Sydney Roosters vs St George Dragons was one of the games of the season back in round eight, with this encounter at 7.30 Friday night much anticipated by supporters on both sides. Both teams are in very different positions however, with the Roosters only winning two of their last 13 games. While the Dragons too are failing to set the table on fire, they are firing at the right time of the season and need to keep winning if they want to make the semis.
Melbourne Storm vs Penrith Panthers is being played at 3.30 Saturday afternoon. Penrith will be extra keen for a win with Michael Gordon back in the team, with the Panthers also on a good run after a win against the Sharks last weekend. The Storm will go into this game as favourites however, even though they have lost their last five matches.
The Bulldogs may be in top spot at the moment, but they have a tough test against the Newcastle Nights on Saturday afternoon at 5.30. Canterbury-Bankstown will be favourites for this one, and can’t be ignored after winning their last nine games. Even though the Nights have won five of their past six matches, you would have to be brave to tip them this weekend.
The North Queensland Cowboys take on the Manly Sea Eagles this Saturday night at 7.30, and with both teams sitting at 26 points, this could be one of the games of the round. The battle between Johnathan Thurston and Daly Cherry Evans will certainly be one to watch, with this game one of the hardest to pick from Round 22.
The New Zealand Warriors take on the Cronulla Sharks on Sunday at Midday, with the Warriors favourites to take out the clash. They do have a lot to prove to their supporters however, after being up 18-0 in their last two matches only to throw in all away by the full-time whistle. They will be extra keen to put these points in the bag, with their finals campaign already in enough threat.
Canberra play Brisbane on Sunday at 2pm, with the Raiders so hot and cold of late that it’s hard to know if they will turn up or not. The Broncos will feel like they need to win this one however, with difficult games against Canterbury, Melbourne and Manly over the next three weeks in the run in to the finals.
The Gold Coast Titans play the South Sydney Rabbitohs on Sunday at 3pm, with this game definitely one of the ones to watch this weekend. The Rabbitohs will be without Issac Luke and Greg Inglis for this clash, although they are still favourites to win. The Titans are playing at home however, and at eighth spot on the table, this is one they really do need to win.
The Monday night game sees Wests Tigers playing the Parramatta Eels. Wests are struggling with injuries, although Tim Moltzen and Keith Galloway are both back this week. However, with Parramatta having upset wins over both Melbourne and Brisbane in the last two weeks, they are definitely the team with momentum on their side.
