Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs Prediction: Bulldogs 23/10 to out-battle Bunnies in derby duel
The annual Good Friday battle between two of the NRL Premiership’s great rivals takes centre stage in Round 5 when the South Sydney Rabbitohs take on the Canterbury Bulldogs at Accor Stadium (16:05 local, 06:05 BST, Watch NRL).
Both sides are 2-1 so far and sit just two points behind the league-leading Penrith Panthers heading into the Easter weekend. Below you can read my Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs predictions, full team news and Betfred’s latest odds.
Rabbitohs vs Bulldogs Betting Tips
*odds correct at time of publishing
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All the signs point to this being one of the closest Good Friday fixtures in recent times. Even the bookies can’t split the pair.
Betfred are offering 20/21 about a win for both the Bunnies and the Bulldogs. And the draw is a comparatively narrow 14/1.
The only edge is in the two-way handicap market. There the Rabbitohs, who were on the receiving end in both encounters in 2025, are shouldering a half-point disadvantage.
They are 10/11 to overcome that, with the Dogs 5/6 with the narrowest of starts.
Team News
Souths’ legendary boss Wayne Bennett has brought Campbell Graham back into the fray after the winger’s recovery from a shoulder issue.
That’s the only alteration to the Bunnies line-up, with Moala Graham-Taufa relegated to the interchange bench.
Sam Hughes is back from suspension for the Dogs, and he comes straight into the starting line-up as Cameron Ciraldo responds to his side’s 24-16 defeat to the Knights.
Harry Hayes is among the subs after observing concussion protocols, but Josh Curran’s rib injury keeps him out. Lipoi Hopoi drops to the bench, with Bronson Xerri among the interchange options.
Bulldogs by 1-12 @ 23/10
Much as I like watching the Bulldogs, I don’t make a habit of backing them on these pages if I’m not 100% convinced by them.
Even last week when I expected them to get over the top of the Knights, I backed Newcastle with the handicap. And it proved a shrewd choice as Justin Holbrook’s side outplayed their hosts.
This week, I ought to be throwing my weight behind the Rabbitohs. But, in truth, they haven’t overly convinced me either.
Souths deserve credit for outscoring the Dolphins in a 40-30 barnburner first up, but since then they have lost to the rollercoaster Roosters and just about edged out a Tigers outfit who have started well but we still shouldn’t count among the big contenders just yet.
This ought to go down to the wire, but I think the Dogs can show the class when it’s needed to get the job done. They have the boot of Stephen Crichton in their favour, and their three-quarter line is loaded with excellent finishers.
They won’t win by many though, making the 1-12 bracket at 23/10 an appealing bet.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
Under 45.5 Total Points @ 20/21
Perhaps the most impressive thing about Souths’ opening win over the Dolphins was that the won a very un-Souths kind of game.
The 40-30 victory is the outlier of theirs and the Bulldogs’ season in that it was the only fixture so far between the two of them which has featured more than 44 points.
The Bunnies tend to excel in battles. Only two of their wins last term cleared 45.5 total points (and they had 46 and 49), while the Dogs have been notorious for their low-scoring encounters for a period of years.
This should be another hard-fought effort, and I just don’t see either side scoring big. So the Under is appealing for Total Points at 20/21, which implies a 51.2% probability.
Odds correct at time of publishing.
You can read all our latest Rugby League Betting Tips at our dedicated Betfred Insights Rugby League content hub.
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