PREVIEW OF NRL ROUND 22 MATCHES (all times AEST):
THURSDAY, AUGUST 15
Manly v Wests Tigers at Lottoland, 7.50pm
Head to head: Sea Eagles 15, Wests Tigers 13, drawn 1
Last clash: Round 1, 2019 – Wests Tigers 20 bt Sea Eagles 6 at Leichhardt Oval
Wests Tigers captain Moses Mbye (hip flexor) and veteran leader Robbie Farah (leg) will both spectate as the Tigers eye a win to keep them on the cusp of, or move them just inside, the top eight. Manly won’t have the services of in-form second-rower Curtis Sironen (hamstring) or Brad Parker (knee), in a game they must win to stay within touch of the top four.
Key: A battle-hardened Manly can exploit the absence of the Tigers’ main men.
Tip: Manly.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 16
Gold Coast v Parramatta at Cbus Super Stadium, 6pm
Head to head: Titans 11, Eels 7, drawn 1
Last clash: Round 21, 2018 – Eels 28 bt Titans 12 at ANZ Stadium
Unless the sorry Titans have unearthed a solution to their defensive woes, it should be a seventh win in eight games for the hard-charging Eels. A decent points differential would improve Parramatta’s top four hopes, although the Gold Coast showed signs of fight in last week’s loss to the Dragons which nevertheless left them on target to secure the wooden spoon.
Key: Lock up – Jai Arrow against Nathan Brown throws together two of the best No.13s in the premiership.
Tip: Eels
Brisbane v Penrith at Suncorp Stadium, 7.55pm
Head to head: Broncos 34, Panthers 21, drawn 2
Last clash: Round 19, 2018 – Broncos 50 bt Panthers 18 at Suncorp Stadium
Penrith can edge a step closer to locking up a finals berth and expose the Broncos to another week balancing on the highwire as the seventh and eighth-placed sides meet in Brisbane. The Panthers burst back to life, without a suspended James Maloney, to beat Cronulla last weekend while the Broncos kept the dream alive with an ugly victory in Townsville.
Key: Penrith can exhaust Brisbane’s offensive options if they shut down their dangerous forward pack’s second-phase play.
Tip: Broncos
SATURDAY, AUGUST 17
Newcastle v North Queensland at McDonald Jones Stadium, 3pm
Head to head: Knights 19, Cowboys 18, drawn 1
Last clash: Round 20, 2018 – Cowboys 20 bt Knights 18 at 1300SMILES Stadium
Six straight losses has Newcastle clinging to what’s left of their finals hopes, but they must get the job done against a North Queensland team doing some soul searching of their own. Cowboys prop Jordan McLean (calf) returns for Saturday’s clash while Josh McGuire serves the first of his three-week suspension.
Key: Will the Knights respond positively to coach Nathan Brown’s candid ownership this week of the side’s poor form?
Tip: Newcastle
Melbourne v Canberra at AAMI Park, 5.30pm
Head to head: Storm 31, Raiders 11, drawn 1
Last clash: Round 2, 2019 – Storm 22 bt Raiders 10 at GIO Stadium
Both teams have some key additions with injured Storm fullback Jahrome Hughes and speedster Ryan Papenhuyzen returning while the Raiders have centre Joey Leulia back from a long-term neck issue for this top four clash. While Canberra didn’t get the win over the Roosters they pushed the premiers to the wire; the Storm continued their march at the stop by beating Souths to set up a mouth-watering AAMI Park contest.
Key: Canberra playmaker Jack Wighton was part of the NSW side who put Cameron Munster’s Maroons to the sword and will need a repeat performance for the Raiders to win.
Tip: Storm
South Sydney v Canterbury at ANZ Stadium, 7.35pm
Head to head: Bulldogs 86, Rabbitohs 80, drawn 7
Last clash: Round 6, 2019 – Rabbitohs 14 bt Bulldogs 6 at ANZ Stadium
A gradual Rabbitohs decline and some late season bite from the Doggies means this isn’t the stroll it might have been in mid-season for Wayne Bennett’s men. Sam Burgess adds firepower for South Sydney but just as important will be halves Cody Walker and Adam Reynolds rediscovering their early-season sharpness.
Key: Dallin Watene-Zelezniak – Canterbury’s resurgence has coincided with the arrival last month of the inspirational Kiwis skipper.
Tip: Rabbitohs
SUNDAY, AUGUST 18
Sydney Roosters v Warriors at Sydney Cricket Ground, 2pm
Head to head: Warriors 22, Roosters 17, drawn 2
Last clash: Round 10, 2019 – Roosters 32 bt Warriors 0 at Mt Smart Stadium
There are elite level fullback match-ups every week in the NRL but James Tedesco against Roger Tuivasa-Sheck is the deluxe model. Whichever No.1 gets the most space can be a match-winner. The Warriors showed they won’t be late-season fodder when they toppled Manly last week but the Roosters seem to be lifting to another level as September nears.
Key: Chanel Harris-Tavita – The fearless rookie half has been the Warriors’ best for two straight games and is making it hard to find a spot for Kodi Nikorima.
Tip: Roosters
Cronulla v St George Illawarra at PointsBet Stadium, 4.05pm
Head to head: Dragons 22, Sharks 20, drawn 2
Last clash: Round 11, 2019 – Sharks 22 bt Dragons 9 at Netstrata Jubilee Stadium
Matt Moylan has dusted himself off in time to start at the back for Cronulla, who sit a point outside the eight after last week’s loss to Penrith. Andrew Fifita (knee) won’t be there though, while the Dragons will take some welcome confidence into the clash after putting 40 points on the Titans to snap a five-game losing streak.
Key: With so much to play for, Cronulla need to ensure there is no repeat of last week’s slow, costly start against the unfancied Penrith.
Tip: Sharks
