NRL Thursday: Rabbitohs v Storm betting tips, prediction & odds, round 9, 2021

South Sydney v Melbourne Storm match preview, prediction and odds update for their NRL clash at Stadium Australia, Sydney, on Thursday night, May 6.

This is a genuine blockbuster to start round nine, with the Rabbitohs and Storm considered two of the main contenders to lift the NRL trophy at the end of the season.

They are sitting third and fifth on the NRL table respectively and are two of the three highest-scoring teams this season, along with the Sydney Roosters. Little separates them statistically in defence either, with the Rabbits having conceded 124 points to the Storm’s 108 after eight rounds.

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For this match though, the bookies have jumped on the Storm as hot favourites at $1.37, even though Souths have not lost a match since falling to the Melbourne side in round one.

There are two main reasons for this: the Rabbitohs’ hefty injury toll after their fighting win over the Raiders last round, and also the fact Souths have an appalling record against the Storm, having won just three of the past 27 meetings between the sides.

Souths have lost their past five matches against the Storm, including their 26-18 loss in Melbourne in the first round of this season. In their two meetings in 2020, the Storm won 22-8 in round 4 and 22-16 in round 17.

While Souths are sitting pretty in third spot on the table, Storm are right on their tail and in fact will pass them with a win on Thursday night.

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Rabbitohs v Storm team news for round 9

Souths are in crisis, with star fullback Latrell Mitchell still suspended for this week and next, and now outstanding back-rower Cameron Murray (ankle), centre Campbell Graham (hand) and winger Jaxson Paulo (wrist) added to the injury list, with all expected to miss a month or more.

Halfback Adam Reynolds (thumb) has avoided surgery but will also miss this match and some believe they can’t win this match without him pulling the strings

Souths recruited veteran winger Josh Mansour in the off-season but he is not available to step in because of a hamstring issue.

Souths veteran Benji Marshall will take up the mantle of main playmaker, with the electric Cody Walker continuing to fill in at fullback. Rookie Dean Hawkins comes off the reserves list to play in the No.6 jersey alongside Marshall.

Steven Marsters comes into the starting side on the wing with try-scoring whiz Alex Johnson originally named to take over the No.1 jersey but reverting back to the wing. Braidon Burns, on the comeback trail from a serious knee injury, takes over from Graham in the centres, while the Souths pack still has a solid look about it.

Melbourne are still likely to be without their ace fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen (shoulder) for this match, but giant prop Nelson Asofa-Solomona and back-line flyer George Jennings are available after head knocks and come into the 17 at the expense of Chris Lewis and Tom Eisenhuth (groin), who was a late withdrawal.

Read on for our Souths v Storm tips and winner prediction for their NRL clash on Thursday, May 6.

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Rabbitohs v Storm

Kick-off: 7.50pm local time
Venue: Stadium Australia, Sydney
Head to head odds: South Sydney $3.30, Melbourne $1.34
Line betting: South Sydney (+7.5 points) $1.90, Melbourne (-7.5 points) $1.90
Match total: 38 points: over $1.90, under $1.90

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Rabbitohs v Storm free betting tips

Below our NRL betting expert has highlighted free Souths-Storm tips for Thursday night’s game.

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South Sydney Rabbitohs v Melbourne Storm prediction 6-5-2021

It’s a great disappointment for the neutral fans that the powerful Souths team has been decimated for this clash. On the other hand it is an opportunity for the Rabbitohs to score a win against the odds against a team which has pretty much made them their bunnies (sorry) over the past decade and more. The Storm really feel the absence of Ryan Papenhuyzen, too, but not as much as the Rabbitohs will feel the absence of Reynolds. Souths will try to turn this into an arm-wrestle but the Storm have been the masters of that for so many years anyway. It’s hard to see anything but a handy win for the defending premiers. Our Rabbitohs v Storm prediction: Storm by 10 points.

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