PREVIEW OF NRL ROUND 25 MATCHES (ALL TIMES AEST):

THURSDAY, Aug 24

Brisbane v Parramatta at Suncorp Stadium, 7.50pm

Head to Head: Broncos 31 Eels 20 drawn 1

Last clash: Round 21, 2017 – Eels 28 bt Broncos 14 at ANZ Stadium

Tab: Broncos $1.22 Eels $4.25

FootyTAB: Eels +10.5

It’s only been four weeks since the Eels stunned the Broncos in Sydney. Brisbane will be out for revenge on their home patch where they are nine from 11 this season. Since losing to the Eels, the Broncos have scored 110 points in their three-straight victories. They can consolidate their position in the top two, while the Eels will be desperate to return to the top four. The absence of Bevan French (hamstring) and Manu Ma’u (suspended) will only add to the Eels’ task, with Will Smith and Kenny Edwards their respective replacements.

Key: The Broncos average eight points more at home than away this season, with Anthony Milford in arguably career-best form.

Tip: Broncos

FRIDAY, Aug 25

Canberra v Newcastle at GIO Stadium, 6pm

Head to Head: Raiders 25 Knights 19 drawn 2

Last clash: Round 10, 2017 – Knights 34 bt Raiders 20 at McDonald Jones Stadium

Tab: Raiders $1.15 Knights $5.50

FootyTAB: Knights +14.5

Mathematical possibility — they’re the two words no club wants to hear at this time of years. Yet that’s the reality for the underachieving Raiders, who face bogey side Newcastle in their final home fixture for the season. The Raiders need to win their final two and hope other results go their way to take an unlikely place in the finals. The Knights embarrassed the Green Machine earlier in the season and pushed them to golden point twice last year.

Key: The Raiders have hit their best form of the season, but can they maintain the effort they’ve shown in the past six weeks now they can’t control their destiny?

Tip: Raiders

Wests Tigers v North Queensland at Campbelltown Stadium, 7.50pm

Head to Head: Tigers 18 Cowboys 15

Last clash: Round 6, 2017 – Tigers 26 bt Cowboys 16 at 1300SMILES Stadium

Tab: Tigers $1.90 Cowboys $1.90

FootyTAB: Cowboys +0.5

The Tigers’ farewell tour rolls on with fullback James Tedesco and skipper Aaron Woods set to play their last match for the club at Campbelltown before they depart at the end of this season. The Cowboys are struggling with injuries which have underpinned a concerning form slump at the business end of the season. They’ll have to get past a Tigers side in season-best touch to arrest a four-game losing streak.

Key: Gavin Cooper, Antonio Winterstein and Lachlan Coote are set to bolster a Cowboys side needing just one win to seal a finals berth. That motivation, at home, should see the Cowboys get past an improved Tigers side.

Tip: Cowboys

SATURDAY, Aug 26

Gold Coast v Canterbury at CBus Super Stadium, 3pm

Head to Head: Titans 7 Bulldogs 7

Last clash: Round 2, 2017 – Titans 17 bt Bulldogs 10 at Eden Park

Tab: Titans $1.73 Bulldogs $2.10

FootyTAB: Bulldogs +3.5

There is still plenty of interest here, given both sides are out of finals contention. But unfortunately for the Titans it is for all the wrong reasons. Can the Gold Coast snap a five-game losing streak and give fans some joy after a tumultuous fortnight? Assistant coaches Craig Hodges and Terry Matterson will take over from sacked Neil Henry, while counterpart Des Hasler will be in better spirits after his team put 30 points on the board against Manly last weekend.

Key: The Titans haven’t scored more than 16 points in any of their past five games. They could find an avenue in the air though, given they score more tries (25) off kicks than anyone else and the Bulldogs (24) concede the most.

Tip: Bulldogs

Melbourne v South Sydney at AAMI Park, 5.30pm

Head to Head: Storm 23 Rabbitohs 4

Last clash: Round 11, 2017 – Storm 14 bt Rabbitohs 6 at nib Stadium

Tab: Storm $1.15 Rabbitohs $5.50

FootyTAB: Rabbitohs +12.5

The Storm wrapped up the minor premiership last week but it’s hard to see the premiership favourites taking the foot off the pedal against Souths, who have put together three wins in a row. Melbourne welcome back superstar halfback Cooper Cronk, while Origin forward Tim Glasby could also return after being named among the reserves. The Rabbitohs were game in defeat when they played the Storm in Perth earlier in the year but could only muster six points. Scoring won’t get any easier with the loss of the NRL’s leading try scorer Alex Johnston to a hamstring injury.

Key: The Storm have an imposing record over the Rabbitohs, losing to them just twice in the past 13 years.

Tip: Storm

Cronulla v Sydney Roosters at Southern Cross Group Stadium, 7.30pm

Head to Head: Sharks 34 Roosters 56 drawn 2

Last clash: Round 17, 2017 – Sharks 44 bt Roosters 12 at Central Coast Stadium

Tab: Sharks $1.80 Roosters $2

FootyTAB: Roosters +2.5

Match of the round sees the third-placed Roosters take on the Sharks, who are nipping at their heels in fourth. The reigning premiers could drop out of the top four if they lose, with the Eels and Panthers both capable of stealing fourth spot from them. Cronulla have won their past six matches against the Roosters, and will look to make it seven on the trot in Wade Graham’s 200th NRL game. Finishing second is the major carrot for the Roosters, who won’t want to play Brisbane at Suncorp in week one of the finals.

Key: Jack Bird got his first NRL start against the Roosters in 2015 and announced himself with two four-pointers in an upset victory. He’s five from five against the Tri-colours with four tries.

Tip: Roosters

SUNDAY, Aug 27

Warriors v Manly at Mt Smart Stadium, 2pm

Head to Head: Warriors 8 Sea Eagles 22

Last clash: Round 17, 2017 – Sea Eagles 26 bt Warriors 22 at nib Stadium

Tab: Warriors $2.75 Sea Eagles $1.45

FootyTAB: Warriors +7.5

The Warriors haven’t won since round 16 and will face a Sea Eagles side smarting from losses to the lowly Tigers and Bulldogs in the past two weeks. The men from Auckland have gone from underachievers to embarrassment in recent weeks. Their seven-game losing streak started against the Sea Eagles in round 17 when they gave up a 16-0 lead to lose 26-22. Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans was sensational in that match and will be looking to improve sharply on last week’s flu-affected performance.

Key: The Warriors have been too bad to be true. But that doesn’t look like changing against the Sea Eagles who have it all to play for. A loss could cost Manly their place in the top eight.

Tip: Sea Eagles

Penrith v St George Illawarra at Pepper Stadium, 4pm

Head to Head: Panthers 12 Dragons 19

Last clash: Round 1, 2017 – Dragons 42 bt Panthers 10 at UOW Jubilee Oval

Tab: Panthers $1.50 Dragons $2.60

FootyTAB: Dragons +6.5

After leading the competition seven rounds into the season, the Dragons are staring down the barrel of missing the finals with two matches remaining. They can return to the eight with a victory but need other results to go their way. The Panthers could potentially be in the top four by the end of the round. That looked a world away when they were struggling mid-season, but they’ve rallied to win seven-straight matches to show why many predicted they could win the title this year.

Key: Handling errors have hurt the Dragons but they’ve had no problem catching the flu. How much toll will illness take on the players as they try to save their season?

Tip: Panthers