Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles NRL Rd 4 preview & best bets – 25/3/2023

Saturday night NRL action up at Accor Stadium with the South Sydney Rabbitohs hosting the high-flying Manly Sea Eagles.

Soaring on the back of excellent performances from Tom Trbojevic, Reuben Garrick, Daly Cherry-Evans and Haumole Olakau’atu, the Sea Eagles sit third on the ladder having beaten the Bulldogs and Eels to start the season. The Rabbitohs, on the other hand, are back in the pack following narrow losses to the Panthers and Roosters.

The last time these two sides met was a high-scoring affair where the Manly Sea Eagles gave a solid account of themselves. Set back by the loss of Karl Lawton to a sickening tackle on Souths captain Cam Murray, the Manly side spent almost the entire match with 12 on the field.

These two clubs have faced off 42 times, with an even split down the middle for wins and losses. The last two clashes were landslide victories to Souths where poor discipline was a factor in Manly’s performances. The Sea Eagles appear to be a different side in 2023, boasting a much stronger forward pack to go with the brilliance of Trbojevic and Josh Schuster. Manly should be able to come away with a narrow win on this occasion, with the 1-12 margin paying $3.50 at BetOnline.

Manly’s strength is on their left edge, much the same as Souths. Schuster, Trbojevic and Garrick have all featured early in the season, with brilliant decoy running from Brad Parker and Kelma Tuilagi creating multiple scoring opportunities. Look for the Sea Eagles to swing the ball left often in this match to give both Trbojevic ($2.20) and Garrick ($2.50) try-scoring chances.

The Rabbitohs left-edge attack should not be ignored in this match, nor should the increased attacking ability of their right edge with Lachlan Ilias and Keaon Koloamatangi. Recent history shows matches between these two clubs are high-scoring affairs, so it is easy to see this one going over 43.5 total points ($1.90).

Key matchup: Latrell Mitchell v Tom Trbojevic

Not only are these guys two of the best fullbacks in the NRL, they are also expected to be stars of the NSW State of Origin setup for 2023. Both play their roles in club land very differently, which will make for fascinating viewing. Latrell Mitchell can have enormous impact on any match through his efficient use of the football, such as he did against the Roosters in the 2022 NRL finals. ‘Tommy Turbo’, on the other hand, is often involved in every attacking play the Sea Eagles execute, but can also conjure something from nothing. Sit back and enjoy two stars of the game playing their own way, attempting to lead their sides to victory.

Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles NRL Rd 4 match prediction

Rabbitohs v Sea Eagles NRL Rd 4 same game multi

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