What a huge round of football to return to, with the new 'six again' rule wreaking havoc, catching out unfit teams and stars who've enjoyed more Crunchies than crunches during isolation.
The class showed their might, with Parramatta, Canberra, the Roosters and Manly all blowing sides off the park on the back of repeat sets. There'll be some mammoth clashes again, with injury galore among heavyweight clashes. Can the Warriors do it again? Can Melbourne adapt? Are Manly the real deal? Can the Dragons score?
Let's dive in and find out.
Brisbane Broncos vs. Sydney Roosters
Suncorp Stadium, 7:50pm, Thursday June 4
Team News: Alex Glenn is out with a laceration, with Ethan Bullemor starting in his place. Kotoni Staggs is suspended, which sees Jesse Arthars move to centre, Herbie Farnworth comes into the starting side on the wing, with Tongan international Tesi Niu debuting off the bench. The Roosters are 1-17, however Aubusson and Taukeiaho are in the reserves.
Prediction: At full strength, these two teams are some of the biggest heavyweights in the competition. Unfortunately for Brisbane, their forward pack is heavily depleted with names like Fifita, Glenn and Tevita Pangai Jnr on the sidelines. If you were a betting man, you'd assume Aubusson and Taukeiaho will come into the line-up, giving a big edge to the Chooks. They hit the ground running last week, and look ready to stamp their class on the competition. To add salt to the wound, Jake Turpin is carrying a knee injury that could see him miss the match, with rookie Corey Paix on standby. I think the teams will lay into each other for the first quarter of the match, but the Roosters should win this one late. Roosters by 8.
Penrith Panthers vs. New Zealand Warriors
Campbelltown Stadium, 6:00pm, Friday June 5
Team News: Liam Martin replaces Billy Burns on the bench. Peta Hiku and Agnatius Paasi are injured, with Karl Lawton starting at centre, with Josh Curran and four-week loan signing Poasa Faamausili joining the bench.
Prediction: This should be a great contest. On paper, Penrith look the better side, but how will their fair after a mammoth 90 minute game against Newcastle five days earlier, or how will their confidence be after failing to beat a Knights side that lost Mitchell Pearce and Connor Watson in the opening ten minutes? The Warriors would be on a high after holding the Dragons to nil, but there's a good chance they spent isolation focused on that clash, now they must bounce back. It'll be a tight affair, but the Warriors can't contain blokes like Vikau and Fisher-Harris, especially Api Koroisau following the new six again rule, Penrith should snatch this. Penrith by 4.
Melbourne Storm vs. South Sydney Rabbitohs
AAMI Park, 7:55pm, Friday June 5
Team News: Christian Welch starts for the suspended Nelson Asofa-Solomona, with Ryley Jacks joining the bench. Patrick Mago replaces Tom Amone on the bench for South Sydney.
Prediction: Amongst premiership favourites in the pre-season, the Rabbitohs look in real trouble, and were completely outclassed by the Roosters last week. Melbourne don't look to have adapted to this six again rule well, trounced by the Raiders at home last week, which should level the playing field. The Rabbitohs have never won in Melbourne, and Craig Bellamy would have had a few sleepless nights this week figuring out how to adapt his team with this new rule. Melbourne will be a lot better, and rarely lose two in a row, and should make light work of a Souths team desperately missing Cody Walker. Storm by 14.
Parramatta Eels vs. Manly Warringah Sea Eagles
Bankwest Stadium, 5:30pm, Saturday June 6
Team News: Both sides are unchanged.
Prediction: What a match this will be. Both blew their opposition away by 26+ points, and will absolutely give it to each other. After just three games, Parramatta already has a staggering for-and-against of 74, and have only conceded three tries this season. They look the real deal, and following the six again rule, so do Manly with DCE and Turbo sniffing around the ruck. The Eels have a great record at Bankwest, and in an absolute thriller, just pip the Sea Eagles at the post. Parramatta by 1.
North Queensland Cowboys vs. Cronulla Sharks
Queensland Country Bank Stadium, 7:35pm, Saturday June 6
Team News: Jason Taumalolo is out, with Josh McGuire moving to lock with Francis Molo at prop, Tom Gilbert and Gavin Cooper join the bench with Shane Wright dropping out. Chad Townsend's hamstring injury sees Matt Moylan start at five-eighth with Shaun Johnson the halfback, with Connor Tracey and Siosifa Talakai joining the bench.
Prediction: Jason Taumalolo is, figuratively and literally, a huge out for the Cowboys. The lock is averaging close to 280m a game so far this season, and leaving a huge void to be filled by the rest of the forward pack. Chad Townsend will miss his first NRL game since Round 25, 2015, and will give fans a chance to see a Moylan-Johnson halves combination. Despite losing to the Tigers, Cronulla looked sharp at times, with Wade Graham in particular showing some class. Cronulla will be fired up after a 0-3 start to the season, and will get themselves up for this one. Cronulla by 6.
Canberra Raiders vs. Newcastle Knights
Campbelltown Stadium, 4:05pm, Sunday June 7
Team News: Bailey Simonsson returns with Jordan Rapana on the bench, and Michael Oldfield in the reserves. Kalyn Ponga returns at fullback, with Tex Hoy moving to the bench and Chris Randall out. Connor Watson will miss 6-8 weeks with an ankle injury, which means Andrew McCullough starts at hooker.
Prediction: They couldn't have picked a better Sunday afternoon game. Kalyn Ponga returns while Tex Hoy remains in the 17 via the bench, meaning plenty of excitement in the red and blue line-up. Andrew McCullough will make his club debut at hooker, and will be up against it with the man Peter Sterling says has eclipsed Cameron Smith, Josh Hodgson. Mitchell Pearce will be a huge boost after going down after four minutes last week with a head knock. However Canberra are humming along, and look to establish themselves in the top four early. They should have too much discipline for the Knights, and win comfortably. Raiders by 10.
Gold Coast Titans vs. Wests Tigers
Suncorp Stadium, 6:30pm, Sunday June 7
Team News: Tyrone Roberts is back from injury at fullback, with Erin Clark at hooker with Jaimin Jolliffe, Bryce Cartwright, Young Tonumaipea and Tanah Boyd on the bench. Peats, Wallace, Whitbread and Pearson are all dropped. Wests Tigers are unchanged.
Prediction: Justin Holbrook surely can't expect to chop and change his side so heavily every week and expect to win, there's zero combinations within this team right now. Wests Tigers came home with a wet sail against the Sharks, with Harry Grant and Luke Brooks already showing glimpses of a great combination. Benji Marshall has really improved these last two years, and become an excellent controlling half, opposed to his younger self trademarked with flair and attempting the unbelievable, and really shone late against the Sharks. Their spine should be too much for the Titans to handle. Tigers by 16.
Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs vs. St. George Illawarra Dragons
Bankwest Stadium, 4:05pm, Monday June 8
Team News: Kieran Foran returns in the halves for his 200th game, with Jack Cogger dropping out. Paul McGregor has rung in changes, dropping Matt Dufty with Corey Norman at fullback, Adam Clune debuting in the halves. Josh Kerr starts for Korbin Sims. Tyrell Fuimaono has been dropped, with Trent Merrin and Issac Luke on the interchange bench.
Prediction: Finally, Kieran Foran will play game 200 in what seems a long NRL career now. The Dogs were dreadful last week, and his inclusion isn't enough to overturn a 26 point-loss. The Dragons though, they were worse. Both the club's halves are incumbent Maroons, they have three starting forwards that played State of Origin last year, and a bloke with 41 appearances for England. They look like they're just there to cash their paycheque right now. Paul McGregor has rung a few changes, moving Ben Hunt to five-eighth and bringing in Adam Clune, who had 25 try-assists in the NSW Cup last year. Both teams have poor attack, however Canterbury have a better defence (despite last week's showing), and galvanised by Foran's return, will win in a low-scoring affair. Bulldogs by 2.
Point To Prove: Craig Bellamy. Bellyache has always been a few steps ahead of the rest of the competition, he's a master at what he does, but the six again has been the first rule in forever that Bellamy's men haven't seamlessly adapted to. He'll have to get it right this week facing off with Damien Cook.
Struggle Street: Corey Norman. He's had moments at the Dragons, but never really shown any control over the side. He missed six tackles and made an error last week in game where he only produced four kicks the entire game. He's in the incumbent Maroons five-eighth. He simply isn't performing anywhere near his capabilities and has been shunted to fullback this week to make way for Adam Clune. And as a 29 year-old half that's never won a single finals game, he'll want to turn it around fast.
Rookie Watch: Corey Paix/Tesi Niu. I couldn't split the two Brisbane debutants, both extremely exciting prospects in the Broncos' system. Paix is a crafty hooker with speed to burn, and will really excel behind Payne Haas and Matt Lodge paving way. Tesi Niu has drawn comparisons to Darren Lockyer, and is such a good prospect, last year senior Tongan players asked their coach to include Niu in the 17 for their clash against the Kangaroos. Both should excite on debut.
Best Bet: Roosters/Tigers/Storm multi. All three play teams extremely depleted, and should win comfortably. Because we're still only just seeing how teams respond the six again rule, I'd dodge the margin betting for now.
Rumour of the Week: Moses Suli will this week put pen to a paper on a new deal which will see him remain at Brookvale until at least the end of the 2022 season. The former Tiger was all but certainly a Dragons from 2021 on a huge three-year deal, though the Dragons' latest efforts and coaching rumours have scared the Tongan international away from the struggling club. And with Tyson Frizell departing for Newcastle at season's end, 2021 is looking bleak in Kograh.
