Rabbitohs vs Raiders Prediction: There’s no backing Canberra in Perth showpiece

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Rabbitohs vs Raiders Odds

Current form means that Souths are big favourites to take home the points. They’re 1/2 for the win at an implied 66.7% probability.

Ricky Stuart’s reeling Raiders are 9/5 to finally get on track, and it’s worth mentioning that they haven’t done that within 80 minutes in their last eight attempts since Round 26 of 2025.

The draw is a 16/1 shot, while the Raiders are handed a start of 5.5 points on the two-way handicap betting. Against that context, the Rabbitohs are 5/6 and Canberra 10/11.

Team News

The legendary Wayne Bennett welcomes back Brandon Smith for the first time this season following a calf problem.

Bronson Garlick makes way for Smith, but he remains in the initial 19 as a substitute.

Rugby League Odds

Xavier Savage is missing from the Raiders’ squad after picking up an ankle injury, so Jed Stuart is among the starting XIII and will make his first NRL appearance of 2026.

Elsewhere, ‘Sticky’ Ricky makes minimal changes despite the tough start to the campaign, with just the extended bench being tinkered with.

Handicap 3-way Alt 2: Rabbitohs -10 @ 6/4

Part of me believes Canberra could get back on track here, but deep down I think that’s just because we’ve recently seen the Sea Eagles rack up 50 for a first win of the season and the Bulldogs upset the previously-perfect Panthers.

In reality, the Raiders have been way off it before now. And so, I have to be of the mind that the high-flying Rabbitohs are going to be in business in the first leg of the Perth double-header.

Souths have looked great for most of the early rounds, and I can’t back against a side with an in-form three-quarter line boasting Alex Johnston, Latrell Mitchell, Jack Wighton and Campbell Graham.

It’s a healthy 6/4 for them to overcome a 10-point handicap, and that is more than doable against a Raiders side whose defence has been pretty shoddy to this point.