies do have the benefit of Bennett – and I like the way they’ve been playing this year.

The Bulldogs have to be strong defensively and I think the Rabbitohs will really fancy their match ups today.

It should be a good game, regardless.

6m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:59am

Rabbitohs ‘a very strong team’

Cameron Ciraldo has just been speaking on Fox Sports.

He is asked about what the Bulldogs are going to do to spark their misfiring attack today.

“Just keep it pretty simple today,” he says.

“We just want to play our style of game … just start the game really strong.”

A lot of attention has been directed at Lachlan Galvin this season – with him having a lot of ball and not doing much with it.

Ciraldo says that the issue he had last week was, after a good start, was that the whole team fell off, making it hard for the halfback to show his quality.

He does say that there have been “some good signs in his game” this season.

As for the Rabbitohs, he knows that it’s going to be a tough game.

“They’re a very strong team,” he says.

“They’ve got a lot of talent. We’re going to be have to be strong defensively and take our chances when they come.”

11m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:53am

Nathan Merritt will ring foundation bell

– with AAP

(Getty Images)

In what will likely be an emotional start to today’s match, Souths will welcome Rabbitohs legend Nathan Merritt to the Sydney Olympic stadium to ring the foundation bell.

The former Rabbitohs flyer is currently battling stage-four cancer of the liver and oesophagus.

Rabbitohs officials will also promote fundraisers for the 42-year-old, who was the club’s leading try-scorer before Alex Johnston claimed the mark in 2022.

“That’ll be a wonderful moment for him and the game and for all the Souths supporters,” Wayne Bennett said.

“He was a great player for this club and obviously has pretty tough times in front of him.

“But the club and fans will be supportive of him as they always have been.

“Let’s just make it a nice day for him.”

Cody Walker also paid credit to Merritt just a short while ago on Fox Sports.

“Devastating news for Nath … Very sad news,” he said.

“He’s been a pioneer of our club and our local community in Redfern for ever.

“It’s a bit of a tough road ahead of him. We’re all thinking of him here at the Rabbitohs.”

Merritt scored 146 tries in 218 games for South Sydney in his stellar career.

17m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:48am

Jobs done, footy on

Arvo Simon. Grass is mown, fish and chips for lunch and a cool drink to relax with the blog. Always enjoy watching Connor Tracey play, a former junior teammate of my grandson, so let the games begin.

– KB

Sounds idyllic, KB.

I am excited for this match, it has to be said.

The Bulldogs have so many good players at their disposal and, if Lachlan Galvin does reign himself in a bit and just allow his outside backs to do a bit more of the heavy lifting, then they could really wreck havoc.

But this Souths back line is sublime. Walker. Graham. Wighton. Johnson. Gray. Mitchell. Those players can fire in ways that make you want to stand up in your seat.

What a great way to spend Good Friday.

23m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:41am

Crichton excited about another big occasion(Getty Images)

Here’s Stephen Crichton.

“Very exciting,” the Bulldogs skipper says on Fox Sports.

“It’s the sort of game you want to be a part of.”

He is asked about whether he will find himself in the halves again this week, as he found himself last week.

He says it’s all about how he and Matt Burton are feeling at any given time.

“It’s just another way of attacking the game.

“A lot of us have licence to roam … it’s just whatever is best for the team at the time.”

I don’t necessarily think it’s a good option, Luke Keary on Fox Sports says that it’s a band aid option and is “unsustainable” to keep doing.

Meanwhile, Crichton says that his battle against Jack Wighton in the centres is going to be “a tough one”.

26m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:38am

The Smile of Bennett

Love a Bennett smile! It’s so rare!

– Natty

Hello Natty, lovely to have you with us.

I am never sure about a Wayne Bennett smile … it makes me think I’m not in on a joke that everyone else is in on, even if he’s the only one smiling.

It’s also a bit sinister…

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30m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:34am

Bulldogs hosing down fires as attack struggles to find its groove

– with AAP

(Getty Images)

It’s not been the best start to the season for the Bulldogs.

One of last year’s most exciting sides going forward has, seemingly, gone backwards at a rate of knots to start the 2026 season from an attacking sense.

Last year, the Bulldogs were averaging 26 points per game after a month gone of the season, a season that would see them play in the semi-finals.

This season they average just 15 points per game — scoring the fewest points of any team in the league.

Cameron Ciraldo though has described a degree if “hysteria” over Canterbury’s attack, saying there were plenty of positive signs.

“We’ve won two games, we’ve lost one, so I don’t think there’s any need for panic stations,” the Bulldogs coach said.

“A lot got made of ‘Critta’ [Stephen Crichton] moving in a little bit last week.

“‘Burto’ [Matt Burton] took a bump, needed a little rest out wide, ‘Critta’ came in and got involved … we scored two tries pretty quickly after that.

“I’m not sure of all the hysteria around that.”

That was in reference to him moving Crichton from centre to five-eighth against Newcastle last Saturday, with Burton scoring two tries from left centre.

(Getty Images)

However, the Bulldogs eventually lost 24-16 to last season’s wooden spooners – although Ciraldo gave no thought to changing his starting halves combination of Burton and Lachlan Galvin for today’s clash.

“We’ve won the possession every week, we’ve made the most metres every week, we’ve also made the most line breaks in each game every week,” he said.

“They’re all really good signs.”

One of the issues facing the Bulldogs is the effectiveness of halfback Galvin, whose signing last year arguably interrupted the Bulldogs charge into the finals and led to a breaking up of one of the league’s most potent attacks.

He has produced only one try assist so far this season despite touching the ball more times on average than any non-hooker.

During the week, NRL legend and media pundit Andrew Johns encouraged Galvin to simplify his game.

Ciraldo said the 20-year-old wasn’t the only one who could heed that advice.

“For everyone, it’s about simplifying your own game and your team’s game at the start of the year,” he said.

“Last week we had 60 per cent of possession against us in the first half and our team was looking for a bit of energy. Lachie, because he’s so fit, decided to try and give us a bit of a thrust.

“That’s awesome, from a team-first perspective. Is there stuff we need to do better? Yeah, and we’re all working on that.”

32m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:32am

Discipline key for Rabbitohs: Bennett

– with AAP

He’s simling now. He wasn’t two weeks ago… (Getty Images)

A rejuvenated Wayne Bennett has told South Sydney players to fix their discipline if they want to keep him happy, as they fight to find their best on Good Friday.

Souths players joked this week Bennett had returned to Sydney in a better mood ahead of their clash with Canterbury, after days spent on his farm in Queensland.

The 76-year-old made no secret of his frustrations with the Rabbitohs after their win over Wests Tigers a fortnight ago, declaring at the time “nothing pleased him”.

Bennett uttered just 11 words to the first three questions during the press conference that night, and was equally blunt on Thursday when asked what had to change.

“Our discipline,” Bennett said.

Souths gave away eight penalties, five set restarts and completed at 75 per cent in the round-three win over the Tigers.

Bennett quipped a trip to his Warwick farm had left him feeling better, probably because the cows “don’t have mobile phones”.

But pressed further on whether his tune had changed about the Rabbitohs’ last-start victory, Bennett made clear it had not.

“I’m still not happy with the performance,” he said.

“It doesn’t change. But it’s gone now, we’ve got a tremendous game tomorrow and a huge crowd.”

36m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:28am

Rabbitohs ‘expecting a response’ from Bulldogs

Cody Walker has just been speaking on Fox Sports.

“We know we’re coming up against a quality side that probably weren’t at their best last week,” he says.

“We’re expecting a response and for them to be at their best.

“It’s important not to get caught up in all that and just focus on ourselves and what we need to improve on.”

As to what the Rabbitohs have worked on in their bye week, which Walker says was very good just to refresh the body and mind of the players?

“It’s important to get our discipline in order,” he says, echoing his coach, Wayne Bennett.

“I think we can take [our second half defence] into this game and clean up some errors in attack and defence.”

44m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:20am

Bunnies in the house

47m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:17am

Attitude improvement behind Xerri recall

– with AAP

(Getty Images)

Cameron Ciraldo said he is satisfied Bronson Xerri has improved his attitude enough to earn the chance for more first grade game time.

Media reports emerged Xerri was unhappy at the Bulldogs last month, only hours after the centre was told he would be dropped for round two.

“He’s come in and trained hard and worked hard on his game and put the team first,” said Ciraldo, who named Xerri on his six-man bench to face Souths.

“I can’t commend him enough on that last the last couple of weeks.”

50m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:14amSouths vs Bulldogs, team news

 Let’s have a look at the teams for tonight’s game.

(NRL.com)Rabbitohs

The Rabbitohs are 1-13 from the team named earlier in the week.

Campbell Graham returns from a shoulder injury and is the only change to the starting side from the Round 3 win over Wests Tigers.

The Rabbitohs had the bye last week.

Moala Graham-Taufa drops to the six-man bench, with Lachlan Hubner and Liam Le Blanc the new faces on the interchange.

Bulldogs(@NRL_Bulldogs)

Sam Hughes comes back into the side at prop after being ruled out last week due to suspension.

However, Harry Hayes has been forced out of the match day squad after initially being named to return from concussion.

In a big blow to the Bulldogs, Josh Curran misses the game with a rib injury.

Wantaway centre Bronson Xerri is part of the six-man interchange as he looks to force his way back into the top side.

58m agoFri 3 Apr 2026 at 4:06am

Happy Good Friday to you all

Hello folks and welcome to a Good Friday bonanza of NRL football, with two blockbuster games for you on this public holiday afternoon.

My name is Simon Smale and, after being converted into a believer after seeing the Sea Eagles rise from the dead last night, I am fully expecting another quasi-religious experience this afternoon as we treat ourselves to the  now-traditionally Good Friday Homebush clash between the Rabbitohs and the Bulldogs, where it’s safe to say way more than 5,000 people (it’s expected to be over 50,000) will feast upon some phenomenal rugby league.

Then we head out to Parramatta where the Panthers continue their exile from their home as they host the travelling Storm, with Craig Bellamy’s side looking for a drought-breaking victory after two-straight defeats.

Two big games.

One big blog.

One very Good Friday.