This contest is the match of the round with these top-four teams on 38 competition points each and with 18 wins each doing battle.
Now it needs to be determined which one can offer the most resistance to the Storm marching to back-to-back premierships.
While some of the answers to that question will come on Friday night, the result also means one team emerges in clear second spot on the NRL ladder.
The Rabbitohs have won their past 10 games, and scored 30 points or more in eight of them. So their attack is certainly on song.
But the Panthers have the second best defensive record (behind the Storm), conceding 252 points. The Rabbitohs are back in fifth spot allowing 400 points to be scored against them.
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The rundown
Team news
Panthers: Tevita Pangai jnr will make his Panthers debut after being moved from the reserves to the interchange an hour before kick-off.
In a minor change also announced 60 minutes before the game, Viliame Kikau reverts to the bench with Kurt Capewell to start in the back row. Izack Tago will be the 18th man.
James Fisher-Harris, who was also listed on the bench after missing the last few weeks for personal reasons, will be given another week of training before making his return.
Fisher-Harris and Taylan May dropped off the reserves list 24 hours before kick-off.
The Panthers have won five of their past six games against the Rabbitohs.
Rabbitohs: In a minor change announced an hour before kick-off, Tevita Tatola moves into the starting side with Tom Burgess going back to the bench. Blake Taaffe will be the 18th man.
Dane Gagai (hamstring) and Alex Johnston (hamstring) will return while Campbell Graham (head knock) has overcome a nasty concussion.
Hame Sele is the new face on the interchange with Jaydn Su'A dropping out of the 17.
Su'A and Patrick Mago were omitted from the extended bench on Thursday night.
The Rabbitohs require two tries to break the club’s 2014 record of 118 tries scored in a season.
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Key match-up
Nathan Cleary v Adam Reynolds: The precocious Panther beat the veteran Bunny to the NSW Origin jersey and he showed why in the hefty 56-12 win in round 11 earlier this year. Cleary had two line-breaks, two try assists and scored the first of the Panthers nine tries.
Reynolds didn't have anywhere near that impact and even his eight kicks for 244 metres fell short of Cleary's 14 for 456. But Cleary is on the comeback trail from six weeks out with a shoulder injury, and Reynolds has upped the ante in recent weeks, making this a mouth-watering contest.
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Stat attack
The Rabbitohs have two players in the NRL top-five for line break assists - Cody Walker in the lead and Latrell Mitchell in fifth spot. The best-placed Panther is Jarome Luai in 10th.
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