South Sydney Rabbitohs and Wentworthville Magpies will look to continue their fairy tale season and march towards the Canterbury Cup NSW Grand Final when they battle it out in a Preliminary Final at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium on Saturday 21 September.
In a big weekend of action, the top two teams in the Canterbury Cup NSW after the regular season will face the bottom two teams from the top eight.
In the first Preliminary Final, the second-placed Rabbitohs will face the eighth-placed Magpies while Minor Premier St George Illawarra Dragons will face the seventh-placed Newtown Jets on Sunday. The Preliminary Finals will also be decided for the Jersey Flegg Cup, Ron Massey Cup and Sydney Shield.
The Rabbitohs, who are playing in their own colours in the competition for the first time since 2006, have not won NSWRL's premier event since 1983 but made a successful return in 2019.
Standing in their way are the Magpies, who last won the competition in 2008 and are hoping for a fairy tale finish of their own with former Parramatta Eels captain Tim Mannah to depart at the end of the season.
The match will also see Rabbitohs winger Mawene Hiroti, who played four NRL games this season, up against his brother Haimona Hiroti, who has been named on the bench for the Magpies.
Both teams boast other players who have played NRL this season with Corey Allan, Connor Tracey, Dean Britt, Billy Brittain, Kyle Turner, Jayden Su’A, Bayley Sironen, Jacob Gagan and Tom Amone in action for the Rabbitohs. The Magpies have Josh Hoffman, George Jennings, Ethan Parry, Jaeman Salmon, Matt McIlwrick, David Gower, Peni Terepo and Oregon Kaufusi.
The Dragons had a difficult season in the NRL but are still on track to win their first title since 2001. They will welcome back even more NRL players to their line-up with Tristan Sailor, Jonus Pearson, Reece Robson and Jackson Ford all back on deck after missing the Qualifying Final win over Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs. They join Jai Field, Darren Nicholls, Josh Kerr and Patrick Kaufusi who have also played NRL this season.
The Jets finished the season in seventh position but are building momentum nicely during the finals. They also boast NRL players through William Kennedy, Sione Katoa, Aaron Gray, Ronaldo Mulitalo, Blayke Brailey, Scott Sorensen, Jayson Bukuya and Billy Magoulias.
Preliminary Finals
Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Saturday 21 September
Sydney Shield – 10.50am – Cabramatta (1st) v East Campbelltown (3rd)
Jersey Flegg – 12.50pm – Penrith Panthers (3rd) v South Sydney Rabbitohs (5th)
Canterbury Cup NSW – 3.05pm (FOX) – South Sydney Rabbitohs (2nd) v Wentworthville Magpies (8th)
Ron Massey Cup – 5.15pm – Wentworthville Magpies (1st) v Mounties (3rd)
Jersey Flegg Cup – 7.15pm – Sydney Roosters (2nd) v Canberra Raiders (4th)
Sunday 22 September
Sydney Shield – 10.50am – St Marys (2nd) v Ryde Eastwood Hawks (4th)
Ron Massey Cup – 12.50pm – St Marys (2nd) v Hills District (8th)
Canterbury Cup NSW – 3.10pm (CH9) – St George Illawarra Dragons (1st) v Newtown Jets (7th)
NB: All teams are subject to change before kick-off. Click here for the most up to date information.
