Melbourne’s ill-discipline cost them against Manly last week and if we know anything about Craig Bellamy, we’ll see a tightened response from the Storm here. They’re still without two key members of the spine but Harry Grant profiles nicely against a Roosters middle that was picked apart by Blayke Brailey last week.
Victor Radley is a big loss for Easts ruck defence and while Siua Wong has enjoyed a much improved season, he can be a spot for Grant behind a quick ruck.
We await the response from St George-Illawarra after Shane Flanagan hung last week’s result on the officials. They don’t have the attack to go with North Queensland in a shoot-out but their preferred left edge lines up against Jeremiah Nanai and a Cowboys right-edge unit that was embarrassed by Redcliffe last week.
St George won’t rip through the line like the Dolphins did but if they cash in a few times, they can beat North Queensland in the grind.
Mitch Moses is a big inclusion but Parramatta will feel the loss of Isaiah Iongi – one of their best all year – at the back. I liked Brisbane to get at Joash Papali’i in the front line but they can do the same to Dean Hawkins who presumably switches to the left side to accommodate Moses here.
Ben Hunt is a likely addition to the Broncos ruck attack and the flow-on effect that can have for Brisbane’s edges. Look for Hunt or Adam Reynolds to get over the ad-line and make a target of Hawkins outside shoulder in good-ball.
It’s difficult to see the Gold Coast improving enough without Tino Fa’asuamaleaui’s work through the middle of the field. It’s an area the Titans have struggled in all year; big, immoble bodies are being forced into repeat efforts in yardage and then spotted in good-ball.
Given how Wayde Egan can jump out behind a ruck quick and fold defenders in towards the ball, the Warriors attack direct attack on the tram lines profiles well here. They can apply pressure with their defence before hitting the edges inside twenty.
Penrith’s ability to mount pressure through possession and field position spells danger for an improved but still erratic Tigers outfit. Wests did well to take their opportunities last week but we can’t expect the Panthers to gift them the same looks the Gold Coast did.
Latu Fainu can be a target for the Panthers when they roll into good-ball. The double-lead shape is still trending in the NRL and if Penrith don’t punch straight through the line, they’ll fold it and create space out wide.
My Bunnies are hanging by a thread and here for an easy kill if Cronulla play it right. Blayke Brailey’s elevated role in the Sharks attack has seen them find the form many (g’day) expected from them in NRL 2025 as he plays behind a big, aggressive forward rotation.
With a friendly run home to work out the kinks, I like the Sharks to continue building momentum through Brailey and a direct, physical approach with the ball.
Newcastle’s defensive resilience must be credited in the face of a horror injury toll. Their poor attack compounds the pressure the Knights defensive line is asked to absorb each week but for the most part they refuse to go away. This is a tough task against one of the best attacks in the NRL though.
Canberra excel at chipping away for 80-minutes in search of a weakness. The spaces around Jermaine McEwan defending at left-four might present a few opportunities for the Raiders attack here.
Canterbury played for Tyrell Sloan to fly out of the line all game last week before Lachlan Galvin nailed the match winner. It looked like a piece of individual brilliance but was the latest evidence of the Bulldogs elite systems on both sides of the ball.
They’ll have a plan to put Galvin into positive involvements again in this one but the young half is still a spot for opposing teams. If Luke Brooks and Ben Trbojevic can tie him up in the line, Manly could have some joy down their left edge.