Sydney Roosters vs. Brisbane Broncos
Sydney Cricket Ground, 8:05pm, Thursday April 4
Team News: Cooper Cronk's return pushes Luke Keary to five-eighth, Latrell Mitchell to the centres, Mitchell Aubusson to the back-row and Angus Crichton to the bench. Radley is named at hooker with Friend out. Lindsay Collins replaces Lachlan Lam on the bench. James Roberts is out, replaced by Kotoni Staggs at centre. Matt Lodge returns from suspension, pushing Tevita Pangai Jnr to lock, and David Fifita to the bench. Gehamat Shibasaki joins the bench, with Shaun Fensom dropping out.
Prediction: This is mouth watering. Cooper Cronk loves a battle against Brisbane, it's a shame Jake Friend misses the opportunity to battle it out with Andrew McCullough for the Queensland number nine jersey. Put Keary vs. Milford, Cordner against Gillett, Tedesco and Boyd, Warea-Hargreaves up against Lodge, this will be one hell of a clash. Brisbane will be hungry after a buzzer-beating field goal handed them the loss last week. Brisbane will be up for this one, but the return of Cooper Cronk will ensure Brisbane start the season 1-3. Roosters by 1.
New Zealand Warriors vs. Gold Coast Titans
Mt Smart Stadium, 6:00pm, Friday April 5
Team News: Adam Keighran has been dropped, replaced by debutant Chanel Tevita-Harris. Isaac Luke is out with a hamstring issue, meaning Karl Lawton starts at hooker, and Ligi Sao joins the bench. Leeson Ah Mau and Bunty Afoa swap spots between the bench and a starting role. Ash Taylor and Tyrone Roberts return, pushing AJ Brimson to the bench and Ryley Jacks out of the side. Philip Sami and Max King drop off the bench, and Moeaki Fotuaiki joins the interchange.
Prediction: This doesn't look like a good game based on form, but look past that. Gold Coast have their first choice halves pair on the park together for the first time in 2019. The Warriors return home after getting pumped by Manly in Christchurch, and have axed rookie half Adam Keighran for equally inexperienced half Chanel Tevita-Harris. It's the right call from Stephen Kearney, Tevita-Harris is more of a Shaun Johnson-esque type player, a spark. It won't be enough to stop a desperate Titans outfit, led by Ash Taylor. Titans by 6.
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Penrith Panthers vs. Wests Tigers
Panthers Stadium, 8:05pm, Friday April 5
Team News: Penrith have shuffled their starting forward pack and their bench, with the only notable change coming in the form of Viliame Kikau returning in the back-row, and Tyrell Fuimaono dropping out. Josh Reynolds replaces Benji Marshall.
Prediction: Who's on the bus? Ivan Cleary comes up against his former club in this belting Friday night clash. Viliame Kikau is back from injury and isn't he needed, after Penrith were pumped last week by an efficient Storm outfit. Last week was a mixture of a good Dogs team and poor Wests Tigers one. Josh Reynolds takes his place this week in the halves to add a spark, whether he does it well or not is yet to be seen. Penrith will turn their fortunes around at home and ensure both sides finish the round 2-2. Panthers by 4.
Manly Sea Eagles vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
Lottoland, 3:00pm, Saturday April 6
Team News: Brendan Elliot replaces Moses Suli in the centres. Greg Inglis returns for the Rabbitohs in place of the injured Braidon Burns. George Burgess is back from suspension, pushing Tevita Tatola to the bench and Rhys Kennedy out of the side.
Prediction: Last weekend's results definitely make this one more interesting, with Manly giving a belting to the Warriors, and the Rabbitohs scraping past the Gold Coast. Tom Trbojevic turned Manly around, but it won't be enough to stop a South Sydney determined to start the season 6-0, with games against the Warriors and Bulldogs after this clash. All aboard the Redfern express. Rabbitohs by 14.
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North Queensland Cowboys vs. Canberra Raiders
1300SMILES Stadium, 5:30pm, Saturday April 6
Team News: Both teams are 1-17.
Prediction: No Taumalolo, all problems. The Cowboys got rolled by Cronulla last week, while Canberra managed to get over the Newcastle Knights in the nation's capital. Sam Williams was impressive at halfback, his composure something the Raiders have missed in recent times. North Queensland won't allow that effort two weeks in a row, and will lift here. It's close, but this will come down to the forward packs - and the Cowboys have them covered. Cowboys by 2.
Parramatta Eels vs. Cronulla Sharks
ANZ Stadium, 7:35pm, Saturday April 6
Team News: Dylan Brown is out with a back injury, handing Jaeman Salmon a starting spot, with Peni Terepo dropping to the bench and Tepai Moeroa starting at lock. Matt Moylan is out for a month with a hamstring issue, shifting Josh Dugan to fullback and handing highly rated youngster Bronson Xerri a debut at right centre.
Prediction: Parramatta copped their first loss of the season last week, while Cronulla left 1300SMILES Stadium with an easy win. With both teams 2-1 to start the season, this should be an interesting clash. The thing tipping the scales the most is the absence of Matt Moylan. While it sees Bronson Xerri debut, the move of Josh Dugan to fullback takes a lot of ball playing out of the side, they just won't have the same strike. Parramatta's back three have started the season as well as any team's, and that'll be the difference. Parramatta by 6.
Melbourne Storm vs. Canterbury Bulldogs
AAMI Park, 4:05pm, Sunday April 7
Team News: Melbourne are 1-17 after thrashing Penrith. Kieran Foran will miss up to three months with an ankle injury, giving Jack Cogger a shot at a halves spot. Rhyse Martin will start at lock with Adam Elliot to come off the bench.
Prediction: Finally, Canterbury have a win. It took five team changes to do it, but they got there. Melbourne are just humming along, firing on all cylinders. On paper, it appears one-way traffic, and it's a clear Melbourne Storm win. And will be a Melbourne win. But it'll be closer than most think, Canterbury have been a danger side for the Storm in recent years. Melbourne by 10.
Newcastle Knights vs. St George Illawarra Dragons
McDonald Jones Stadium, 6:10pm, Sunday April 7
Team News: The Ponga experiment is over, with the youngster going back to fullback, and Mason Lino earning a club debut at five-eighth. Kurt Mann is back on the bench. Tim Glasby will swap spots with Mitch Barnett, the former to move to prop and the latter taking the lock role. Daniel Saifiti returns on the bench, and James Gavet has been dropped.
Prediction: Only took three rounds for this experiment to finally end. Thank god. Ponga has played a single full season in the NRL, just because Darren Lockyer did it, it doesn't mean every ball-playing, young fullback should become a five-eighth. The Dragons have lost Gareth Widdop for the majority of the season but it gives their 2020 spine some time together. Mason Lino is such an underrated player, he'll be the man to narrate this victory. Newcastle by 12.
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Point To Prove
Ash Taylor. The Gold Coast's excuse for the last three weeks has been 'we don't have Ash Taylor'! Now he's back, it's time to shine. This has to be the year for Taylor. He's had such big raps on him for so long, now is the time to prove to everyone that he has what it takes to be special.
Struggle Street: Kodi Nikorima
It's tough, but he's simply not a halfback. Fullback, five-eighth, maybe. But he doesn't have the organisational skills to be a number seven. Plain and simple. Seibold needs to understand that Brisbane aren't going to win finals games with Nikorima in the seven. I can't imagine him proving everyone wrong, but there's no better time to do it than against the Chooks at the SCG. Your move, Niko.
Rookie Watch:Â Bronson Xerri
The speedy youngster finally gets his shot this week following Moylan's hamstring injury. Xerri nearly got his call-up last year, but the NRL's rules meant the tattooed youngster would remain in reserve grade due to him being under the age of 18. A right side of Nikora, Xerri and Katoa could be one of the youngest edges in the competition, but one of the quickest, especially when Shaun Johnson is the one feeding the balls out wide. He'll have to battle Michael Jennings on debut, but if the raps on this kid are anything to go off, he'll do just fine.
Rumour of the Week
More so putting a rumour to bed - Tevita Pangai Jnr will not be heading to Redfern in 2020. Speculation was rife over the off-season the Tongan powerhouse would follow Wayne Bennett to South Sydney, but the wiley coach has shot down those rumours this week, stating the Bunnies simply don't have the cap space. It appears to be a three horse race between the Roosters, Brisbane and Newcastle.
