5 Things to Watch: Everything to keep an eye on in NRL Round 19

We are now firmly entering the run towards the finals and there are some mouth-watering clashes across this weekend with serious finals implications. Here are 5 Things to Watch in Round 19.

Finals implications as Parramatta face Brisbane

The first of three top eight clashes across the weekend, Brisbane will head to CommBank Stadium to take on Parramatta in what is firming as the potential match of the round. Both sides sit on 24 competition points with Brisbane ahead on the ladder only on for-and-against (+61 versus +36). If Melbourne were to lose to South Sydney on Saturday night, the winner of this game would find themselves in the top four with six games remaining. Brisbane are set to welcome back Payne Haas, Patty Carrigan, Corey Oates, Kurt Capewell and Corey Jensen, whilst Ryan Matterson returns for the Eels. A number of Brisbane’s stars will be well-rested and eager to widen the gap between themselves and the Eels. It should be a contest with finals-level intensity to open the weekend of football. Cobbo has scored 12 tries from his past eight games, whilst Oates has scored eight over his past seven. Brisbane have lost their past five games against Parramatta by an average of nearly 30 points, however, the Broncos have proven this year that they are a vastly improved squad in comparison to the past several years.

Roosters eye top eight

Following a big win over the Dragons last Saturday, the Roosters are within reach of the top eight and will take on Newcastle this Friday night at McDonald Jones Stadium. If the Sea Eagles were to lose to the Dragons in the match prior, a win would put the Roosters at eighth. Luke Keary will return for the Roosters after a concussion layoff, whilst Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is also back and alongside Matt Lodge in the front-row. Siosiua Taukei’aho, Sitili Tupouniua, and Billy Smith will all miss extended periods after picking up injuries in their last-start victory. The Knights, meanwhile, will welcome back Kurt Mann, whilst Hymel Hunt has been named to start for the first time this season with the injured Dominic Young on the reserves list. These teams last faced off in Round 1 where Newcastle came away with 20-6 upset at the SCG. 2022 has not gone to plan for either squad but with seven weeks remaining before finals the Roosters still find themselves in top eight contention and are welcoming back two of their big names this week.

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Warriors bench Walsh

Warriors interim coach Stacey Jones has made the call to bench Brisbane-bound fullback Reece Walsh for their Saturday afternoon clash against the Raiders in Canberra. Chanel Harris-Tavita will instead wear the number one jersey whilst Daejarn Asi will replace Ronald Volkman at five-eighth with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak back onto the wing for Edward Kosi. Walsh has had a mixed season for the Warriors and has seemingly fallen out of favour after asking for a release to re-join the Broncos next season. Finals is out of the question for the Warriors, but they will be eager to finish the year on a high and lay a platform for an improved 2023. For Canberra, wingers Jordan Rapana and James Schiller will both miss the clash with Nick Čotrić and Albert Hopoate their replacements. Currently sitting 10th and just two competition points behind the eighth-place Sea Eagles, the Raiders have everything to play for. A Shaun Johnson field goal proved the difference between these two sides in their Round 8 clash at Redcliffe.

Top four clash at the foot of the mountain

The Sharks will make the trip to Penrith to take on the Panthers in a blockbuster top four clash on Saturday evening. Both sides came into the NSWRL in 1967 and have met 97 times since then, forming quite the rivalry. This clash, however, will have serious implications for Cronulla who are fighting for the two-seed come finals time. A win over Penrith would be a huge boost for Craig Fitzgibbon’s men who are riding a five-game winning streak. The Sharks were dealt a big blow this week learning that winger Sione Katoa would require season-ending shoulder surgery. He will be replaced by the capable Connor Tracey whilst centre Siosifa Talakai will also return. Penrith, meanwhile, will welcome back all seven of their Origin stars after resting them in their last-start win over the Wests Tigers. Ivan Cleary’s men will be aiming for their ninth-straight win and fifth from their past six against Cronulla.

Can Storm end skid versus Souths?

Melbourne will be looking to avoid their first four-game losing streak in over seven years when they travel to Homebush on Saturday night to take on South Sydney. The Bunnies have won five of their past six and have scored 30 or more in all five wins. The return of Latrell Mitchell has done wonders for the side who are eyeing a climb up the competition ladder as we enter the run towards the finals. Melbourne learnt this week that star fullback Ryan Papenhuyzen would miss the remainder of the season with a fractured patella suffered in their loss to Canberra on Sunday. Nick Meaney will replace him at fullback with Tyran Wishart promoted onto the wing. South Sydney, meanwhile, will welcome back Cameron Murray and Damien Cook, whilst Jed Cartwright replaces Taane Milne at centre. Melbourne are in danger of dropping out of the top four for the first time since Round 3 if they lose. Melbourne’s record against South Sydney, however, is extraordinary; they have won 31 of their 36 clashes and are riding a seven-game winning streak over the red-and-greens.

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