KEY POINTS:
The Warriors scored 66 points to zip when they played Souths away last year but if they go to Telstra Stadium expecting anything similar tomorrow they will be in for a rude awakening.
This contest promises to be much closer than last year and the 10 games before
that, all won by the Warriors, who have a 16-13 win record against Souths.
Under new coach Jason Taylor, the Rabbitohs do not leak points as they did in previous years. Now they are conceding an average 15 per game, compared with 32. The Warriors have let in an average of 18.
The Souths players are starting to gel and express themselves on attack as a result of the confidence they have gained through their defence. And they also have plenty of attack.
Behind the Kiwis-stacked pack, halfback Joe Williams has been shining both with his running off scrums and rucks and his kicking game, producing regular 40/20 ground-gainers.
And wider out, aside from the strength and finishing power of Nigel Vagana, they have David Peachey working breaks in the middle of the field, and plenty of speed from Shannon Hegarty and Nathan Merritt.
So while some of these players were there last year and in earlier seasons when Souths were everyone's kicking boys, they are now able to realise their potential because the team have go-forward. And because they're winning (four from six so far), they have spirit and confidence.
The Rabbitohs will mark two player milestones at Telstra Stadium: fullback Peachey's 250th game in the NRL and captain Peter Cusack's 150th.
The one area where the Warriors will have an advantage is the fatigue factor. Souths played a tough game in Townsville on Monday night to beat the Cowboys 10-6. They arrived back in Sydney mid-afternoon Tuesday and had Anzac Day off. So their preparation has been short. The Warriors had the bye and apart from their Kiwis Sam Rapira, Manu Vatuvei and Simon Mannering, the rest have not played since they beat North Queensland on April 15.
If Steve Price and Ruben Wiki maintain their workload, the Warriors should still win the battle up front. But likewise, if they let Roy Asotasi run they will pay.
The Warriors train this morning then fly to Sydney. They had no injury concerns.
Jerome Ropati is likely to be the man selected to stay on as the Warriors' 18th man after the Auckland Lions play North Sydney today.
The Bears are billing the game as "the return of international league to North Sydney Oval". There is a grain of truth in that, given the presence of Kiwi Ropati, who makes his return from injury, and of 2003 Kiwi Joe Galuvao, struggling for NRL form.
Telstra Stadium, 4pm tomorrow
South Sydney: David Peachey, Nathan Merritt, Nigel Vagana, Shannon Hegarty, Reece Simmond, Jeremy Smith, Joe Williams, Peter Cusack (c), Daniel Irvine, Roy Asotasi, Luke Stuart, David Fa'alogo, Dean Widders
Interchange: Shane Rigon, John Sutton, Manase Manuokafoa, Jaiman Lowe.
NZ Warriors: Wade McKinnon, Todd Byrne, Tony Martin, Simon Mannering, Manu Vatuvei, Michael Witt, Grant Rovelli, Sam Rapira, Nathan Fien, Steve Price (c), Ruben Wiki, Logan Swann, Micheal Luck
Interchange: George Gatis, Evarn Tuimavave, Epalahame Lauaki, Corey Lawrie.
