Match Day Guide: Round 8 v Rabbitohs

Author: melbournestorm.com.au
Timestamp: Wed 23 Apr 2025, 12:07 PM

Melbourne Storm's biggest and most special home game of year, against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, returns on Friday as we honour the servicemen and women who protect and have protected our countries on ANZAC Day.

We strongly encourage everyone to be in their seats by 7:30pm, with the pre-match ceremony performance commencing from 7:40pm.

KEY INFO

Gates: 6pm

Warm-up: 7:18pm

AAMI Park black-out: 7:40pm

Storm & Rabbitohs enter field: 7:59pm

ANZAC Ceremony begins at 7:59pm

NRL kick-off: 8:10pm

Watch live on Channel 9, Fox League and Kayo.

Follow along with Storm's exclusive content and live coverage on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Threads and TikTok.

GETTING TO THE GAME

A large crowd is expected at AAMI Park this Friday night for the Melbourne Storm v South Sydney Rabbitohs match.

To ensure you don’t miss a moment of the match, we encourage you to arrive early.
Bring only what you need. Bag checks will be conducted upon entry in the stadium.
To enable a seamless arrival, we encourage you to leave your bag at home, if you can.
Know before you go – familiarise yourself with the venue’s conditions of entry, including the list of prohibited items.

POST-MATCH

Stay in your seat to watch the annual Spirit of ANZAC Medal presentation. The recipient will be selected by the winning side's coach, honouring the man of the match.

Stay in your seats post-match for your chance to grab a signed carsales fan footy from one of the players! The men in purple will roam AAMI Park for a period of time post-match to meet and greet our Storm members and fans.

TEAM NEWS

Craig Bellamy has confirmed his squad for Sunday's Round 8 clash with the Rabbitohs at AAMI Park.

Nick Meaney makes his Storm return following several weeks sidelined with a facial fracture. Meaney replaces Jack Howarth who has been ruled out for 4-6 weeks with a dislocated shoulder.

Check out the full team for Round 8:

Round 8 - Round 8 - Friday 25 Apr

Full Time

Storm

Rabbitohs

Team Lists

Backs

Fullback for Storm is number 1 Ryan Papenhuyzen

Fullback for Rabbitohs is number 1 Latrell Mitchell
Winger for Storm is number 5 Xavier Coates

Winger for Rabbitohs is number 2 Bayleigh Bentley-Hape
Centre for Storm is number 3 Grant Anderson

Centre for Rabbitohs is number 3 Jack Wighton
Centre for Storm is number 4 Nick Meaney

Centre for Rabbitohs is number 4 Campbell Graham
Winger for Storm is number 19 Sualauvi Faalogo

Winger for Rabbitohs is number 5 Isaiah Tass
Five-Eighth for Storm is number 6 Cameron Munster

Five-Eighth for Rabbitohs is number 14 Jye Gray
Halfback for Storm is number 7 Jahrome Hughes

Halfback for Rabbitohs is number 7 Jayden Sullivan

Forwards

Prop for Storm is number 8 Stefano Utoikamanu

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 8 Sean Keppie
Hooker for Storm is number 9 Bronson Garlick

Hooker for Rabbitohs is number 9 Peter Mamouzelos
Prop for Storm is number 10 Josh King

Prop for Rabbitohs is number 10 Tevita Tatola
2nd Row for Storm is number 11 Shawn Blore

2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 11 Keaon Koloamatangi
2nd Row for Storm is number 12 Eliesa Katoa

2nd Row for Rabbitohs is number 12 Euan Aitken
Lock for Storm is number 13 Trent Loiero

Lock for Rabbitohs is number 13 Jai Arrow

Interchange

Interchange for Storm is number 14 Tyran Wishart

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 15 Siliva Havili
Interchange for Storm is number 15 Alec MacDonald

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 16 Davvy Moale
Interchange for Storm is number 16 Joe Chan

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 17 Tallis Duncan
Interchange for Storm is number 17 Lazarus Vaalepu

Interchange for Rabbitohs is number 19 Lewis Dodd

Reserves

Replacement for Storm is number 2 Kane Bradley

Replacement for Rabbitohs is number 18 Liam Le Blanc

Match Officials

Referee: Peter Gough
Touch Judge: Matt Noyen
Senior Review Official: Adam Gee

Last updated: 4/27/2025 10:08:13 AM

THE INCLUSION PROJECT - SENSORY ROOM

Melbourne Storm has proudly partnered with The Inclusion Project to assist with making our match day experience more accessible for those living with hidden disabilities. Our partnership will see the introduction of a Sensory Room supported by and facilitated by a qualified Occupational Therapist who will be there to support should fans require it when visiting the space.

The Sensory Room can be found at every home game at AAMI Park, located on Level West 1 - Gate 6, Aisle 23.

GIVEAWAYS

Make your own personalised trading card with Suzuki. Available from inside Gate 7 from 6pm until the start of the second half.

VENUE INFO

MEMBERSHIP

The Storm membership team will be available for enquiries and item collection from the front forecourt room next to Edwin’s Café.

General Admission:

General admission membership card will not scan for this fully ticketed game. Please scan in your redeemed Ticketek ticket and find your seat.

Reserved Seat:

The Storm membership team will be available for enquiries and item collection from the front forecourt room next to Edwin’s Café, or the Storm Zone marquee on Gosch's Paddock.

As a Reserved Seat member, you can scan into AAMI Park with your digital or physical membership card and head to your reserved seat.

Club House

Melbourne Storm Members with reserved seats are able to scan their digital or physical membership cards to gain access to AAMI Park for this game. For General Admission Clubhouse members, please use your redeemed Ticketek ticket to enter the ground. As a Clubhouse member, you can enter through Gate 4.

Clubhouse Members Lounge will open at 6:00pm and close 1 hour after the final siren (bars close half an hour post-match).

Don't forget to buy your raffle tickets to go in the draw to WIN a prize on the day. Raffle is drawn at half time.

Social Club

As a member who holds Social Club access, you will be able to access our Clubhouse Members Lounge after the final siren sounds with the room closing 1-hour post-game.

MERCHANDISE

Merchandise can be located at Storm Store, forecourt pop-up stalls and Aisle 4 & 24.

GETTING TO AND FROM THE GAME

Journey:

Make game day easy, be prepared and plan ahead. For more information about getting to and from the game by train, visit ptv.vic.gov.au.

Public Transport:

AAMI Park is accessible by train, tram and bus. The stadium is walking distance from Richmond Station and Flinders Street Station.

Stop 7D is outside AAMI Park on the Tram 70 tram line from Flinders Street. If you are coming from the north Tram 45 (North Balwyn) and Tram 75 (Vermont South) will stop adjacent to the MCG.

Disruptions:

Train

Alamein Line

Buses replace trains between Camberwell and Alamein from 8.30pm Friday

Belgrave & Lilydale Lines

Buses replace trains between Parliament and Box Hill from 8.30pm Friday

Drive to The Footy

Parking at Melbourne Park is only available to guests who have pre-booked. Bookings close at midnight the night before the event. You will not be able to drive up without a booking.

If parking is sold out or unavailable, several private and public streetcar parks operate in close proximity to the precinct.

Yarra Park (MCG)
Securing Parking – 121 Exhibition Street
Secure Parking – 300 Flinders Street
Securing Parking – 12-20 Flinders Street
Secure Parking – Grand Hyatt Melbourne
Wilson Parking – 11 Exhibition Street
Wilson Parking – Collins Place
Wilson Parking – 32 Flinders Street
Wilson Parking – 172 Flinders Street
Wilson Parking – Federation Square
ACDC Garage – 114 Flinders Street
On-Street Parking via the Botanical Gardens along the Yarra River

Accessible Parking:

Accessible parking must be pre-booked via Ticketek’s Accessible Bookings Hotline:

Reach them by phone on (03) 9286 1208 or;
Submit a request to be contacted online here.

We recommend parking is booked in advance to avoid disappointment. 

Please note, there are a limited number of accessible parking bays located at John Cain Arena (on Olympic Boulevard).

Taxi & Rideshare

A taxi rank is available next to The Oval on Olympic Boulevard. The pick-up and drop off point for rideshare services, such as Uber, is out the front of John Cain Arena on Olympic Boulevard. 

We encourage guests not to order their rideshare service until they have reached the pick-up point to avoid causing congestion along Olympic Boulevard.