Otago will be on the back foot for the match, as it has yet to play a competitive match this season.
However, Otago coach Grant Leoni was still talking up its chances, saying he had the core of a good team.
Three of the four Otago players who were in the New Zealand Universities side which played at the Universities World Cup earlier this year in Australia are included in the home side.
Rema Smith and Tasi Cordtz will team up in the halves for Otago, while Laupepa Pasene, who can play in the front row, will start in the centres.
Stand-off Roy Leoni, the other Otago member of the Universities side, is unable to play because of an ankle injury.
Grant Leoni said the team was picked from the last day of the nines tournament, and it had come together well at trainings.
His plan was for a physical game, and he had some solid forwards to set a good platform for the halves.
The side had played a trial match against the Otago under-18 side, and shown some promise.
There was no Dunedin rugby league competition this season because of team withdrawals. Southland has the benefit of having played a game; the side lost 40-20 to West Coast earlier this month in Arrowtown.
Southland coach Andrew Osborn said the side had lost a couple of its playmakers, but he was expecting a solid performance from his side. Southland has had a five-team competition running all season, and Osborn said the side had plenty of spirit.
Rugby league started in Otago with a match between Otago and Southland at the Caledonian Ground on October 4, 1908. Otago won that encounter 11-8, and will be hoping for a another win this afternoon.
A match between the Otago and Southland under-18 sides will start at 11.30am, followed by two touch games, with the main match kicking off at 2.30pm.
Otago: Ihaka Waerea, Opini Toomalatai, Israeli Guise, Laupepa Pasene, Stephen Sasagi, Rema Smith, Tasi Cordtz, Daniel Barbarich, Sione Taunga, Rawiri Kahukiwa, Kitione Pasene, Shaun Nuku, David Miller.
Reserves: Jake Tautari, James White, Jason Te Huia, Shaun Tahau, Shanon Tialata, Wiremu Ruru.
Southland: Benjamin Clingin, Villi Maea, Rocky Pettigrew, Kelvin Russell, Anthony Gorman, Shannon Gage, Nathan Anderson, Richard Barwick (captain), Omeka Raimona, Soe Fa'toia, Michael Gellatly, Ra Epiha, Brenton Howden.
Reserves: James Ratama, Tama Stone, Kurt McClutchie, Mike Lemalie, Tawhare Wharepapa.
