Both sides will be looking to bounce back from disappointing losses last week but the Raiders will fancy their chances against a Rabbitohs side without Origin stars Latrell Mitchell, Cameron Murray and Jai Arrow.
Knocked off the top of the ladder after the Eels snapped their six-game winning streak, South Sydney will be hoping to get their season back on track when they host the eighth-placed Raiders at Accor Stadium.
Jason Demetriou's men are flying high with an 8-4 record this season but this may be their toughest test yet with Mitchell, Murray and Arrow called into Origin camps and centre Campbell Graham resting a sternum injury.
Meanwhile, Canberra are also coming off a loss but coach Ricky Stuart will only be without Blues call-up Hudson Young after veteran representative stars Josh Papali'i and Jack Wighton officially announced their Origin retirement this year.
Emotions are always running high with Stuart on the sideline, but the Round 13 clash is one full of spice with Wighton set to face South Sydney for the first time after signing a four-year deal with the club last month.
Hanging by a thread in the top eight, if the Raiders are to upset the red-hot Rabbitohs they will need to get their discipline in check and cut out the simple errors that cost them any chance of victory against the Sea Eagles last Sunday.
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Team News
Rabbitohs: A late switch sees Keaon Koloamatangi join the run-on side in the second row, in what is his first game back from a leg injury, meaning Michael Chee-Kam moves back to the bench. Jed Cartwright replaces Campbell Graham (sternum) at centre. Liam Knight starts at lock for Cameron Murray and Blake Taafe at fullback for Latrell Mitchell. The new faces on the bench are Shaquai Mitchell and Tallis Duncan.
Raiders: Canberra will take the field as named, with Zac Woolford returning from a head knock at hooker and Nick Cotric coming off the bench in his comeback from a hamstring injury. The Raiders are without Hudson Young (Origin) and Elliott Whitehead (suspension), so Corey Harawira-Naera comes into the second row, Joe Tapine moves to lock and Pasami Saulo will play prop.
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Stat Attack
- Raiders centre Jarrod Croker will play his 299th game.
- Raiders winger Jordan Rapana requires one try for a century of NRL tries.
- The Raiders have won three of their last five games against the Rabbitohs.
- The Rabbitohs have won four of their past five games at Accor Stadium.
- The Raiders play at Accor Stadium for the first time since the 2019 grand final.
- Rabbitohs winger Alex Johnston has scored seven tries in 10 games against the Raiders.
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Stats supplied by David Middleton, League Information Services, author of the