The traditional Good Friday clash will open NRL action this Friday with the Bulldogs hosting the Rabbitohs. Expected to be one of the highest attended regular season games, the atmosphere at this game promises to be electric. The on-field action from both sides this team has delivered and this game promises to be yet another exciting instalment of the 2025 season. Don’t forget to head to our NRL tips page for more previews, analysis and betting tips for every NRL match of every round!
Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs South Sydney Rabbitohs
Location: Accor Stadium
Date: 18th April
Time: 4:05pm AEST
Odds: Bulldogs $1.30 vs Rabbitohs $3.60
Line: Bulldogs -10.5
Points: 44.5
Odds and lines provided with thanks to Ladbrokes. Note that odds and lines can fluctuate throughout the week, and are correct at the time of writing.
Match Preview
The Bulldogs enjoyed a week off last week to reflect upon their undefeated start to the season. It was a well-earned break following their 20-nil dismantling of the Knights at home. In a typical dour Bulldogs contest, they grinded their opponents down; with 57% possession, they completed at 78%, made 600 metres more than their opponents and did so with just 2 line breaks and missing 34 tackles. The most impressive statistic was the fact that the Bulldogs allowed just 6.7m per carry to their opponents.
The Rabbitohs ventured over to Perth last week to play the Cowboys and were their own worst enemy in their 24-16 loss. They made 13 errors, missed 28 tackles and conceded significantly more metres. They are a better team than those statistics suggests but such execution will always hurt their cause.
It would be unfamiliar for the Bulldogs to be so short in betting markets, but they have earned this right. Overlooking the fact that the Rabbitohs have won the past 6 Good Friday fixtures between these two teams, the Bulldogs level of execution this season is to be admired; they have been terrific defensively, allowing just 11ppg (vs Rabbitohs 20ppg), while also scoring a lot more than they have in recent seasons (24ppg vs 19ppg). The mistakes displayed by the Rabbitohs indicates that there is still improvement to come. The fact that Mitchell remains in the halves will limit their effectiveness. This increases the pressure on Walker at halfback, not allowing him to play his natural running game as much as he would like. The Bulldogs have no such issues, with Burton return at 5/8 to add stability to their team. Kikau is also an outside chance of playing given he was named in an extended squad.
The Bulldogs have proven that they can grind out tough victories and while they will again have to work hard for this result, they look set to defeat their opponents. It will be a closer result than the odds are suggesting; this brings the line into calculation and makes it the preferred selection for this contest.
Rabbitohs +10.5
$1.90 (1.5 Units)
Same Game Multi
Throughout the 2025 NRL season we’ll be putting together a fun same game multi for every match at BoomBet using their BetShare feature.
To follow our multi, just click on the BoomBet BetShare button below and our same game multi selections will be added straight into your bet slip on BoomBet. You can then enter how much you wish to wager, and with a single click, your bet has been placed!
Leg 1: Under 44.5 points – recent his suggests this is a selection to be concerned about. The average total points in their past 5 matches is 57.2 points. The difference this season is that both sides have improved defensive structures, which should make for a low scoring contest.
Leg 2: Gray to score – he leads the Rabbitohs this season with 4 tries and has proven to be a great support player, as well as dangerous when given an opportunity close to the line.
Leg 3: Bulldogs 1-12 – for all the reasons mentioned above. This adds plenty of value to your SGM also.
SGM Odds: $15 at BoomBet
