GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 22: Junior Paulo of the Eels takes on the defence during the round 2 NRL match between the Gold Coast Titans and the Parramatta Eels at Cbus Super Stadium on March 22, 2020 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Magic Round is one of the NRL's greatest promotions. With every team, every game all at one ground.
It doesn't get much better than that.
Here are a few little things to make your Magic Round a bit more exciting. Something for you to look for while you're watching the footy, or a reason to watch a game you wouldn't normally tune into.
Yes, it says Junior Paulo. No, it isn't a typo, he is someone you should have your eyes glued to.
There are levels to watching sport. Sure, you can lean back and enjoy the footy without really paying attention, or you can be really invested in your team's game... but still not remember anything the next day. One great way to watch the sport is to just focus on one player.
Usually, this is something to do with fullbacks or playmakers. Go back and watch Billy Slater for eighty minutes and you will notice the little nuances, the defensive orders and slight decisions that made him great. Junior Paulo is one of those players.
Anyone who has watched the Parramatta Eels play knows how good Paulo is. A truly giant body with great footwork and a strong passing game, he is a handful for defences to contain. While that is crucial to his success, it is the little things that you don't notice without looking for them that make him special. His support play, his motor in defence, and his work in the middle make it so much easier for his edges to succeed.
Next to Payne Haas and James Fisher-Harris, Paulo is one of the best front rowers in the NRL. Do yourself a favour and put him in your spotlight this Sunday against the Sydney Roosters.
It might be an obvious choice, but the Melbourne Storm facing the Penrith Panthers can't be ignored. The injury to Ryan Papenhuyzen has taken a bit of the gloss off it, but there is no doubt this will still be a must-watch for any NRL fan.
The last time the Storm lost Papenhuyzen, Nicho Hynes almost pushed him out of the team and earned himself a massive contract at the Cronulla Sharks, so they don't get too much pity. Whoever they decide to put back to fullback, whether it's Nick Meaney or Cameron Munster or someone unknown, they'll be just fine.
I guarantee the Panthers won't be expecting an easy affair because Papenhuyzen is out.
The fact that Penrith is coming off a loss makes this all the more exciting. Losing to the Parramatta Eels makes the Panther more desperate to not make it back-to-back losses, while the Storm will want payback after Penrith knocked them out in the preliminary final.
Far and away the two best teams in the competition, this will be an insane match. Their last five matches, apart from one 37-10 shellacking by the storm, have been within seven points. I would expect much the same.
In times gone past, this would be a more exciting proposition than the Panthers versus Storm. Bringing flashbacks of Michael Ennis doing the Viking Clap to fans after the Sharks victory, there is just something about this game that's exciting.
While eight positions separate the two teams, this Raiders match screams danger for the Sharks. Don't forget, the Raiders were the first team to beat the Sharks this season, scoring in the dying minutes of their round one clash.
Bouncing off from a win against the Bulldogs, the Raiders will be hoping to turn one win into two to get their season back on track. With the Sharks having to shift around positions in the absence of Will Kennedy and Jesse Ramien, this could be the perfect time for the Raiders to strike.
Much like the Storm without Papenhuyzen and the Parramatta Eels when they lost several outside backs, the Sharks have a difficult choice ahead. Do they weaken a strength as Parramatta did by sending Dylan Brown to the centres? Or do they put in a worse fullback than Nicho Hynes or Matt Moylan to keep the halves in position?
Whichever decision they make, the Sharks have plenty of options and should be just fine for the fortnight that Kennedy is out. However, it only takes a team being a few percentage points down for the opposition to strike and it could be just enough for the Raiders.
It's no surprise that an Adam Reynolds-led Brisbane Broncos 32-12 victory over the South Sydney Rabbitohs has seen Cody Walker's name in the media.
There is no doubt that Cody Walker has failed to lead the Rabbitohs to where they wanted to be in Reynolds' absence. However, that has more to do with expectations rather than what Walker's game is. He has always been a player who works off the back of his halfback.
With a 22-year-old halfback beside him, Walker has had to take more of a commanding role and so far in 2022, the Rabbitohs have failed to excel. The magic of Magic Round might just be what Walker needs.
He has to play at a Dally M level, as he did last season, if the Rabbitohs are any hope of contending for a premiership this year, whether Latrell Mitchell returns or not. A game against the Warriors, who couldn't beat 11 men last week, could be just what he needs to get into his groove.
An in-form Cody Walker is must-see TV.
The 1983 football match between Oregan State and Oregan was College Football's last scoreless tie. Widely regarded as one of the worst games in the sport's history.
While it makes for a good heading, the Newcastle Knights v Canterbury Bulldogs should be worth watching.
Along with the Gold Coast Titans and Wests Tigers, the two teams sit on four points at the bottom of the table after winning only two of their nine games. Looking to jump-start their seasons, both teams will be desperate for a win.
Both teams have fairly easy opponents following this weekend. The Bulldogs will face the Tigers and St George Illawarra Dragons, while the Knights take on the Brisbane Broncos and New Zealand Warriors followed by a bye.
The Bulldogs are currently the betting favourite, but this one could go either way. Unless it's a top of the table clash, the best kind of footy involves desperate teams - and these two teams are craving wins. While the names might not excite you, I think this one will be a nail biter.