Andrew Johns was visibly stunned to find out that the Rabbitohs were the bookmakers’ favourites to win the NRL season-opener, with the Immortal claiming Manly were specials to pocket the two points after a positive off-season.
Previewing the first of the two Las Vegas clashes to be played this Sunday afternoon (AEDT), both Johns and Brad Fittler expected a strong showing from the Sea Eagles, adding that the Rabbitohs would not be at their best due to a backline that’s been ravaged by injuries and suspensions.
Representative centres Campbell Graham (sternum injury) and Jack Wighton (suspension) are both unavailable to start the season, while 19-year-old gun winger Tyrone Munro is still yet to return from an ankle injury that stopped his pre-season in its tracks in January.
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That leaves them very thin out wide, with flyer Alex Johnston and superstar fullback Latrell Mitchell the only members of South Sydney’s regular back five named to start in Vegas.
Back ups Isaiah Tass and Richie Kennar have been named in the centres, while 28-year-old NRL debutant, Jacob Gagai, gets his start on the wing.
That spells trouble for the Rabbitohs, according to Johns and Fittler, who are both expecting star Manly recruit Luke Brooks to add firepower to an already dangerous Sea Eagles backline.
“Souths are favourites in this one?” Johns said, wearing a stunned look, in the match preview segment of Wide World of Sports’ Freddy and the Eighth.
“They’ve lost all their centres. No Graham, no Munroe, no Wighton,” replied Fittler.
“Jacob Gagai on debut at 28, so well done. They’re inexperienced out wide and all the talk around Manly is that they had a really great off-season,” added Johns.
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Brooks has dominated the headlines for the Sea Eagles since arriving for pre-season training in November, with most experts tipping him to have a big season in combination with Queensland halfback Daly Cherry-Evans and with the fit again Tom Trbojevic lurking out the back.
Fittler likes the look of Manly’s new halves combination, with the left-footed kicking of Brooks an added bonus.
”It will be good to see Luke Brooks with that combination. It fits well, because the fact he’s a left footer obviously, he’ll sit on that side and Cherry-Evans will dominate and then he’ll just complement I’d say, just come in when he has to,” Fittler predicted.
Scroll below for Nine’s expert tipsters predictions for the Las Vegas leg of round one!
Andrew Johns: Sea Eagles, Broncos
Brad Fittler: Sea Eagles, Broncos
Darren Lockyer: Sea Eagles, Broncos
Allana Ferguson: Rabbitohs, Roosters
Mat Thompson: Sea Eagles, Broncos
Peter Psaltis: Rabbitohs, Broncos
The Mole: Rabbitohs, Broncos
Ben Glover: Sea Eagles, Broncos