The Sharks will be out to avenge last year's semi-final loss and lay down a marker for the season ahead when they welcome the Rabbitohs to the Shire on Saturday night.
After finishing the regular season in second place the Sharks went out in straight sets to the Cowboys and Rabbitohs last September but the positives far outweighed the negatives in Craig Fitzgibbon's first year at the helm.
From Nicho Hynes' dazzling Dally M deeds at halfback to the tryscoring deeds of Sione Katoa and Ronaldo Mulitalo to Matt Moylan's resurgence in the No.6, the Sharks were a force all season and there's every reason to think they can be again.
Stability is a huge strength at the Sharks with minimal changes from 2022 and the addition of former Eel Oregon Kaufusi who looks set to grab a bench spot.
It's a similar story at Souths where big guns Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker and Cameron Murray are locked and loaded for another tilt at a premiership and they have their best side available for the season opener.
The Rabbitohs have lost their season opener for the past two years so they'll be looking to rectify that with a fast start against a fellow contender.
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Team News
Sharks: The Sharks are 1-17 with no late changes. Mawene Hiroti is 18th man. Halfback Nicho Hynes is out with a calf injury, his place taken by Braydon Trindall. Former Eel Oregon Kaufusi makes his club debut off the bench after four seasons and 72 games at Parramatta. Prop Royce Hunt is out with an elbow injury so Braden Hamlin-Uele will start and Jack Williams joins the bench. Thomas Hazelton was the last man cut an hour before kick-off after Jayden Berrell, Niwhai Purr and Connor Tracey made way on Friday.
Rabbitohs: The Rabbitohs have shuffled their starting side, with Davvy Moale starting for Thomas Burgess and Michael Cam Chee in for Jai Arrow who will start on the bench. Hame Sele is out with a calf injury suffered during the Pre-Season Challenge. Livewire utility Blake Taaffe is in line for the No.14 jersey and Shaquai Mitchell's powerful Charity Shield performance has won him a spot in the bench for the fourth NRL appearance of his career. Jacob Host drops out.
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Stat Attack
- The Sharks have won only one of their past nine Round 1 games (32-18 v Dragons in 2021).
- Sharks winger Ronaldo Mulitalo has scored 14 tries in 14 games at PointsBet Stadium.
- Rabbitohs five-eighth Cody Walker has scored four tries in his past five games against the Sharks.
- Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston needs 15 tries to pass Steve Menzies to move into third on the all-time list behind only Ken Irvine (212) and Billy Slater (190).
- The Sharks won nine from 11 at PointsBet Stadium in 2022.