NRL Round 17: Bunnies The Hot Tip

As kickoff for NRL Round 17 nears tonight, one particular game on Saturday has some juicy odds that might be worth taking.

The Melbourne Storm travel to Gosford to take on South Sydney at BlueTongue Stadium and it's probably the only time the Storm have looked beatable all year. The South Sydney side are paying $2.50 for the win and in front of a supportive crowd on the central coast - we certainly like their chances.

For the Melbourne Storm, Billy Slater comes back in at fullback after a 5 week layoff. Slater will need some time to find his touch and may be a little underdone fitness wise. No Greg Inglis means that 2 game junior Will Chambers comes in on the wing. Matt Geyer remains at pivot, with James Aubusson remaining at halfback for the injured Cooper Cronk. Dallas Johnson is listed to play, but late mail suggests he will be a last minute withdrawal. Coupled with some tiring legs from Matt King and Cameron Smith - the Storm will be in for a tough time.

For South Sydney, they boast a near full strength side. Apart from their major sidelined couple of David Kidwell and John Sutton, Souths welcome Nathan Merritt back on to the wing and have a team unaffected by Origin demands. The confidence from last weeks win and the positive media focus for South Sydney - all points to a good vibe for the Redfern club.

The final factor is the weather. At this stage showers are predicted for Gosford on Sunday, this again plays into the hands of South Sydney. The flashy and expansive Melbourne side would much prefer a dry, firm pitch and have never been one for an 'arm wrestle.'

Final statistics;
All time games played: 11 Games, Rabbits won 2, Storm won 9
Game experience in each team: Rabbits 1701, Storm 1097
Points scored by listed players this year: Souths 154, Storm 292
Last Meeting: Storm 26 def Souths 10 at Olympic Park, Melbourne

NRL News Tipsters:
Adam Sutcliffe: South Sydney Rabbitohs
John Chelsea: South Sydney Rabbitohs
Peter Roy: Melbourne Storm
The Grubber: South Sydney Rabbitohs