Match Analysis: South Sydney Rabbitohs vs St George Illawarra Dragons – Prediction
Match Details
- Date: 2025-08-21
- Time: 9:50 AM UTC
- Location: Accor Stadium, Sydney, Australia
Game Overview
The Round 25 NRL match between South Sydney Rabbitohs and St George Illawarra Dragons is scheduled for August 21, 2025, at Accor Stadium. This clash features two competitive teams with a closely contested history in the 2025 season. South Sydney enters with recent momentum, narrowly defeating St George Illawarra earlier in the year in a Round 2 match with a final score of 25-24. Both teams are battling for a strong position late in the season under experienced coaches Wayne Bennett (Rabbitohs) and Shane Flanagan (Dragons). The game is expected to be tight given their form and past encounters.
Key Factors to Consider
- South Sydney Rabbitohs have displayed consistent form in 2025, recently winning against Parramatta in Round 24 and showing resilience in close encounters including a 1-point victory over the Dragons in Round 2. St George Illawarra Dragons are competitive but have had mixed results, evidenced by their Round 24 performance against the Warriors and close losses to South Sydney. Home advantage favors South Sydney at Accor Stadium.
- In their 2025 Round 2 encounter, South Sydney narrowly defeated St George Illawarra Dragons 25-24, indicating a very close matchup historically this season. Their encounters tend to be low-scoring and tightly contested.
- No explicit recent injury reports are indicated for either team that would markedly affect starting lineups. Past season injury notes indicated some player changes but no confirmed significant injury impact for this match currently.
- The game is played in Sydney at Accor Stadium, providing home ground advantage for South Sydney. Weather and other conditions are unknown but assumed typical for Sydney in August (winter) which usually means dry, cool playing conditions favoring structured, tactical gameplay.
- With the season nearing its conclusion, both teams are motivated to secure crucial points for finals qualification or positioning. South Sydneyβs recent wins and slightly better form boost their confidence, while St George Illawarra will seek redemption from their narrow earlier loss and to maintain playoff hopes.
Odds and Predictions
| Category | Odds | Prediction | Confidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moneyline | South Sydney Rabbitohs: 104, St George Illawarra Dragons: -120, Draw: 2000 | St George Illawarra Dragons (due to slightly better bookmaker odds) | β β β ββ 55% |
| Spread | South Sydney Rabbitohs: 1.5 -115, St George Illawarra Dragons: -1.5 -115 | St George Illawarra Dragons to cover -1.5 spread | β β β ββ 53% |
| Over/under | Over: 44.5 -110, Under: 44.5 -120 | Under 44.5 points | β β β ββ 60% |
Top EV Betting Odds
Discover the best value bets based on our EV analysis.
| Market | EV Pick |
|---|---|
| Moneyline | St George Illawarra Dragons -7% |
| Spread | N/A |
| Over/Under | Under 44.5 6% |
π₯ Best Value Pick: Under 44.5 at 6% EV | Suggested Bet Size: 7.6% (Kelly Criterion)
Predicted Outcome
South Sydney Rabbitohs are favored to win narrowly due to home advantage, recent form, and a psychological edge from their close Round 2 win. Expect a closely fought game decided by a small margin.
Predicted Score: South Sydney Rabbitohs 22 – 24 St George Illawarra Dragons