Round 19 Team News: Pack confirmed for Rabbitohs clash

Bulldogs captain Josh Jackson will create a piece of history when he takes the field against South Sydney on Thursday night at ANZ Stadium (8pm), becoming only the 13th player to play 200 NRL matches for the club.

Dean Britt and Tui Katoa have been omitted from the game day squad an hour before kick-off. They join Nick Meaney and James Roumanos, who were both excluded from the line-up 24 hours before kick off for our match against South Sydney.

Seen by many as the heart and soul of the Bulldogs, Jackson joins Hazem El Masri (317), Steve Mortimer (273), Terry Lamb (262), Steven Folkes (245), Chris Anderson (231), Luke Patten (225), Steve Price (222), Aiden Tolman (221*), Andrew Ryan (218), Josh Morris (217), Eddie Burns (215) and Corey Hughes (213), who have all pulled on the blue and white jersey on 200 occasions.

During his time at the Bulldogs, Jackson has represented his state, his country, collected the Brad Fittler Medal, been named Dally M Second Rower of the Year on two occasions, won the Provan Summons Medal in 2019 and is now captain of the club that gave him his start at NRL level.

In other team news:

• Tim Lafai returns to the side in the centres
• Dallin Watene-Zelezniak moves to the wing in place of Nick Meaney who drops out of the squad
• Luke Thompson returns in the front row after missing last week's game with calf soreness
• Chris Smith starts for the first time this season in the number 13 jersey
• Sione Katoa comes on to the bench in place of Dean Britt who drops out of the seventeen
• Matt Doorey was unavailable after suffering a PCL knee injury last weekend, meaning that he will miss the final two matches of the season