Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs vs Parramatta Eels @ANZ Stadium, Thursday 7:50pm

Stat Fact: Will Hopoate has scored zero tries this season while Chase Stanley has only one.

Big Talking Point: Heading into this encounter there has been much speculation that both Kieran Foran and Aaron Woods may not be in Belmore in 2018 due to Canterbury’s supposed salary cap situation. Foran is supposed to have been replacing the departing Josh Reynolds in the halves while Aaron Woods if he does come would add some size and talent to Canterbury’s front-row. Canterbury haven’t dealt very well with this type of news so far this season and this may very well be the straw that sends them over the edge.

What Will Happen: Last week many questioned Parramatta’s ability to be able to play good football without their star Clinton Gutherson. Their 28-14 win over Brisbane quickly shut those same people up. They’ll continue to prove to people that they’re still a quality team without Gutherson and they’ll make this game their sixth win in a row.

What Won’t Happen: They somehow outscore Parramatta. While many have been impressed with Canterbury’s defensive resilience this year their attacking has come under a lot of scrutiny as they have one of the worst in the competition.

Our Tip: Parramatta by 18.

 

St George Illawarra Dragons vs South Sydney Rabbitohs @Sydney Cricket Ground, Friday 6:00pm

Stat Fact: This season Gareth Widdop and Josh Mcrone have combined for an impressive 36 combined tries and try assists.

Big Talking Point: Paul McGregor’s post-match blow up against the referees has been talked about a lot coming into this game. It came after his side lost 21-14 to Newcastle in a match that was littered with some very controversial decisions that went against his side. As a result of McGregor voicing his views he now faces a $10,000 fine from the NRL. This again bought up the question of, should the referees have to front the media post-match as well?

What Will Happen: Another headache the Red V have had to deal with during the week is that they are one of two teams currently inside the Top Eight who will probably make way to a resurgent Penrith side for a spot in the finals. With their season quite literally on the line, they’ll put aside these two major distractions to get the victory.

What Won’t Happen: Any sort of consistency from Michael Maguire’s side. It is well known that the lack of consistency shown by South Sydney this season is one of the major reasons as to why they are so far down the ladder at the moment. This poor trend should continue into Friday evenings game.

Our Tip: St George by 12.

North Queensland Cowboys vs Melbourne Storm @1300SMILES Stadium, Friday 7:50pm

Stat Fact: Dating back to last season North Queensland have won nine of their past twelve games at home.

Big Talking Point: Earlier in the season Cooper Cronk announced that he would be leaving Melbourne at the end of the season. Then fairly recently he said that he still hadn’t decided as to what club he was going to go to. This has led to some immense speculation that he could in fact be staying at Melbourne beyond this season. Cronk is the ultimate professional and no matter what speculation is swirling around him he will always play well. But how the speculation as a whole affects his teammates in the run home is still to be seen.

What Will Happen: North Queensland recently have gained applause from around the Rugby League world for the way in which they’ve been able to win games without Johnathan Thurston. They have been gutsy and resilient. They will show those qualities again in what should be a close game on Friday night.

What Won’t Happen: What is expected to happen. Melbourne are well on their way to winning the Minor Premiership and Premiership. They are heavy favourites to win this game but that won’t stop North Queensland from taking another scalp.

Our Tip: North Queensland by six.

 

Newcastle Knights vs New Zealand Warriors @McDonald Jones Stadium, Saturday 3:00pm

Stat Fact: Despite only playing eleven games this season, Jamie Buhrer has made an astonishing 396 tackles.

Big Talking Point: Quite often NRL players are in the headlines for the wrong reasons but recently Newcastle halve Trent Hodkinson has been in them for all the right ones. Recently he took a terminally-ill girl to her formal in what would have been a night to remember for her. Then despite bouncing back and forth between Reserve Grade and the NRL recently he didn’t sulk or wine about it and stepped up big last round to kick the match sealing field goal that gave Newcastle a win for the ages (or at least in the context of their season).

What Will Happen: Shaun Kenny-Dowall has played pretty damn well since his recent debut for Newcastle. The former Sydney outcast has clearly found a new lease of life up in the Hunter and that form should continue on into Saturdays game.

What Won’t Happen: The pressure of Newcastle coach Nathan Brown going away. As always when your coaching a side that’s not winning their will always be speculation about their future. But as far as losing teams go his done pretty well considering the situation he and his team are in at the moment. Another win will go a long way to helping him.

Our Tip: Newcastle by one.

Gold Coast Titans vs Brisbane Broncos @Cbus Super Stadium, Saturday 5:30pm

Stat Fact: Brisbane have won 17 of the 22 games played between these two sides.

Big Talking Point: Benji Marhsall has been one of the best buys of the season considering his low price tag. But it has been revealed recently that theirs a high chance he leaves Brisbane in the off-season in pursuit of a bigger pay-cheque and a more featured role for a Sydney based team. How will this affect the team given he’s highly liked by his team-mates and that coach Wayne Bennet has also stated that he’d like to keep him?

What Will Happen: This is probably one of the most one-sided derbies in Rugby League history and as Brisbane have so often done, they’ll come away with an easy win. If this isn’t enough for them, many people after their loss last week have written them of as genuine Premiership contenders. They have a point to prove in this clash.

What Won’t Happen: Jarryd Hayne plays like the player he is supposedly supposed to be. Hayne is on a one million dollar a year contract but despite this most games for the Gold Coast he plays like his disinterested and only in it for the money. Given that he is one of the Gold Coast’s best players this will have to change if they are to be in with a shot of winning this game.

Our Tip: Brisbane by 10.

 

Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks vs Canberra Raiders @Southern Cross Group Stadium, Saturday 7:30pm

Stat Fact: This will be only Jack Bird’s second game for Cronulla since Origin III.

Big Talking Point: During the week Canberra and QLD forward Josh Papalii said his side needed to lift if they wanted to play finals footy. Everybody who already follows the NRL knows this and now that one of their star players has actually made the statement they need to actually go out and show that they are a side worthy of being in the Top Eight.

What Will Happen: It seems like forever now that Canberra’s season games have been classified as desperate. This game is no different and Canberra should resemble a side that’s desperate to win a game of footy. Look for them to throw it out wide to one of their speedsters and also to really run it hard up the middle with their intimidating forward pack.

What Won’t Happen: A dull game. It dates back to the hey days of Shaun Fensom vs Paul Gallen and this clash should be no different. Cronulla are fighting for a Top Four spot while Canberra for one in the finals. This should be an entertaining game to watch.

Our Tip: Canberra by four.

Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles vs Sydney Roosters @Lottoland, Sunday 2:00pm

Stat Fact: Dylan Walker will be playing in his 50th game on Sunday while Tom Trbojevic also celebrates his own games played milestone.

Big Talking Point: Manly have copped a lot this season and this week was no different with numerous reports suggesting that Manly head coach Trent Barrett could be switching allegiances to Canterbury from next year onwards. Barrett has helped to build up again the best club of the past decade and losing him would be an absolute blow to the Maroon & White. He has done a tremendous job in his role this season considering they have one million dollars out of the cap, yet are still in position to make the finals.

What Will Happen: The salary cap drama and the rumours on their head coach have clearly gotten to the playing squad these past couple of weeks conceding 92 points in their past two games and in the same span scoring only 28. Expect a massive bounce back from Manly with their season on the line.

What Won’t Happen: One of Sydney’s back five not scoring a try. Sydney are high up on the ladder this season and that is in no small part to their back five which have combined for 37 tries this year. In what will be a Sydney loss at least one of them should get up on the board.

Our Tip: Manly by two.

 

Penrith Panthers vs Wests Tigers @Pepper Stadium, Sunday 4:00pm

Stat Fact: Elijah Taylor has as many tries this season as James Tedesco and Chris Lawrence combined (4).

Big Talking Point: Many Wests fans have hated Aaron Woods this season for his controversial decision to leave the side at the end of the year and link up with Kieran Foran at Canterbury. But could the NSW forward be staying after all? According to various reports Canterbury have a poor salary cap situation at the moment and may no longer be able to afford to bring in their star recruits for next season.

What Will Happen: Who knows? Both teams seasons this year have been so unpredictable and Wests 26-4 win last week threw another spanner into the works as no one saw it coming. Both teams however can put up points on their day so I’d say to expect at least 50-60 points will be scored in a high-scoring, see-sawing affair.

What Won’t Happen: Wests win as big as they did last week. Last week the Gold Coast put up an absolutely horrific performance against Wests in the process of losing and all but ending their own season. Wests will win but in a tight one.

Our Tip: Wests by eight.