The South Sydney Rabbitohs will host the Brisbane Broncos at Accor Stadium on Thursday night in a round 15 clash that doubles as a tribute to recently retired Rabbitoh Jai Arrow. Kick-off is scheduled for 7:50pm AEST, with the club set to stage a special celebration of Arrow’s career before the match. He will ring the Legacy Bell in a symbolic moment for the Red and Green, while fans attending the stadium can collect limited-edition “Thank You Jai” posters and Jai Arrow head cut-outs at Gates J and K. General public gates open at 7:00pm, while corporate gates open at 6:30pm.
The Rabbitohs will also wear a one-off whiteout jersey in honour of Arrow. The special strip replaces the club’s traditional red and green stripes with white, while all sponsor logos will be whited out as well. The only colour featured prominently on the jersey will be the name “ARROW” across the shoulders in green, with black player numbers completing the look. The tribute has been designed to recognise Arrow’s contribution to the club and to highlight support for those affected by motor neurone disease.
South Sydney enter the match in eighth place on the ladder with six wins and six losses from 12 games. They are looking to bounce back after a three-game losing streak, having fallen to Manly-Warringah in round 14, North Queensland in round 12 and the Dolphins in round 11. Their last win came in round 10, when they defeated Cronulla 36-12 at Accor Stadium. The Rabbitohs will be hoping home-ground advantage and the emotion surrounding Arrow’s celebration night can help them end their slump.
The Broncos travel to Sydney in 12th position after a difficult run of form. Brisbane have won five and lost eight from 13 matches and are currently on a five-game losing streak. Their recent defeats have included losses to the Gold Coast Titans, St. George Illawarra Dragons and New Zealand Warriors. Like South Sydney, Brisbane badly need a win to steady their season and improve their standing on the ladder.
Rabbitohs captain Cody Walker will lead the side from five-eighth and remains within reach of a major personal milestone, sitting on 195 career try assists and just five short of 200. Ashton Ward has been named at halfback, with Jye Gray at fullback. Head coach Wayne Bennett has made several changes to the squad from last week’s loss to Manly, with Cameron Murray, Campbell Graham and Sean Keppie among those unavailable. Jai Arrow has been listed among the reserves in jersey 23 and could yet play a role in the tribute match.
Brisbane have also been forced into changes, with Reece Walsh, Payne Haas and Kotoni Staggs all absent. Hayze Perham is set to start at fullback, Antonio Verhoeven has been named in the centres, and Jordan Riki returns to the second row. Adam Reynolds will captain the Broncos from halfback, with Ben Hunt and Ezra Mam included on the interchange.
Both teams arrive under pressure and in need of a response, making this a crucial contest for each club’s season. For South Sydney, the night carries added emotional significance as the club celebrates Jai Arrow’s career in front of its home crowd.
