NRL round 8: Storm v Rabbitohs betting tips
Have the Melbourne Storm lost their mojo? That is a valid question as they head into an Anzac Day belter against the impressive Rabbitohs on Saturday night.
Melbourne Storm have lost five matches in a row for the first time since 2012 and are languishing in second-last place on the table, ahead of only the hapless Dragons.
In years gone by, Craig Bellamy’s men would dust themselves off, string together eight or 10 wins and put themselves right back among the contenders.
The jury is out this time about whether they have it in them. The Storm can’t even blame their form, which includes losses against Broncos, Cowboys, Panthers, Warriors and Raiders.
If there is any good news from that streak, it’s that all of those teams are at worst genuine finals contenders and at best hot title favourites!
The other good news for Bellamy and his team is that the Bunnies have NEVER won against the Storm in Melbourne in 20 previous attempts.
Storm have won 12 of their past 14 matches against the Bunnies, including the past four in a row. Last season, the teams clashed twice, with the Storm winning 24-16 in round eight and 25-24 in the return bout in Sydney in round 16.
The bookies at least believe the Storm will stop their losing streaking as they have posted them $1.60 favourites with Australian betting sites to win this match.
Melbourne Storm v South Sydney team news
The Storm’s roster is in pretty good shape except for the season-long absence of gun back-rower Eliesa Katoa, who suffered a brain bleed and concussion while playing for Tonga in the off-season. Katoa is one of the stars of the competition and leaves a gaping hole, as does winger Xavier Coates, who is due back soon from an Achille’s injury. Bellamy has stuck with the same squad that fell short against the Raiders last weekend.
Wayne Bennett has likewise stuck with the squad that last week defeated the Dragons 30-12. Son of a gun Bronson Garlick starts at hooker, with former Storm hooker Brandon Smith switching to the second row. The Bunnies have a more extensive injury list than the Storm but are also in reasonably good shape and have won four of their six matches so far to sit in fourth place. It’s hard to work out why they are the outsiders to win this one with Ladbrokes Australia.
Read on for our Storm v Rabbitohs tips and winner prediction for their round-eight NRL clash.
Storm v Rabbitohs match information
- Kick-off: 8.10pm AEDT, Friday, April 25
- Venue: AAMI Park, Melbourne
- Head to head odds: Storm $1.60, Rabbitohs $2.35
- Line betting: Storm (-3.5 points) $1.90, Rabbitohs (+3.5 points) $1.90
- Match total: 50.5 points: over $1.90, under $1.90
2026 NRL premiership betting
$2.50 Penrith Panthers
$7.50 Sydney Roosters
$9 Brisbane Broncos
$11 New Zealand Warriors
$17 Canterbury Bulldogs, Cronulla Sharks, South Sydney Rabbitohs
$19 Melbourne Storm
$26 Wests Tigers
$34 North Queensland Cowboys, Canberra Raiders, Manly Sea Eagles
$51 Redcliffe Dolphins
$67 Parramatta Eels
$81 Newcastle Knights
$101 Gold Coast Titans
$501 St George Illawarra Dragons
Storm v Rabbitohs betting tips
This is it for the Storm … drop this game and they are a long way from finals contention and they also face a tough away game next weekend against the unpredictable Dolphins. We expect them to respond in emphatic fashion here, and also to lift for the big Anzac Day game build-up.
But they would not want to be slightly off their game against the Rabbitohs, who have the attacking weapons to make you pay from anywhere on the park and have been good so far this NRL season after lasy season was spoiled by injuries.
This should be a brutal affair and we expected it be played with finals-like intensity, with the Storm, who have won their past nine Anzac Day games, just getting over the line.
Melbourne Storm by 2 points.
- Storm to win/ match total under 50.5 double at around $3.10 with Australian betting sites.
- Alex Johnston (Souths) to score two tries or more at $3.35. The South legend is playing his 250th NRL game.
NRL round 8, 2026
- Thursday, April 23: Wests Tigers 33 d Raiders 14, Leichhardt Oval, Sydney | 7.50pm
- Friday, April 24: Cowboys v Sharks, Queensland Country Bank Stadium, Townsville | 6pm
Broncos v Bulldogs, Suncorp Stadium, Brisbane | 8pm - Saturday, April 25: Dragons v Roosters, Allianz Stadium, Sydney, Auckland | 4pm
Warriors v Dolphins, Hnry Stadium, Wellington | 6.05pm
Storm v Rabbitohs, AAMI Park, Melbourne | 8.10pm - Sunday, April 26: Knights v Panthers, McDonald Jones Stadium, Newcastle | 2pm
Sea Eagles v Eels, 4 Pines Park, Sydney | 4.05pm
* Titans have the bye
